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The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)

(1959, Rated NR, Thriller, Starring Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Andre Morrell)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 8, age appropriate for kids over 10; suggested age 10.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Old-school take on classic story offers thrills, not gore.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 10 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    The heroes are valiant crimefighters, though Holmes pretends to be rude on more than one occasion to get the reactions from suspects/clients that he wants. The Holmes character is an idealization of superior intellect; nonetheless he has a nice, respectful friendship going on with the less-brilliant Watson.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    No gore, but bloodied corpses shown. A man is beaten by a sadistic gang and then thrust into a fireplace early on. Shootings at close range. Death by knifing. An attempted suicide. Intense (but visually non-explicit flashback) of wicked Sir Hugo Baskerville attempting to rape a comely servant girl (and inferences that he did this routinely, fathering illegitimate children).

  • Sex:

     Some low-cut cleavage.

  • Language:

    A woman angrily called a "witch" by an unsavory character.

  • Consumerism:

    Of course, the well-known tie-in novel/series exists, with numerous "Sherlockian" societies and Web sites out there in support.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Much polite social drinking. Holmes smokes routinely (at least it's explicitly tobacco; in the original stories it's often cocaine!).
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)

Parents need to know that the generally non-graphic violence in this Sherlock Holmes adaptation includes a fatal stabbing, shootings, and an indication that bullying aristocrats have scorched a man in a fireplace. There are also references to young women being sexually violated. Though drops of blood are shown, it could have been a lot worse. Holmes smokes tobacco throughout; other characters drink regularly. Viewers with phobias over spiders and big dogs may find some of the imagery disturbing, though in general the thriller is PG-tame.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the character of Holmes, usually said to be (along with Tarzan and Superman) one of the most recognizable fictional heroes around the world. What makes him appealing? Ask kids if they know about the many actors who have played Sherlock Holmes. Who is the best? A documentary, The Many Faces of Sherlock Holmes, is recommended additional viewing. This could, of course, turn kids on to reading the original Conan Doyle stories and the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles, which differs from this film on several key points.
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