Withaninvolved,detailedmysteryandanelegantadversaryplayedbyGaleSondergaard,thisisoneofthemostentertainingfeaturesintheSherlockHolmesseriesofmoviesstarringBasilRathboneandNigelBruce.Thestorygetsalittlefar-fetched,butitisquiteinteresting.ItisloadedwithplotdevicespulledfromseveraldifferentArthurConanDoylestories,andit’sinterestingtoseehowmanyyoucancatch.ItalsofeaturestheusualpleasantcamaraderiebetweenRathboneandBruce,plusDennisHoeyasInspectorLestrade.As"TheSpiderWoman",SondergaardcreatesamemorableopponentforHolmes.Theslightlyexaggeratedrolecannothavebeenmuchofachallengeforsuchafineactress,butsheputsherheartintoit,andlooksasifsheisenjoyingherself-ashercharactercertainlyis.Bycreatingsuchadynamiccharacter,shealsohelpsmakethecomplicatedstoryseemmoreplausible,anditcreatesaworthychallengeforHolmes.Themoviealsocontainstheamusingbitsofdialogueanddetailthatcharacterizedsomanyofthemoviesintheseries.Theclimacticsequence,inparticular,isaverygoodcombinationofsuspenseandwit.Itisafittingwaytocapoffanenjoyableentryinthepopularseries.
