The 80+ Best Basil Rathbone Movies
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1Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Richard GreeneSherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) is intrigued by a centuries-old legend in which every generation of the wealthy Baskerville family is eventually killed by a monstrous hound. Suspecting there is more to the story than meets the eye, he sends Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) to the estate to investigate. Sir Henry (Richard Greene), the only Baskerville left, is grateful for his help. But when a crazed convict escapes and footprints from a beast are found, Baskerville wonders if Watson will be enough.- #118 of 202 onThe 200 Best Crime Movies Ever
- #24 of 45 onThe 45 Best 1930s Horror Movies, Ranked
- #33 of 112 onThe 100+ Best Movies of 1939
2Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Gerald HamerDetective Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and his trusty partner Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) travel to Quebec, Canada, where a small village has been terrorized by a series of grisly murders. Members of the Royal Canadian Occult Society, led by Lord William Penrose (Paul Cavanagh), believe that paranormal forces are to blame, but when Sherlock pinpoints the real culprit -- a vengeful actor -- he must track him down before he commits his next brutal act.
3Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil RathboneWhen King Richard the Lionheart is captured, his scheming brother Prince John (Claude Rains) plots to reach the throne, to the outrage of Sir Robin of Locksley (Errol Flynn), the bandit king of Sherwood Forest. Rounding up his band of men and eventually winning the support of the lovely Maid Marian (Olivia de Havilland), Robin accuses Prince John of treachery and, when the escaped Richard returns covertly to England, joins forces with the king to prevent Prince John from taking the crown.- #188 of 228 onThe 200+ Best Film Scores Of All Time
- #105 of 308 onThe 300+ Best Epic Movies Of All Time
- #46 of 70 onThe Best Oscar-Winning Scores
4Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Ida LupinoSherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) square off against their archenemy, Professor Moriarty (George Zucco), who has designs on the Tower of London's Crown Jewels. As a perfect distraction from Moriarty's schemes, Holmes and Watson are contacted by a woman (Ida Lupino) who claims that her family is in danger after her brother receives the same warning message her father got 10 years ago -- just before he was brutally murdered.- #98 of 349 onThe Best Movies Based On Books
- #1 of 13 on13 Movie Heroes And Villains Who Are Two Sides Of The Same Coin
- #3 of 50 onThe Best 1930s Thriller Movies, Ranked
5Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, Bela LugosiBaron Wolf von Frankenstein (Basil Rathbone) is determined to prove the legitimacy of his father's scientific work, thus rescuing the family name from disgrace. With the help of Ygor (Bela Lugosi), a grave robber, Wolf successfully reanimates the monster (Boris Karloff) his father originally brought back from the dead. But when several villagers are killed mysteriously, Wolf must find the culprit in order to vindicate his creation, or face the possibility that he may be responsible.More Son of Frankenstein
- #107 of 164 onThe Best Movie Sequels Ever Made
- #33 of 80 onList of 75+ Famous Monster Movies, Ranked
- #36 of 57 onThe 55+ Best Gothic Horror Movies, Ranked
6Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Basil RathboneTired of Governor Quintero's (J. Edward Bromberg) exploitation of poor Californians, Don Diego (Tyrone Power) decides to fight back and assumes the identity of Zorro. A masked hero with a sword, Zorro fights on behalf of the people against the corrupt Quintero and his wicked assistant, Captain Pasquale (Basil Rathbone). At the same time, Diego falls for Lolita (Linda Darnell), the governor's niece, and he pursues her while constantly battling to oust Quintero from power.More The Mark of Zorro- #3 of 41 onThe Best Zorro Movies and Shows
- #4 of 56 onThe 50+ Best Swashbuckling Movies
- #269 of 363 onThe 300+ Best Action Movies Ever Made
7Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Evelyn AnkersA jewel is missing from a museum, and Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) tries to find the thief as bodies pile up across the city. Holmes is sure that the crime is the work of Giles Conover (Miles Mander), and the recent string of murders suggests that the criminal, having stashed the pearl alongside the belongings of an unsuspecting Londonite, has ordered a henchman to find it. With Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) at his side, Holmes finds himself in mortal danger as he closes in on his man.More The Pearl of Death- #35 of 50 onThe 50 Best Horror Movies Of The '40s, Ranked
- #41 of 62 onThe 60+ Best Movies of 1944
- #16 of 44 onThe 40 Best Detective Movies Of All Time, Ranked
8Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Dennis HoeyWhen two elderly members of an exclusive club are suddenly found murdered, iconic pipe-smoking detective Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and his ubiquitous sidekick, Watson (Nigel Bruce), are called in to investigate. The duo journey to a remote castle in Scotland, where the remaining five club members reside, and it is not long before another victim turns up dead. Holmes must use every ounce of his considerable intelligence to flush out the murderer before it's too late.
9Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil RathboneIn England in the 1600s, Dr. Peter Blood (Errol Flynn) treats the wounds of a man who had been injured in a rebellion against King James II, for which he is convicted of treason and sold into slavery in the Caribbean colony of Port Royal, Jamaica. Despite the kindnesses of his new owner, Arabella Bishop (Olivia de Havilland), Blood and his fellow slaves escape to begin a life of high-seas piracy. But when Captain Blood crosses paths with Arabella again years later, he remembers her compassion.More Captain Blood- #86 of 200 onThe 195+ Greatest Adventure Movies
- #69 of 91 onThe 90 Best Black And White Movies
- #2 of 56 onThe 50+ Best Swashbuckling Movies
10Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Alan MowbrayIn London, Lady Margaret Carstairs (Mary Forbes) and her son, Roland (Geoffrey Steele), engage renowned detective Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) to accompany them back home to Scotland as protection for their priceless gem, the Star of Rhodesia. When Roland turns up murdered and the Star disappears, Holmes and his friend Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) investigate -- only to discover another murder, and a strange connection with Watson's acquaintance Maj. Duncan-Bleek (Alan Mowbray).
11Errol Flynn, David Niven, Basil RathboneMajor Brand (Basil Rathbone), the commander of the 59th division of the British Royal Flying Corps in 1915 France, is frantic over the many casualties his squadron has suffered. When Captain Courtney (Errol Flynn) and his buddy Scott (David Niven) lose another of their best friends in a dangerous mission, Courtney lashes out at Brand, who hands Courtney the reins. Now in control, Captain Courtney soon sees things from Brand's perspective as more good men are killed in the line of duty.
12Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Hillary BrookeDr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) has donated his services to the Musgrave estate, a makeshift wartime hospital set up by three feuding siblings. When Watson's colleague Dr. Sexton (Arthur Margetson) is mysteriously attacked, he asks his friend Detective Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) to help with the investigation. Upon arrival, Holmes discovers that one of the estate's proprietors has been murdered, and clues lead him to suspect a bizarre Musgrave family ritual as the possible cause.
13Basil Rathbone, Gale Sondergaard, Nigel BruceThe Spider Woman is a 1944 mystery film starring Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson, the seventh of fourteen such films the pair were involved in. As with all of the Universal Studios films in the series, the film is set in then-present day as opposed to the Victorian setting of the original stories. This film incorporates elements from the novel The Sign of the Four, as well as the short stories "The Final Problem", "The Adventure of the Empty House", "The Adventure of the Devil's Foot" and "The Adventure of the Speckled Band".
14Ronald Colman, Elizabeth Allan, Edna May OliverThis adaptation of the classic novel by Charles Dickens finds courageous British lawyer Sydney Carton (Ronald Colman) defending French aristocrat Charles Darnay (Donald Woods) from false accusations of treason against England. Carton also becomes enamored of Darnay's beautiful bride-to-be, Lucie (Elizabeth Allan), but she and Darnay marry and begin to raise a family in France. Then, when Darnay falls into the hands of French revolutionaries, Carton once again comes to his rescue.
15Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Lionel AtwillSherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) saves noted Swiss physicist Franz Tobel (William Post Jr.) from the Gestapo in Zurich and smuggles him to London. There, Tobel is reunited with his wife, Charlotte (Kaaren Verne), to whom he gives a coded message in the event he disappears. Tobel presents the weapon he developed to government officials, and when he is subsequently abducted by arch-villain Professor Moriarty (Lionel Atwill), Holmes and Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) risk their lives to find him.
