SHERLOCK HOLMES TAKES ON THE MASKS OF DEATH! #WATCHWITHCUSHING #WATCHPARTY!

DON'T THINK FOR A MINUTE THAT YOU CAN'T take another post of a Cushing Sherlock Holmes adventure? Snap out of it.😉😀 This one... is different 😉 #SirIanMckellen was 75, when he made that amazing Mr Holmes feature back in 2015. #PeterCushing was 71 when he appeared in what would almost be his 'swan song' for the big screen, and he pours just about everything he has in it 😊'Sherlock Holmes and the Masks of Death' (1984) is a pretty clever film, with a very cool cast to help make it work. 

THE THREE FACES OF Peter Cushing's Sherlock Holmes 

'The Hound of the Baskervilles' (Hammer films 1959)

Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes in the BBC Television series of 1968

Cushing's Holmes in semi retirement in 'Sherlock Holmes and the 

Masks of Death (1984)

THERE ARE MANY very nice touches in this film and despite Peter's obvious age and his belief he was too old to play it, it works, helped by Cushing's good friend, John Mills who fills the role of Dr Watson confidently and with a few well timed 'matured-creaks and groans'. Roy Ward Baker directs also Ray Milland, Anne Baxter and #AntonDiffring are all lovely to watch and help put the cherry on what could have been quite a stale and mouldy cake! 

I VERY MUCH LIKE the story in this film. At times it's bleak, quite dark and uses one of the 'world's darkest of times' to under pin the evil and threats' in this #Sherlock and #Watson drama, written by Hammer's Anthony Hinds and N.J Crisp. It is a shame Cushing thought himself not fit enough or capable to nail another Holmes film, which was planned for production after this one. But, he did wait while Tyburn were trying to source funding.  

CUSHING MADE '#Biggles' (1986) while waiting, which would be his last cinema role. I think he more than managed to do his last Sherlock justice and finally bow out from one of his most accomplished and always most confidently performed roles in his long and varied career. I hope you enjoy this too 😊Marcus

CATCH UP on ALL the PCASUK '#WATCHWITHCUSHING! 'watch parties' at the FACEBOOK UK PETER CUSHING APPRECIATION SOCIETY FACEBOOK PAGE HERE!

WHEN VINCENT PRICE SURPRISED CHRISTOPHER LEE, LEE SURPRISED CUSHING AND CUSHING SURPRISED LEE!

#HAMMERFILMSATURDAY: NOT A POST ON A HAMMER FILM as such, but certainly the emphasis is on shock and surprise! All three actors in this feature, relied on the power of surprise and of the unexpected, those golden rules were also the glue that held a television show like, 'THIS IS YOUR LIFE' together, and made it such a thrill to watch. The big question, after the initial netting of the programmes 'victim', was who was going to walk through the door and appear in the studio next?

THERE CAN'T BE MANY who have never seen the show, which was originally screened in the USA and  hosted by its creator and producer, Ralph Edwards. Christopher Lee was chosen as the shows subject on 3rd April 1974. At 51 years old, Lee still had a very long way to go and several major career defining roles at this point in his long life. The guests included  his wife, Gitte, daughter Christina, his mother, sister, brother, and fellow actors Peter Cushing, Vincent Price, Patrick Macnee, and Sammy Davis Jr. Lee who sometimes could be a little stiff and guarded in personal appearances on tv, looked relaxed and having a good time, thankfully a position that we would eventually see him adopt more often, as he got older.

BECAUSE OF WORK commitments, Christopher Lee was unable to attend Peter Cushing's 'The Is Your Life' tribute show in 1990. But he did record a message for his friend, whic was played to Cushing, during the recording of the show.

THE 'NO-SHOW' at the studio, for Peter's programme, surprised a few people. Often the show had a habit of showing a recording of a guest who could be there, for whatever reason.. and then bringing the same guest on from around the back...they were there all the time! But, sadly not in this case. The show was a great success, with much laughter from Peter, who waqs obviously enjoying himself. Maybe, a Cushing This Is Your Life should have happened sooner? Peter looked frail, many  guests who could have contributed much to the story of Peter's life, had long passed. Having said that, Joyce Broughton, in several interviews, always made the point of, Cushing telling her, 'If that show gets in touch, tell them no. Under no circumstances, no!' It''s worth noting that, Cushing DID know about the  planned recording weeks before, when he became so suspicious of Joyce's behavior, she had to tell him. If that was a good thing or not, you decide... 

