Product Description

Terror by Night (1946) hints at a few of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories. The action takes place on a speeding steam train racing from London to Edinburgh. Lady Margaret Carstairs possess a 423 karat diamond, known as the 'Star of Rhodesia' and her son employs Holmes to protect the priceless jewel until it reaches its home in Scotland. Lady Margaret's son is found murdered and the 'Star of Rhodesia' has been whisked away. Eccentric and suspicious passengers line the Scotland Express as Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson and Inspector Lestrade (Dennis Hoey) investigate. Along for the ride is an old friend of Watson's, Major Duncan-Bleek (Alan Mowbray), who may or may not be as disinterested a party as he appears.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #36553 in DVD
• Brand: MPI
• Released on: 2004-01-27
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 60 minutes

Customer Reviews

A ticket to mystery
This is not the best of the Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce pairings but nonetheless this is an enjoyable outing.
Terror by Night is one of those I put on late at night to watch curled up on the sofa with a cat by my side. The rhythm of the train and the steadfast bond between Holmes, Watson and Lestrade creates one of the most relaxing murder mysteries ever put on film. The deliberate pace may not please all, but to those with a taste for it this is the mystery equivalent of a good house wine.

Murder on the Scotland Express
The 11th film in Universal's series of Sherlock Holmes films starring Basil Rathbone as the Great Detective and Nigel Bruce as his faithful companion, Dr. Watson.

With only one more film to go following this 1946 release, it's not surprising that there's little fresh about this entry, but it hardly matters. The draw is still Rathbone and Bruce, as well as Dennis Hoey's Inspector LeStrade, all of whom deliver typically energetic performances.

The setting is novel, though, with Holmes and Watson aboard a train bound from London to Edinburgh, acting as bodyguards for the "Star of Rhodesia," a precious jewel whose owner is murdered.

Of course, a train is the perfect setting for a mystery, but as "Murder on the Orient Express" would prove twenty-eight years later, the claustrophobic atmosphere severely limits the action. But with a brisk running time of only 60 minutes, "Terror by Night" never threatens to bore.

Brian W. Fairbanks

Elementary my dear Watson... this disc is awful
If you love the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce "Sherlock Holmes" movies like I do, then DO NOT BUY THIS DISC! The film print quality is very poor and the sound is very muddy. The DVD box falsely states a running time of 60 minutes -- but the running time of film they put on the dvd only runs 53 minutes! Do the math. The 7 minutes they cut out are key scenes!!...and the Index of scene selections doesn't even work. Holmes and Watson deserve better...