16Greta Garbo, Fredric March, Basil RathboneThis 19th-century period piece is an adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's classic novel. On a trip to St. Petersburg, Anna Karenina (Greta Garbo), neglected wife of the famed Alexei Alexandrovitch Karenin (Basil Rathbone), meets a handsome military officer, Count Vronsky (Freddie Bartholomew). Vronsky becomes enamored of Anna and follows her back to Moscow to confess his feelings. Will she follow her heart to be with him, even if it destroys her family and results in public disgrace?
17Humphrey Bogart, Aldo Ray, Peter UstinovAfter breaking out of prison on Devil's Island, Joseph (Humphrey Bogart) and his two cohorts flee to a nearby town and hide in a shop run by kindhearted Felix (Leo G. Carroll) ; his wife, Amelie (Joan Bennett) ; and their daughter. The three men plan to rob the store and board a ship the next day, but they soon change their minds after sharing Christmas dinner with the family. When they learn of the family's financial troubles, the convicts decide instead to carry out a few good deeds.
18Spencer Tracy, Jeffrey Hunter, James GleasonBased on the novel by Edwin O'Connor, this political drama focuses on Frank Skeffington (Spencer Tracy), an aging mayor who is embarking on his final campaign for reelection. Aided by his nephew, Adam Caulfield (Jeffrey Hunter), and savvy strategist John Gorman (Pat O'Brien), Skeffington faces considerable challenges as the political landscape that he knows slowly crumbles away, but, undaunted, he remains determined to stay in the game a bit longer.
19Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Patricia MorisonHolmes and Watson hunt for three music boxes containing directions to the whereabouts of six valuable engraving plates stolen from the Bank of England. They find themselves in competition with professional thieves also out to find the clues, which were hidden by a spiteful jailbird before the music boxes went up for auction.More Dressed to Kill- #20 of 48 onThe 40+ Best Mystery Movies On Prime Video
- #49 of 50 onThe Most Intriguing Mystery Movies Based on Novels
- #70 of 346 onThe 300+ Best Movies of 1946
20Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Hillary BrookeWhen a number of attractive women are found dead and with fingers missing, Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) investigate. Though evidence points to a psychotic killer, Holmes begins to believe that there's more to the case than initially meets the eye, a notion that leads him to uncover the involvement of his archenemy, Professor Moriarty (Henry Daniell). Who is working with Moriarty on such a dastardly plot and what are their motives?
21W.C. Fields, Freddie Bartholomew, Basil RathboneAbused by his cruel stepfather (Basil Rathbone) after his mother dies, young David Copperfield (Freddie Bartholomew) first finds shelter in the convivial home of Mr. Micawber (W.C. Fields) and later grows up under the protection of his kindhearted Aunt Betsey (Edna May Oliver). As an adult, David meets the beautiful Agnes Wickfield (Madge Evans) and attempts to free her struggling family's business from villainous blackmailer Uriah Heep (Roland Young) and his henchmen.
22Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, Barbara O'NeilAmbitious Richard, Duke of Gloucester (Basil Rathbone), brother of King Edward IV (Ian Hunter), maneuvers to get the powerful John Wyatt (John Sutton) to France, then has his brother make him the Lord Protectorate for Edward's sons, the two young princes. Impatient that the ill Edward clings to life, Richard arranges his death, as well as that of his other brother, the Duke of Clarence (Vincent Price). With only the princes remaining, Richard's obsession to rule shows no sign of abating.
