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[J. Bellingham]

Dear Ken Barnes,

I was interested in your comments re. Optimum's recently released Sherlock Holmes box set. It is,of course, a wonderful package and it's great to have all of the Basil Rathbone-Holmes films so beautifully restored and in one place. I particularly enjoyed the extras and all five of the audio commentaries by Holmes experts David Stuart Davies and Richard Valley. Both of these gentlemen appear to know what they're talking about and yet you say that their work contains inaccuracies. Being an ardent Holmes fan, I couldn't find anything wrong with these commentaries. Could you be specific ?

Regards
John Bellingham

[Ken Barnes]

Dear Mr. Bellingham,

Thank you for your message of August 6 and my apologies for this late reply due to my current workload.

While I agree that all five audio commentaries in the Holmes-Rathbone collection are interesting and enjoyable, it was the commentaries by David Stuart Davies that contained a few errors. I have no real complaint about Richard Valley's work on "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" - except for an interesting omission which I'll come to in a moment. In his comments on "The Hound Of The Baskervilles," Mr. Davies states firmly that, in the flashback sequence, the role of Sir Hugo Baskerville was played by Richard Greene ( who played Sir Henry Baskerville in the main story ). Not true. Sir Hugo was played by prominent British actor, Ralph Forbes.
Which brings me to a point that was overlooked by both Mr. Davies and Mr
Valley. Namely that Ralph Forbes was the son of Mary Forbes who played Lady Conyngham in "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes"(1939) and
four years later played another supporting role in "Sherlock Holmes Goes To Washington." I must say, though, that Mr. Valley's commentary as a whole is without blemish and his production notes make excellent reading.

Mr. Davies, who clearly knows his Sherlock Holmes, is not quite so well-versed in movie history. In one of his commentaries, he talks about director, Roy William Neil and mentions "The Black Angel" (1946) - a non-Holmes film - which, he says, starred Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet.
Lorre was in it alright in a supporting role, but Greenstreet was nowhere to be seen in that film ( and he would have been hard to miss). I think Mr. Davies was probably thinking of "The Mask of Demetrios" (1944) in which both actors did appear. Elsewhere, Mr. Davies refers to a Bob Hope comedy-thriller as "1939's "Ghost Chasers." I think he meant 1940s "The Ghost Breakers."

In spite of these minor errors, I can't say enough good things about this
box set. Optimum have excelled themselves in the packaging and presentation of this much-loved series of films in a way that far exceeds the American version in terms of quality and price. I urge everyone who loves classic mystery movies to add this one to their collections. It's a knockout 1

[G.Baynton]

Dear Ken Barnes,

Full marks for your appraisal and comments on Optimum's wonderful
box set of the Sherlock Holmes- Rathbone-Bruce films. Your corrections of the audio commentaries by Mr. Davies were accurate but incomplete.
Mary Forbes - mother of Ralph Forbes - actually appeared in a third Holmes film "Terror By Night" (1946). Well, it's worth mentioning, isnit ?

[Ken Barnes]

Dear G. Baynton,

Thanks for pointing out that Mary Forbes appeared in a third Holmes-Rathbone film. My research point was accurate but incomplete. I stand corrected. I would just like to say,however, that this box set from Optimum is a superb release and well worth a place in any film buff's collection.

[Neil]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sherlock-Holmes-Definitive-Collection-Remastered/dp/B0006M4S46/ref=pd_sxp_f_i/202-8449237-1193437?ie=UTF8

Ken

Is this the one?

[Ken Barnes]

Yes, Neil, that's the one. Excellent packaging and first rate quality collection.