Arthur Wontner

Ian Fleming

Minnie Rayner

Leslie Perrins

Jane Welsh

Norman McKinnel

William Fazan

Sydney King

Philip Hewland

Gordon Begg

Louis Goodrich

Harry Terry

Charles Paton

Leslie S. Hiscott

Cyril Twyford

Jack Harris

Arthur Conan Doyle

Sydney Blythe

Julius Hagen

Baynham Honri

James A. Carter

Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Wontner) Collection

Mystery

Crime

The Sleeping Cardinal

Julius Hagen Productions

Warner Bros. Pictures

United Kingdom

English

detective

based on short story

sherlock holmes

Watchable mystery-drama with Arthur Wontner and Ian Fleming as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson respectively. A bit slow at times but I still was engaged enough with the mystery element and liked Wontner's portrayal of the classic character. **3.25/5**

CinemaSerf

Arthur Wontner ("Sherlock Holmes") and Ian Fleming ("Dr. Watson") really do foil well together as our deductive duo investigating a dastardly counterfeiting conspiracy conjured from the ever-devious mind of their nemesis "Prof. Moriarty" (? - that'd be telling...). Not unusually, this plot strays quite far from the original serial - as do the characterisations, but Wontner is strong as the sleuth and Fleming offers a much more cerebral contribution as the pair have to thwart the scheming Professor. The story has all of the usual twists, turns and red herrings - but what sets it aside a little is the way in which we, the audience, are given clues by "Holmes" - not always obvious, indeed sometimes they are so obscure as to render all but the most advanced criminologist baffled - and that's part of the enjoyment. We are encouraged to take part, ourselves - and it's not a simple deduction! I've watched this twice now and though, of course, there is no actual jeopardy with the end result, the second time I noticed more by way of guidance from the deft Wontner. Technically - well, it's not the greatest. Though the lighting can help the atmosphere a bit, it doesn't much help us see what's going on half the time; and the script can be a bit dry and muddled at times. I won't fib - Rathbone/Bruce are my definitives in these roles, but if you can put comparisons to the back of your mind, and treat with this as an original - then it's a good watch.

The Sleeping Cardinal( 1931)

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A review by JPV852

Written by JPV852 on Fri Dec 31 2021

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