List Rules Vote for your favorite movies, regardless of critic reviews or how big the role was.
List of the best Basil Rathbone movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Basil Rathbone's highest grossing movies have received a lot of accolades over the years, earning millions upon millions around the world. The order of these top Basil Rathbone movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Basil Rathbone movies will be at the top of the list. Basil Rathbone has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Basil Rathbone movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Basil Rathbone films to end the squabble once and for all.
If you think the best Basil Rathbone role isn't at the top, then upvote it so it has the chance to become number one. The greatest Basil Rathbone performances didn't necessarily come from the best movies, but in most cases they go hand in hand.
Items include everything from The Hound of the Baskervilles to A Lady Surrenders.
"This list answers the questions, "What are the best Basil Rathbone movies?" and "What are the greatest Basil Rathbone roles of all time?"
list ordered by
1
39 3
The Adventures of Robin HoodOlivia de Havilland, Errol Flynn, Claude Rains The Adventures of Robin Hood is a 1938 American swashbuckler film directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, and starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, and Claude ...more
2
38 3
The Adventures of Sherlock HolmesBasil Rathbone, Ida Lupino, George Zucco The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a 1939 mystery-adventure film. It is a pastiche featuring the characters of the Sherlock Holmes series of books written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The film ...more
3
44 4
The Hound of the BaskervillesBasil Rathbone, John Carradine, Wendy Barrie The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1939 mystery film based on the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It was directed by Sidney Lanfield and produced by 20th Century ...more
4
25 2
The Scarlet ClawBasil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Ian Wolfe The Scarlet Claw is a 1944 Sherlock Holmes movie directed by Roy William Neill, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. It is the eighth film of the Rathbone/Bruce series. David Stuart Davies ...more
5
37 9
Captain BloodOlivia de Havilland, Errol Flynn, Basil Rathbone Captain Blood is a 1935 American swashbuckling film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, and Ross Alexander. The film was made by First ...more
6
30 5
Sherlock Holmes and the House of FearBasil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Holmes Herbert Sherlock Holmes and the House of Fear is a 1945 crime film directed by Roy William Neill. It is loosely based on The Five Orange Pips by Arthur Conan Doyle, and features the characters Sherlock ...more
7
23 3
Son of FrankensteinBoris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Basil Rathbone Son of Frankenstein is a horror monster film and is the third film in Universal Studios' Frankenstein series and the last to feature Boris Karloff as the Monster as well as the first to feature ...more
8
30 7
The Mark of ZorroTyrone Power, Basil Rathbone, Linda Darnell The Mark of Zorro is a 1940 American adventure film directed by Rouben Mamoulian and produced by Darryl F. Zanuck for 20th Century Fox. The action movie stars Tyrone Power as Don Diego Vega, ...more
9
22 3
Sherlock Holmes Faces DeathBasil Rathbone, Milburn Stone, Hillary Brooke Sherlock Holmes Faces Death is the sixth film in the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce series of Sherlock Holmes films. Made in 1943, it is a loose adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Holmes story ...more
10
25 4
Terror by NightBasil Rathbone, Billy Bevan, Nigel Bruce Terror by Night is a 1946 Sherlock Holmes film, the thirteenth to star Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce and was directed by Roy William Neill. The story revolves around the theft of a famous ...more
11
26 5
A Tale of Two CitiesBasil Rathbone, Ronald Colman, Edna May Oliver A Tale of Two Cities is a 1935 film based upon Charles Dickens' 1859 historical novel, A Tale of Two Cities. The film stars Ronald Colman as Sydney Carton, Donald Woods and Elizabeth Allan. The ...more
12
24 4
The Spider WomanBasil Rathbone, Gale Sondergaard, Nigel Bruce The Spider Woman is a 1944 mystery film starring Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson, the seventh of fourteen such films the pair were involved in. As with all of the ...more
13
23 4
We're No AngelsHumphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov, Basil Rathbone We're No Angels is a 1955 Christmas comedy film starring an ensemble cast of Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov, Aldo Ray, Joan Bennett, Basil Rathbone, and Leo G. Carroll. Shot in both VistaVision ...more
14
23 4
The Pearl of DeathBasil Rathbone, Rondo Hatton, Evelyn Ankers The Pearl of Death is a 1944 Sherlock Holmes film starring Basil Rathbone as Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson, the ninth of fourteen such films the pair made. The story is loosely based on ...more
15
23 5
The Court JesterAngela Lansbury, Danny Kaye, Basil Rathbone The Court Jester is a 1955 musical-comedy film starring Danny Kaye, Glynis Johns, Basil Rathbone, Angela Lansbury and Cecil Parker. The movie was co-written, co-directed, and co-produced by ...more
