SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE SPIDER WOMAN 1943 (MPI)

I reviewed this many years ago and just had to revisit it while reviewing this spectacular set of Holmes films.

Considered by many to be the best of the Universal Holmes films, and I do have to agree it is a top notch thriller.

London is being rocked by many suicides dubbed the "Pajama Suicides" and Holmes and Watson are called in to solve the bizarre murders. Almost from the start Holmes (Basil Rathbone) knows the killer is almost as formidable as his old foe Moriarty.

Holmes fakes his own death in order to get to the bottom of the killings. A brilliant but very evil woman named Adrea Spedding (Gale Sondergaard), is behind the killings and all of the victims are wealthy men.

Inspector Lestrade (Dennis Hoey) is unable to solve the crimes, but Holmes and Watson (Nigel Bruce) are hot on Spedding's trail. One very creepy scene involves a massive spider being used in an attempt to kill Holmes while he is sleeping. Those kinds of things always unnerve me.

Not only a top Sherlock Holmes entry, but a wonderful Universal film on any level. Sondergaard has always been a favorite actress of mine and her entire body of work is something that most modern actresses will never top. I wish they had brought her back for other Holmes adventures.

The rest of the cast includes Mary Gordon as Mrs. Hudson, Vernon Downing, and Alec Craig. I simply cannot recommend this film enough. SEE IT!!