Silver Blaze

Sherlock Holmes plans a quiet break at the country estate of his old acquaintance Sir Henry Baskerville, but the respite doesn't last. A pair of deaths and the disappearance of a prized racehorse pull Holmes back into a case that mixes murder with the high-stakes world of horse racing. Clues point toward Professor Moriarty's involvement, and Holmes has to untangle motives, alibis, and a tangled web of local rivalries before the big cup final. The film keeps the investigation tight and procedural, focusing on deduction, observation, and the competitive pressures surrounding the missing horse.

Released in 1937, the picture was directed by Thomas Bentley and adapts Arthur Conan Doyle's material, centering on the "Silver Blaze" story. Arthur Wontner headlines as Sherlock Holmes, with Ian Fleming as Dr. John Watson, supported by John Turnbull and Lawrence Grossmith.

Box office records for this 1930s British production aren't widely reported, and it didn't leave a clear commercial footprint compared with bigger studio releases of the era. Contemporary distribution was modest, with attention mostly from fans of detective pictures.

As an early screen incarnation of Holmes, Arthur Wontner's performance contributed to the character's cinematic image between the silent era and later Hollywood treatments. The film is part of the steady stream of Conan Doyle adaptations that kept Holmes in the public eye, and its horse-racing angle gives it a distinct flavor among detective pictures of the period.

Critical response has been mixed over time, reflected in a modest audience score around 5.5 out of 10 based on limited votes. Reviewers tend to note its old-fashioned pacing and emphasis on clue-work over action, while themes of intellectual rivalry, class and sporting honor run through the plot. Viewers who appreciate methodical mystery solving and period atmosphere will find it of historical interest.