Sherlock Holmes Movies: Wontner Era
Arthur Wontner brought a distinctly British interpretation to Sherlock Holmes in this series of five films produced in the 1930s, representing the major pre-war alternative to American adaptations. These films maintained a more traditional Victorian atmosphere and stayed closer to Doyle's original stories in tone and setting.
Wontner's portrayal emphasized the character's intellectual nature and deductive brilliance, creating a more literary approach that appealed to purists. This watch order offers a cohesive view of 1930s British Holmes filmmaking before the Rathbone era took over.
There are 5 other watch orders available – see the links up above.
The Sleeping Cardinal
Sherlock Holmes investigates a criminal enterprise he suspects is controlled by his nemesis Professor Moriarty, which involves blackmailing a card cheat into joining their schemes.
The Sign of Four: Sherlock Holmes' Greatest Case
A young woman seeks Holmes' protection from an escaped killer hunting for missing treasure, but when she's kidnapped, the detective and Watson must navigate the criminal underworld to rescue her.
The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes
Retired detective Sherlock Holmes is drawn into one final case when his nemesis Moriarty orchestrates a plot with an American gang to murder a mysterious English gentleman. Holmes must use all his deductive skills to unravel a complex mystery that spans from the English countryside to the dangerous Vermissa Valley.
Silver Blaze
Holmes' vacation with Sir Henry Baskerville is interrupted when he becomes entangled in a double-murder mystery involving his nemesis Professor Moriarty and a missing racehorse named Silver Blaze.
Other Film Series
Bryan Edgar Wallace
A series of German crime thrillers produced by CCC Filmkunst in the 1960s-70s, marketed under the name of Edgar Wallace's son Bryan, featuring standalone mysteries with gothic atmosphere and masked killers.
Dr. Mabuse
A decades-spanning German crime thriller series following the criminal mastermind Dr. Mabuse through various incarnations, from Fritz Lang's original trilogy to 1960s sequels and later spiritual successors.
Edgar Wallace
German crime thriller series from 1959-1972 that created a distinctive subgenre of atmospheric gothic mysteries, featuring recurring cast and iconic villains.
Hercule Poirot
Agatha Christie's famous Belgian detective has been adapted across multiple eras, from early talkies to modern star-studded ensembles.
Saw
A horror franchise centered on the elaborate death traps and moral philosophy of serial killer John Kramer, known as Jigsaw.
Scream
A meta-horror franchise following Sidney Prescott and others as they face various Ghostface killers, known for its self-aware commentary on slasher film tropes.