<p>Withaninvolved,detailedmysteryandanelegantadversaryplayedbyGaleSondergaard,thisisoneofthemostentertainingfeaturesintheSherlockHolmesseriesofmoviesstarringBasilRathboneandNigelBruce.Thestorygetsalittlefar-fetched,butitisquiteinteresting.ItisloadedwithplotdevicespulledfromseveraldifferentArthurConanDoylestories,andit’sinterestingtoseehowmanyyoucancatch.ItalsofeaturestheusualpleasantcamaraderiebetweenRathboneandBruce,plusDennisHoeyasInspectorLestrade.As&quot;TheSpiderWoman&quot;,SondergaardcreatesamemorableopponentforHolmes.Theslightlyexaggeratedrolecannothavebeenmuchofachallengeforsuchafineactress,butsheputsherheartintoit,andlooksasifsheisenjoyingherself-ashercharactercertainlyis.Bycreatingsuchadynamiccharacter,shealsohelpsmakethecomplicatedstoryseemmoreplausible,anditcreatesaworthychallengeforHolmes.Themoviealsocontainstheamusingbitsofdialogueanddetailthatcharacterizedsomanyofthemoviesintheseries.Theclimacticsequence,inparticular,isaverygoodcombinationofsuspenseandwit.Itisafittingwaytocapoffanenjoyableentryinthepopularseries.</p>