16
20 3
Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of TerrorBasil Rathbone, Reginald Denny, Edgar Barrier Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror is the third film in the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce series of Sherlock Holmes movies. Made in 1942, the film combines elements of the Arthur Conan Doyle ...more
17
20 3
Dressed to KillBasil Rathbone, Patricia Morison, Nigel Bruce Dressed to Kill, also known as Prelude to Murder and Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Code, is the last of fourteen films starring Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Doctor
18
21 5
Sherlock Holmes and the Secret WeaponBasil Rathbone, Lionel Atwill, Nigel Bruce Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon is the fourth in the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce series of 14 Sherlock Holmes films which updated the characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to the ...more
19
22 6
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. ToadBing Crosby, Basil Rathbone, J. Pat O'Malley The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad is a 1949 animated package film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film consists of two segments – the first is ...more
20
17 3
The Dawn PatrolDavid Niven, Errol Flynn, Basil Rathbone The Dawn Patrol is a 1938 American war film, a remake of the pre-Code 1930 film of the same name. Both were based on the short story "The Flight Commander" by John Monk Saunders, an ...more
21
17 3
David CopperfieldBasil Rathbone, W. C. Fields, Maureen O'Sullivan David Copperfield is a 1935 American film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer based upon the Charles Dickens novel The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, & Observation of David ...more
22
17 4
Pursuit to AlgiersBasil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, John Abbott Pursuit to Algiers is the twelfth entry in the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce Sherlock Holmes film series. The film takes some characters and events from The Adventure of the Red Circle. Elements in ...more
23
17 4
Sherlock Holmes in WashingtonBasil Rathbone, Marjorie Lord, George Zucco Sherlock Holmes in Washington is the fifth film in the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce series of Sherlock Holmes movies. The plot is an original story not based on any of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's ...more
24
16 4
Anna KareninaGreta Garbo, Basil Rathbone, Maureen O'Sullivan Anna Karenina is a 1935 film adaptation of the novel Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy and directed by Clarence Brown. The film stars Greta Garbo, Fredric March, Basil Rathbone and Maureen ...more
25
15 5
Tower of LondonVincent Price, Boris Karloff, Basil Rathbone Tower of London is a 1939 black-and-white historical film and quasi-horror film released by Universal Pictures and directed by Rowland V. Lee. It stars Basil Rathbone as the future Richard III ...more
26
10 1
The Last HurrahSpencer Tracy, Basil Rathbone, Jeffrey Hunter The Last Hurrah is a 1958 film adaptation of the novel The Last Hurrah by Edwin O'Connor. The picture was directed by John Ford and stars Spencer Tracy as a veteran mayor preparing for yet ...more
27
15 6
The Comedy of TerrorsVincent Price, Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre The Comedy of Terrors is an American International Pictures comedy horror film directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, and Joe E. ...more
28
14 6
The Woman in GreenBasil Rathbone, Hillary Brooke, Nigel Bruce The Woman in Green is a 1945 American Sherlock Holmes film starring Basil Rathbone as Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson, with Hillary Brooke as the woman of the title and Henry Daniell as ...more
29
14 6
The Black CatBela Lugosi, Basil Rathbone, Alan Ladd The Black Cat is a 1941 film loosely based on the short story by Edgar Allan Poe. The comedy/horror film was directed by Albert S. Rogell, starring Basil Rathbone and featuring supporting ...more
30
12 5
Romeo and JulietNorma Shearer, Basil Rathbone, John Barrymore Romeo and Juliet is a 1936 American film adapted from the play by Shakespeare, directed by George Cukor from a screenplay by Talbot Jennings. The film stars Leslie Howard as Romeo and Norma ...more
31
12 5
If I Were KingBasil Rathbone, Ronald Colman, Frances Dee If I Were King is a 1938 American biographical historical drama film starring Ronald Colman as medieval poet François Villon, and featuring Basil Rathbone and Frances Dee. It is based on ...more
32
9 3
Casanova's Big NightBob Hope, Vincent Price, Joan Fontaine Casanova's Big Night is a comedy film starring Bob Hope and Joan Fontaine, which is a spoof of swashbuckling historical adventure films. It was directed by Norman Z. McLeod. Hope plays a tailor ...more
33
10 4
The Magic SwordBasil Rathbone, Marlene Callahan, Anne Helm The Magic Sword is a 1962 live action fantasy film, mainly aimed at children, based loosely on the medieval legend of Saint George and the Dragon. The film appeared on a 1992 episode of Mystery ...more
34
13 7
The Adventures of Marco PoloLana Turner, Gary Cooper, Basil Rathbone The Adventures of Marco Polo is a 1938 drama-adventure genre film, and one of the most elaborate and costly of Samuel Goldwyn's productions.