RALPH EDWARDS APPROACHES, Price in a bookstore and says, 'It's good to see you are autographing a copy of your own book, 'A Treasury of American Art' ..and at no point does Vincent suspect anything is a-miss. 'Yes, that's right.' says Price, 'It's a wonderful book!' 'Well..' says Edwards, 'I have another book, with your name on it, right on the front cover!'....and at that point, starts to pull out, the BIG book from a plastic carrier bag. 'I REALLY don't believe it!' howls Price. And, another one heads off to '...a studio, just a few blocks away' to meet his family and friends, before the cameras. Price has a wonderful time, and his genuine warmth and love for the guests who appear, is plain to see.

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PEARLS, POISON DARTS AND MURDER: PETER CUSHING AS SHERLOCK HOLMES IN 'THE SIGN OF FOUR'

A murder and stolen treasure pique the interest of Sherlock Holmes…

The Sign of Four, published in 1890, was the second of four Sherlock Holmes novels written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  Though not quite so popular and oft referenced as, say, The Hound of the Baskervilles or even some of the short stories, it weaves a pleasingly complex, twist filled tale and has been adapted on numerous occasions.  The first known cinematic adaptation emerged in 1913, under the title Sherlock Holmes Solves The Sign of Four; it is now believed to be a lost film.  Another silent adaptation followed in 1923, as part of the Ellie Norwood series filmed in the UK.  The first sound version was released in 1932 and starred Arthur Wotner, who was arguably the preeminent interpreter of the role on screen until Basil Rathbone inherited the deerstalker in 1939.  Rathbone never had a go at The Sign of Four, and indeed it would remain untouched by producers until this 1968 adaptation for the BBC series, Sherlock Holmes. 

Later versions would hail from as far away as the-then USSR (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: The Treasures of Agra), and would even include an animated version (1983’s Sherlock Holmes and The Sign of Four, with Peter O’Toole voicing the great detective).  The best versions would later be done for British TV, however – first with Ian Richardson and David Healy as Holmes and Watson (1983), then with Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke essaying the roles (1987).  The 1968 version falls decidedly short of the excellence of those later versions, but is still worth seeing for Peter Cushing’s customarily accomplished portrayal of Holmes.

Of the six surviving episodes of Cushing’s tenure on the program, The Sign of Four is easily the weakest.  Part of this is down to the rather stiff, uninspired direction of William Sterling.  There is also trouble in the casting, with few of the actors measuring up to the standards of Cushing’s performance.  Even Cushing, it has to be noted, seems a bit off his game in a few scenes, lending credence to his own later complaint that the shooting schedule was too rushed to allow to him to do his best work.  Even so, it’s still a joy seeing him in the role, and Nigel Stock again proves to be a solid and dependable Watson.

On the downside, the use of a middle aged actor to play Watson works against the romantic subplot which was so crucial to the story.  Watson becomes smitten with the character of Mary Morstan, and indeed – as readers of the stories will be aware – he would later marry her.  This works perfectly well in Doyle’s story, as Watson is rather younger in Doyle’s conception – but the sight of avuncular Stock lusting after pretty Ann Bell comes off as awkward at best, creepy at worst.  Bell – who also costarred with Cushing in Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1964) – does a competent job in the role, but she has zero chemistry with Stock, and it’s just as well that his proposal to her at the end of the story was dropped from the screenplay adaptation.  Supporting actor honors go to John Stratton, another familiar face in the Cushing universe (he would go on to play the comically blustering asylum director in Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell, 1972), who gives a good account of himself as the clueless and supercilious Inspector Jones.  Howard Goorney, a busy character actor whose credits include The Evil of Frankenstein (1964), Blood on Satan’s Claw (1970) and The Offence (1972), also shows up in a small role.

The Sign of Four is by no means an unmitigated disaster, but it definitely comes up a bit short compared to the other surviving episodes – and it looks very poor indeed compared to the earlier episodes starring Douglas Wilmer as Holmes.  It all comes off as a bit rushed and awkward, lurching in an uneven pace from one talky, prolonged set piece to one all too hurried a bit of action and intrigue.  Cushing gives a game attempt, but there are moments wherein he comes off as a little hammy and theatrical, reminding one of what a delicate balancing act it can be to play Holmes properly on screen.  It’s a difficult role, one which has defeated many fine actors, but happily this particular outing is not indicative of Cushing’s interpretation in general.  But even if he comes off a little poorly in a few scenes, Cushing’s inherent presence and charisma as an actor help to redeem this otherwise disappointing adaptation.

Images: Marcus Brooks
Review: Troy Howarth

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