Pursuit to Algiers

"Well, if one isn't willing to pay the penalty, one shouldn't play the game."

Sherlock Holmes (Rathbone) and Dr. John Watson (Bruce) are preparing for a much needed holiday.  Their plans change when they are approached by the Prime Minister of Rovinia, who wants to hire them to escort the heir to the Rovinian throne, Prince Nikolas (Vincent) home.  His father was murdered and they are concerned that others will try to kill Nikolas.

The three travel by ship, with Nikolas posing as Watson's nephew.  The other passengers on the ship are shady characters.  The young singer Sheila Woodbury (Riordan) hides from Holmes, health enthusiast Agathan Dunham (Ivan) carries a gun in her purse, the Steward (Lowry) is always underfoot, Jodri (Abbott) and Kingston (Hamer) are always talking conspiratorially and writing in a notebook, and the three new passengers, Mirko (Kosleck), Gregor (Evans), and Gubec (Davis) arrive at night and have alterior motives.  Can Holmes and Watson get Nikolas home safely?


This is the 12th of 14 Sherlock Holmes films to star Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.  It is also considered one of the worst entries in the series.

The story, written by Leonard Lee, is based on characters from several of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Holmes stories... but is an entirely original story.  The majority of the film takes place on board the ship, alternating between 3 different settings: their room, the dinning area, and the deck.  Limited settings don't have to be a problem, they can show the claustrophobia of the setting and add to the tension, but this film doesn't do that.  The script isn't terrible, but it isn't great either... it isn't memorable.

Rathbone and Bruce are still good here.  Bruce even gets to sing a lovely rendition of "Loch Lomond."  Most of the cast are red herrings, which is more apparent as the story moves along.  But they are enjoyable in their roles.  Morton Lowry, who appeared with Rathbone and Bruce in The Hound of the Baskervilles, plays a very different character here.

It is still a passable detective / Holmes story, but not as good as other entries in the series.

Pursuit to Algiers (1945) 65 minutes
Director: Roy William Neill
Starring: Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes
Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson
Marjorie Riordan as Sheila Woodbury
Rosalind Ivan as Agatha Dunham
Morton Lowry as Steward
Leslie Vincent as Prince Nikolas
Martin Kosleck as Mirko
Rex Evans as Gregor
John Abbott as Jodri
Gerald Hamer as Kingston
William "Wee Willie" Davis as Gubec