Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.

Ensofter Overrated and overhyped

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Plustown A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

Leofwine_draca There are those who say that the Rathbone/Bruce series of Sherlock Holmes films began to run out of steam as the years passed. Well, this is definitely NOT the case with THE HOUSE OF FEAR, an extremely atmospheric and entertaining variant on the old Agatha Christie story TEN LITTLE INDIANS. This is a dark thriller with plenty of deadly booby traps and moments with our heroes in peril. It also has surprisingly high macabre undertones, with talk of 'mutilated corpses' and 'torsos' with arms, legs, and heads missing. Saying that, it's still as light-hearted as ever, with the mystery and thriller aspects of the film nicely mixed together with the plentiful comic relief.There is plenty of good acting from an accomplished cast who fit their roles well, from the gruff bearded sailor to the amicable, demented old codger. Rathbone and Bruce are as strong a pairing as ever, and their double act is by now firmly cemented and all the stronger for it. Bruce once again stays in the background to Rathbone's Holmes, yet gives a perfectly judged turn. Rathbone himself is dashing, intelligent, and brooding, all that he should be. Thankfully, the great Dennis Hoey is also in tow for extra comic relief, bumbling around and getting the facts wrong as usual. A lot of the humour could be considered naïve - and perhaps childish - these days, such as a scene where Bruce mistakenly converses with an owl which keeps saying "who?", but it's still pretty funny.Like all good mysteries, this keeps you guessing as to the identity of the murderer right up to the end. As Rathbone comments, there are actually TOO many clues and suspects this time around, so it's difficult to work out who the killer is. By the time the ending comes (amid some spooky, clichéd wandering around a dark house with a storm outside) there's a twist in the tale which is good enough to rival the likes of THE SIXTH SENSE. THE HOUSE OF FEAR comes as highly recommended, and is in fact one of the best of the Rathbone/Holmes canon.

binapiraeus In contrast to most of the other 'Sherlock Holmes' movies with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, where we know almost from the beginning who's the 'villain', "The House of Fear" is a REAL, classic whodunit; and a real complicated one, almost Agatha Christie style... And besides that, it's also got many of the features of the good old 'dark old house' mysteries - alright, the house isn't dark, but there's no telephone, and not a soul around for miles, because it's built on top of a cliff in Northern Scotland; the IDEAL surroundings for mysterious murders...And that's just what happens: the members of the 'Good Comrades' club, consisting of seven men, are being 'reduced' one by one by horrible accidents - and every time, the next victim receives a mysterious envelope with orange pips (an old Asian symbol for death) in it, each time one less... Reminds us of the 'Ten Little Indians', doesn't it? But let's not jump to conclusions. The case is VERY twisted, and VERY interesting to follow, and requires the full attention of our 'little gray cells' throughout the whole duration of the movie.The cast is supreme, the directing extraordinary, the settings creepy and old-fashioned, the plot is simply fascinating - and yet, there's also room for some humor in between, mainly thanks to Dr. Watson, grumpy but helpful as always, and of course Inspector Lestrade, slow-witted as always...IMO, except for the two 'classic' adaptations made at 20th Century-Fox, this is probably the very best of the Rathbone/Bruce 'Sherlock Holmes' movies - enjoy the masterful crime entertainment, but don't let the many red herrings deceit you; will you find out the solution??

TheLittleSongbird Of the RKO Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes films series, The House of Fear not quite as good as Scarlet Claw and Pearl of Death. It is too short which tends to make parts not as developed as one would like and there is a little too much padding to perhaps make up for a story that is thin on structure. Also while Dennis Hoey is still very funny and amusingly inept as Lestrade, there were times when his presence wasn't necessary. These aside, The House of Fear is still one of the series' better entries. It is beautifully shot and efficiently directed, with very atmospheric Gothic scenery and a magnificent house that will genuinely give you the creeps. The music is also appropriate for the setting, it gives the right amount of creepiness without being obvious while also bringing a couple of jaunty moments too. The dialogue is intelligently written, thoughtful with some well-judged amusement to break away slightly from the suspense and creepiness without it being completely distracting. For what the story may lack in structure and development, it more than makes up in evocative atmosphere, suspenseful and engaging mystery and being fun from start to finish. The ending is more than satisfying, and that there is a very Agatha Christie-like feel while still feeling like Sherlock Holmes and Doyle makes it interesting too. The characters are not the most well-developed but they carry the story well and maintain interest. The cast perform reliably with a good mix of suspects that are performed with no major complaint. The perpetrator is convincing, if not as memorable as the likes of Lionel Atwill(Secret Weapon), Gale Sondergaard(The Spider Woman) and Rondo Hatton(Pearl of Death, Hatton's is the scariest of the series). Basil Rathbone naturally does dominate and he is brilliant, clever, cunning, intelligent with a touch of arrogance. Nigel Bruce is a Watson that can be blustery and bumbling too much, a more loyal and composed(like with Edward Hardwicke partnered with Jeremy Brett, the only Holmes that is perhaps even better than Rathbone) Watson is preferable, but he works very well with Rathbone and does provide some funny moments while also proving himself useful. Hoey is fun too, but not as essential to the story as Holmes and Watson. In conclusion, atmospheric and fun, a recommended entry to the series. 8/10 Bethany Cox

BA_Harrison Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce once again give sterling performances as legendary crime fighting duo Holmes and Watson, but the real star of this particular yarn is its marvellous location, the aptly named Drearcliff House, a sprawling Scottish cliff-top mansion. It is within the sturdy walls, shadowy corridors, magnificent oak panelled rooms and dingy secret passageways of this wonderfully atmospheric building that Holmes attempts to unravel the case of the 'The Good Comrades', the systematic murder of a group of friends who have each taken out a life insurance policy, naming the others as beneficiaries.Ceaslessly battered by the elements, windows lashed by heavy rain, the wind howling outside, lightning and thunder crashing above, Drearcliff is the archetypal 'old dark house', a labyrinthine structure offering countless hiding places and escape routes for any quick-witted felon. Its extensive grounds also offer ample opportunity for nefarious activity: a craggy cliff overlooking a lonely beach (perfect for pushing large boulders from), a system of caves, and an untended garden with a shed full of dynamite. With such a cool setting, so many suspects to choose from, umpteen 'murders' and red herrings aplenty, this is another fine adventure for the world's most distinguished sleuth.