23Danny Kaye, Glynis Johns, Basil RathboneFormer carnival performer Hubert Hawkins (Danny Kaye) and maid Jean (Glynis Johns) are assigned to protect the infant royal heir from tyrannical King Roderick I (Cecil Parker). While Jean takes the baby to an abbey, Hawkins gains access to the court by impersonating the king's jester, unaware that the jester is really an assassin hired by scheming Sir Ravenhurst (Basil Rathbone). When Princess Gwendolyn (Angela Lansbury), falls for Hawkins, a witch secretly aids him in becoming a knight.More The Court Jester- #384 of 702 onThe All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
- #569 of 630 onThe 600+ Funniest Movies Of All Time
- #19 of 65 onThe Best 1950s Comedy Movies, Ranked
24Eric Blore, J. Pat O'Malley, John McLeishThe Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad is a delightful fusion of two classic tales. The first half, narrated by Basil Rathbone, follows the mischievous Mr. Toad (Eric Blore) - an aristocratic amphibian with an insatiable desire for motor cars. His reckless obsession lands him in a series of comedic predicaments. Transitioning into the second tale, Bing Crosby lends his voice to tell the story of lanky schoolmaster Ichabod Crane (Bing Crosby). In this part, Crane's pursuit of the town beauty Katrina Van Tassel (Candy Candido), leads him to a fateful encounter with the infamous Headless Horseman. This 1949 animated feature from Walt Disney Productions brings together humor, adventure, and a hint of horror, making it a charming entertainment for all ages.- #192 of 204 onMusical Movies With The Best Songs
- #224 of 447 onThe 400+ Best Animated Kids Movies
- #47 of 59 onThe Best Disney Movies Starring Animals
25Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Basil RathboneLocke (Vincent Price) mourns his late wife, Morella (Leona Gage), but has resentment toward his daughter that manifests itself in terrible ways; Fortunato Luchresi (also Price) is challenged to a wine tasting by his rival, Montresor (Peter Lorre), who has deadly fantasies about Fortunato's wife (Joyce Jameson) ; and Ernest Valdemar (also Price) is dying and, with the help of a duplicitous hypnotist (Basil Rathbone), finds a way to cheat death. Based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe.
26Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Evelyn AnkersIn wartime England, cryptic radio broadcasts from Nazi Germany are spreading panic throughout the region. Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and his devoted assistant, Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce), are summoned by British intelligence to find the source of the mysterious "Voice of Terror." A slain informant's tip sends Holmes to London's grimy Limehouse district. There the stalwart sleuth gains the trust of the informant's wife, Kitty (Evelyn Ankers), and evades capture by a Nazi spy.
27Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Marjorie RiordanWhen the king of tiny Rovina is assassinated, their prime minister approaches renowned British detective Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) to escort Prince Nikolas (Leslie Vincent) home to assume power. Holmes foils a sabotage plot against the prince and, presenting Nikolas as the nephew of his friend Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce), the trio sails to Alexandria, Egypt. On board, singer Sheila (Marjorie Riordan) acts suspiciously, and three strangers boarding in Lisbon, Portugal, seem to know Nikolas.
28Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Marjorie LordA British intelligence agent transporting secret documents to America realizes German spies are following him and slips a microfilm copy of the plans to unsuspecting socialite Nancy Partridge (Marjorie Lord). After the agent disappears, the British Home Office sends Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and his partner, Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce), to Washington, D.C., to solve the mystery. When the agent is murdered, Holmes deduces Nancy's involvement and races against the Germans to find her.
29Ronald Colman, Basil Rathbone, Frances DeeIn this film based on a true story, King Louis XI (Basil Rathbone) masquerades as a commoner in Paris, seeking out the treachery he is sure lurks in his kingdom. At a local tavern, he overhears the brash poet François Villon (Ronald Colman) extolling why he would be a better king. Annoyed yet intrigued, the King bestows on Villon the title of Grand Constable. Soon Villon begins work and falls for a lovely lady-in-waiting (Frances Dee), but then must flee execution when the King turns on him.
30Basil Rathbone, Hugh Herbert, Bela LugosiThe family of wealthy, elderly Henrietta Winslow (Cecilia Loftus) gathers for an advance reading of her will. Believing Henrietta is near death, her nephew, Montague (Basil Rathbone), has brought along realtor Gil Smith (Broderick Crawford). Dismayed that the family anticipates her demise, Henrietta reads her will and stuns everyone by adding that no one can inherit until the estate guardian, Abigail (Gale Sondergaard), dies. When Henrietta is murdered, Abigail fears her own life is in danger.
