Silent Revue: THE HOUND OF BASKERVILLES (1929)

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

Germany | 1929 | 65 mins (plus short) | Unrated

Dir. Richard Oswald

Cast: Carlyle Blackwell; Alexander Murski; Fritz Rasp

Silent Revue closes out its season-long transit into the criminal underworld with the ultimate crimefighter, Sherlock Holmes! The Weimar-produced THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES offered one of the most alluring and mysterious depictions of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved stories. Set amidst the eery moors of Devonshire, Richard Oswald’s adaptation kicks off with the grisly death of Sir Charles Baskerville, whose body is found frozen in terror and surrounded by impossibly large pawprints. Sparking rumours that the Baskerville family curse is at play—a curse which involves a demonic canine—and with a fortune at stake, Sherlock Holmes and his trusty aid Dr. Watson are called in to investigate. 

Considered one of the most visual of Sherlock Holmes adaptations, THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES features stunning production value, typical of the silent era’s terminus. Leaning into the story’s horror elements and tapping into German Expressionist techniques, Oswald’s Holmes tale is singular. A commercial disaster at the time and thought lost to the ages until a copy was discovered in 2009 in Poland, experiencing this restored version of one of Doyle’s most cherished tales is a must! 

Restored by San Francisco Silent Film Festival in 2018

Live accompaniment by Marilyn Lerner 

Silent Revue is curated by Alicia Fletcher and is sponsored by Hollywood Suite

Part of the Silent Revue series!

Cast/Crew Info
Director: Richard Oswald | Cast: Carlyle Blackwell, George Seroff, Alexander Murski, Livio Pavanelli, Betty Bird