The famous Borgia Pearl, a valuable gem with a history of bringing murder and misfortune to its owner since the days of the Borgias, is brought to London, thanks in part to Sherlock Holmes. But before long the jewel is stolen, due to an error on Holmes’ part, and shortly thereafter, a series of horrible murders begin, the murderer leaving his victims with their spines snapped and surrounded by a mass of smashed china.

Basil Rathbone’s razor-sharp Sherlock Holmes faces off against one of his most terrifying foes yet in this fast-paced mystery based on “The Six Napoleons.” When a priceless jewel goes missing and bodies start piling up, Holmes and Watson (a delightfully bumbling Nigel Bruce) must unravel a deadly trail of clues—leading to the monstrous “Creeper,” played with chilling menace by Rondo Hatton. Full of shadowy streets, clever deductions, and old-school thrills, The Pearl of Death is a classic Holmes caper with a horror twist. -TORONTO FILM SOCIETY