evil professor moriarty plots gain control sherlock holmes secret weapon could win war nazisbr br basil rathbone  nigel bruce return screen sir arthur conan doyles beloved detective sidekick sherlock holmes  dr watson entertaining little mystery universal studios wasted money either fancy production values sensible script knowing two stars would attraction audience would need indeed rathbone cerebral ego bruce bumbling id seem actually become characters creating gleefully keeping faces straight engaged utter nonsensebr br dennis hoey makes first appearance dogged inspector lestrade scotland yard teamed bruce two goodhearted pedantic fellows actually get save intellectually superior holmes life twice lionel atwill master sinister deserves recognition talent fine job moriarty making wicked rascal foe worthy holmes steel relishing scenes gets inflict torture  painbr br william post jr kaaren verne play swiss scientist girlfriend heart mystery theyre given much do sweet mary gordon makes token appearance holmes landlady mrs hudsonbr br rathbone spices already classic interpretation holmes getting appear disguise three times story thereby revealing viewer great sleuth bit ham actor heartbr br this filmwhich based loosely elements sir arthurs short stories the dancing men the empty housefollowed sherlock holmes voice terror  preceded sherlock holmes washington 