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Plot: Sherlock Holmes organises the escape of renowned scientist Dr. Tobel from Switzerland to England, where he is to deliver the British his latest invention, an improved bomb sight. Once in England, though, Tobel is kidnapped almost inmediately and Holmes must decipher the code he left behind to protect his device. And Moriarty is after the invention as well...

Comments: As I expected, this film is a big improvement over the previous film in the series, "The voice of terror". Bringing Moriarty back is a foolproof method to keep things interesting, but also the writing here is much better. The anti-Nazi propaganda element is kept to a minimum, the plot focusing instead in the countdown to crack the code (borrowed from one Conan Doyle's original stories, "The adventure of the dancing men") and, in the final scenes, the duel of wits between Holmes and Moriarty. Also gone, this time unfortunately, is the noirish cinematography of Holmes' previous adventure. It was a bit forced, admittedly, but still cool.

Despite the overall improvement, though, this is far from a complete return to form. The film is very entertaining and some particular scenes are great (my favorite, a very suspenseful moment when Holmes is hauled away inside a trunk under the noses of both Watson and Lestrade), but the plot moves way too fast (as many other of Rathbone's Holmes films it clocks around 70') and the final confrontation with Moriarty is a bit of a letdown. Not only he is defeated way too fast, but also these scenes suffer from the substitution of the actor who played Moriarty in "The adventures of Sherlock Holmes", George Zuco, by Lionel Atwill, who is much blander. 

I agree that this is a better film than the previous film "The Voice of Terror," but while I liked George Zucco as Moriarty in "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," I also enjoyed Lionel "Pinky" Atwill in the same role in this film. But they would not be the only two actors to play the role in this series, Henry Daniell would also assay the the role in "The Woman in Green." And I liked him, too. Three great character actors. Three great villains.