The Woman in Green (1945)
The Woman in Green is the eleventh film in the celebrated Sherlock Holmes series starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, produced by Universal Pictures and directed by Roy William Neill. Released in 1945, this moody mystery blends psychological manipulation with classic detective work, as Holmes faces off once again against his arch-nemesis, Professor Moriarty, played here by Henry Daniell.
Plot Overview
London is gripped by fear as a series of women are found murdered—with one chilling detail: each victim’s forefinger has been severed. Holmes and Watson are drawn into the case when a respected widower, Sir George Fenwick, becomes convinced he’s the killer after waking from a hypnotic trance with a severed finger in his pocket. As Holmes investigates, he uncovers a sinister plot involving hypnosis, blackmail, and Moriarty’s attempt to discredit Scotland Yard and destroy Holmes once and for all.
Cast Highlights
- Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes
- Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson
- Henry Daniell as Professor Moriarty
- Hillary Brooke as Lydia Marlowe (the titular “woman in green”)
- Matthew Boulton as Inspector Gregson (replacing the usual Lestrade)
- Paul Cavanagh, Tom Conway, and Eve Amber in supporting roles
Trivia
- This was Henry Daniell’s third role in the Rathbone Holmes series—he previously played both a villain and an ally
- The film includes the only reference to Mycroft Holmes in the entire Rathbone-Bruce series, though he never appears onscreen
- The sniper scene, where Holmes is targeted through his silhouette, is lifted from Conan Doyle’s The Empty House, even though the film’s plot is original
- The Breen Office required script changes: victims were originally written as young girls, but were changed to adult women to meet censorship standards
