James Murphy was found dead in a locked compartment of a railway car. Manor of death, suicide. As that is happening the members of a group called the Scarlet Ring are meeting to divvy up the shares of the estate of another deceased member, Arthur Forrester. Those in attendance are Captain Pyke (Wyndham Standing), Ah Yet (Tetsu Komai), Malcom Dearing (Halliwell Hobbes), Jabez Wilson (J. M. Kerrigan), and William Baker (Cecil Reynolds). New to the group is Forrester’s daughter Eileen Forrester (June Clyde). Leading this secret society is an attorney, Thaddeus Merrydew (Alan Dinehart).
Having been left out after her husband died, Mrs. Annabelle Murphy (Doris Lloyd) seeks out the help of Sherlock Holmes (Reginald Owen). Holmes has heard of Thaddeus Merrydew. Mrs. Murphy gives Holmes a cryptic message that her husband received before he went to London and his demise. Holmes agrees to take her case. Holmes’ friend Dr. Watson (Warburton Gamble) is surprised that Holmes would take a case that would be more appropriate for a lawyer to handle, but Holmes knows that Merrydew is a crook and a blackmailer. Is he a murderer too?
The next cult member to be killed is Captain Pyke. He is shot in front of Merrydew and Eileen. A shadowy figure attacks Eileen and steals Pyke’s dead body. Later his body is found and identified by his widow (Anna May Wong). On his body is another cryptic note. Then Malcom Dearing is killed. He too received a cryptic note. Holmes knows that Merrydew is somehow involved in these crimes. He enters a cat and mouse game with the attorney but there will be more murders before Holmes and Merrydew have their final battle.
“A Study in Scarlet” was released in 1933 and was directed by Edwin L. Marin. It is an American Pre-Code mystery thriller film. The movie stars Reginald Owen as Sherlock Holmes and Warburton Gamble as Dr. John Watson.
This is a decent attempt at bringing Sherlock Holmes to life. It’s not really bad or really good but an average film. Reginald Owen is fine as Holmes but John Warburton is a strange choice for Dr. Watson. He’s not very remarkable in the role. Alan Dinehart is a formidable foe as the attorney Merrydew but the most memorable part of the film is the sexy Anna May Wong who is second billed but has a much smaller part than she should.
The producers of the film approached the Doyle estate for the rights to the Holmes story but were put off by the cost. Instead they purchased the rights to the name of Doyle’s 1887 novel and had Robert Florey write and original screenplay to go along with it. There may be references to other Doyle stories but the actual film has nothing to do with the Doyle novel. Reginald Owen helped in adding some of the dialogue and Doyle story references to the screenplay. The residence of Sherlock Holmes in the movie is referenced as 221 A Baker Street instead of 221 B Baker Street. The movie is slightly reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s story “Ten Little Indians”.
Reginald Owen also played Dr. Watson the year before in the 1932 film “Sherlock Holmes” with Clive Brook as Sherlock.