Arthur Wontner breathed life into the film career of Sherlock Holmes. Clive Brook made the first and fourth “talkie” films. In the first, Watson had a grown daughter. In his second (and final) role, Holmes gets married. Neither of these movies presented the traditional Holmes, and that stigma lessened Brooks’ effectiveness (although it didn’t bother Rathbone less than a decade later).
Raymond Massey’s first film role was as the great detective in the “Speckled Band.” He had not yet developed into the excellent actor he would be through the fifties. Robert Rendel made two movies before he played Holmes in “The Hound of the Baskervilles” in 1931. He made twenty more movies in the thirties, and only one after that. Reginald Owen appeared in 129 movies. He played Dr. Watson in Clive Brook’s 1932 “Sherlock Holmes.” His role was minimal, at best. However, he was given the lead role in the 1933 production of “A Study in Scarlet.” He would play Scrooge in the 1938 version of “A Christmas Carol,” and would become one of the best-known stage performers of that role.
Then, in 1931, Britain’s Twickenham Studios made “Sherlock Holmes’ Fatal Hour,” (original title: “The Sleeping Cardinal”) starring Arthur Wontner. They would follow up with “The Missing Rembrandt” in 1932. Neither Holmes nor Wontner were under contract to the studio, so Associated Radio pictures made “The Sign of the Four” also in 1932, “The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes” was made by Gaumont-British Pictures in 1935. Wontner’s final film was 1937’s “Silver Blaze,” by Twickenham.
“Fatal Hour” had a variety of crimes, as well as the cast of Doyle’s “The Empty House.” Moriarty was played by Lyn Harding,, who would reprise the role in “Triumph” and “Silver Blaze” and had played villain Grimesby Rylott in Massey’s “The Speckled Band.” He had appeared as Roylott in Doyle’s play at the Adelphia Theater.
“The Missing Rembrandt” featured Charles Augustus Milverton, the master blackmailer, appeared in this film. Wontner received an excellent review from the New York Times for his performance.
“The Sign of the Four” closely followed Doyle’s original tale, with Ian Hunter playing Watson. Hunter may be the most famous King Richard of Robin Hood fame.
“Triumph” was an excellent adaptation of “The Valley of Fear.” Ian Fleming (no, not the Bond guy) returned as Watson. He would play the role in four of Wontner’s films.
“Silver Blaze” was a short story made into Wontner’s final Holmes film. To flesh it out, Moriarty and gang appear again, and Sir Henry Baskerville has a cameo. This is generally considered the weakest of the series.
Wontner received praise in the US and England for his portrayal. I believe he most resembled Doyle’s descriptions of his detective. He followed Gillette and Norwood, and made his final Holmes appearance two years before Basil Rathbone would claim the role.