35
8 3
Above SuspicionJoan Crawford, Basil Rathbone, Fred MacMurray Above Suspicion is an American spy film distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer starring Joan Crawford and Fred MacMurray, and directed by Richard Thorpe. The screenplay was adapted from the novel ...more
36
8 3
CrossroadsHedy Lamarr, Basil Rathbone, William Powell Crossroads is a 1942 mystery film noir directed by Jack Conway and starring William Powell, Hedy Lamarr, Claire Trevor and Basil Rathbone. Powell plays a diplomat whose amnesia about his past ...more
37
9 4
The Black SleepBela Lugosi, Basil Rathbone, Lon Chaney The Black Sleep is an American black-and-white horror film, scripted by John C. Higgins from a story by Gerald Drayson Adams developed for producers Aubrey Schenck and Howard W. Koch, who had a ...more
38
8 3
The Last Days of PompeiiBasil Rathbone, nm0129894, John Wood The Last Days of Pompeii is a 1935 drama film directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack.
39
9 5
Bathing BeautyBasil Rathbone, Esther Williams, Red Skelton Bathing Beauty is a 1944 musical starring Red Skelton, Basil Rathbone and Esther Williams and directed by George Sidney. Although this was not Williams' screen debut, it was her first ...more
40
9 5
Tales of TerrorVincent Price, Peter Lorre, Basil Rathbone Tales of Terror is an American International Pictures horror film starring Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, and Basil Rathbone; it is the fourth in the so-called Corman-Poe cycle of eight films ...more
41
6 2
Love from a StrangerBasil Rathbone, Joan Hickson, Ann Harding Love from a Stranger is a 1937 British drama film film directed by Rowland V. Lee and starring Ann Harding, Basil Rathbone and Binnie Hale. It is based on the 1936 play of the same name by Frank ...more
42
5 1
The Bishop Murder CaseBasil Rathbone, Roland Young, Delmer Daves The Bishop Murder Case is a 1930 mystery film directed by Nick Grinde, starring Basil Rathbone, Leila Hyams and Roland Young. Nine years before his role of Sherlock Holmes, Basil Rathbone ...more
43
4 0
Rhythm on the RiverBing Crosby, Basil Rathbone, Mary Martin Rhythm on the River is a 1940 musical comedy film starring Bing Crosby and Mary Martin as ghostwriters whose songs are credited to a composer played by Basil Rathbone. Crosby and Martin sang ...more
44
5 2
TovarichClaudette Colbert, Basil Rathbone, Charles Boyer Tovarich is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Anatole Litvak, based on the 1935 play by Robert E. Sherwood, which in turn was based on the 1933 French play Tovaritch by Jacques Deval. It ...more
45
4 1
A Feather in Her HatBasil Rathbone, Louis Hayward, Pauline Lord A Feather in her Hat is a 1935 drama film directed by Alfred Santell.
46
7 5
The Ghost in the Invisible BikiniBoris Karloff, Nancy Sinatra, Basil Rathbone The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini is the seventh of the American International Pictures beach party films and was released in 1966. The entire film takes place in and around a haunted house with ...more
47
6 4
Queen of BloodDennis Hopper, Basil Rathbone, John Saxon Queen of Blood is a 1966 horror-science fiction film released by American International Pictures. The director, Curtis Harrington, crafted this B-movie with footage from the Soviet films Mechte ...more
48
4 2
The Black CatBasil Rathbone
49
3 1
A Woman CommandsBasil Rathbone, Roland Young, H.B. Warner A Woman Commands is a 1932 drama film written by Guy Fowler and Thilde Forster and directed by Harry Joe Brown, Paul L. Stein, Horace Jackson and Val Paul.
50
3 1
A Lady SurrendersBasil Rathbone, Conrad Nagel, Carmel Myers A Lady Surrenders is a 1930 American film starring Genevieve Tobin, Rose Hobart, Conrad Nagel and Basil Rathbone. A man is left by his wife and assuming her to be gone forever, he remarries. ...more
