The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)

A lovely, suspenseful adaptation of Conan Doyle's story about a wealthy English landowner who comes into his inheritance thanks to the legend of a brutal hound that terrorises the Dartmoor countryside where the estate of Sir Henry Baskerville lies. Enter Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson (Basil Rathbone and his superbly played foil, Nigel Bruce) who get their first outing as the super-sleuth and his loyal, if somewhat dithery, companion. Richard Greene and Lionel Atwill feature prominently too, but this is essentially about the chemistry between the two main stars and it works a treat. The dialogue is a touch verbose, but the eeriness of the foggy moor and a strong supporting cast make for a superb 80 minutes of engrossing drama.