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''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 notes on the film's DVD audio commentary that it's generally considered by critics and fans of the series to be the best of the twelve Holmes films made by Universal.〔Audio Commentary, David Stuart Davies, MPI Home Video DVD〕 ==Plot== Holmes and Watson are in Canada attending a conference on the occult, when Lord Penrose receives a message that his wife Lady Penrose has been murdered in the small village of La Mort Rouge.〔Throughout the film, the actors pronounce correctly the name of the village as "La Mort Rouge" (French for "The Red Death"), but in one short moment a map is shown with the name spelled "La Morte Rouge" (French for "The Red Dead Woman") which doesn't make much sense. The map's spelling seems to be a typo.〕 Holmes and Watson are about to return to England when Holmes receives a telegram from Lady Penrose, issued before her death, asking for help as she fears for her life. Holmes decides to investigate her death. Holmes and Watson arrive at the village and discover that the inhabitants are all convinced that the murder is the work of the legendary monster of La Mort Rouge, which roams the marshes around the village. The "monster" is even later seen by Dr. Watson, who describes it as "a ball of fire spitting flames in each direction". Holmes, however, is skeptical, and recognizes Lady Penrose as Lillian Gentry, a former actress, who was involved in a famous murder case several years before when actor Alistair Ramson killed another actor in a jealous rage over her. Ramson was believed to have been killed in a prison escape two years before, but now Holmes believes that Ramson - a master of disguise - is living in the village, having created a new identity, perhaps several, for himself. Holmes then turns his attention to Judge Brisson, another inhabitant of the village with a connection to the case, as he passed sentence on Ramson. Despite Holmes' warnings Brisson is murdered. Holmes tracks Ramson down to his hideout and discovers there is a third person that Ramson is preparing to kill. However before Holmes can discover who it is, Watson blunders in and Ramsom escapes. Holmes learns that the third victim is to be Journet, the local inn-keeper, formerly a prison guard. However Journet has gone into hiding. Ramson then kills Marie, Journet's daughter, for not revealing her father's hideout. Holmes finds Journet and convinces him to spring a trap for the murderer. Holmes and Watson announce that they are returning to England, and Journet comes out of hiding and lets it be known that he will be going to a church across the marsh to offer a prayer for Marie. Ramson attacks Journet out in the marsh, only to find that it is Holmes disguised as Journet. The two men struggle, but Ramson escapes only to be killed by Journet with his own weapon, a five-pronged garden weeder.〔David Stuart Davies, ''Holmes of the Movies'' (New English Library, 1976) ISBN 0-450-03358-9〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Scarlet Claw」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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