The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959 film)

The Hound of the Baskervilles
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Terence Fisher
Produced by	Michael Carreras Anthony Hinds Anthony Nelson Keys Kenneth Hyman
Screenplay by	Peter Bryan
Based on	The novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Starring	Peter Cushing André Morell Christopher Lee
Music by	James Bernard
Edited by	Alfred Cox
Production company	Hammer Film Productions
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date	4 May 1959 (UK)
Running time	87 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English Spanish
Box office	1,257,132 admissions (France)

The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1959 British gothic horror and mystery film, directed by Terence Fisher and produced by Hammer Film Productions. It is based on the novel of the same name by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It stars Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes, Sir Christopher Lee as Sir Henry Baskerville and André Morell as Doctor Watson.

It is the first film adaptation of the novel to be filmed in colour. It is one of the most critically acclaimed films in Hammer Film Productions’ history.

The infamous and cruel aristocrat Sir Hugo Baskerville (David Oxley) is hosting a party at Baskerville Hall, when the daughter of a cruelly abused servant escapes from the mansion through a window, frightened by Baskerville's lustful intent for her. In spite of his friends’s misgivings and protests, Baskerville pursues her through the moor with a pack of beagles. The beagles and Baskerville's horse are spooked and back off. Baskerville dismounts and pursues her on foot, finds her and stabs her to death with a curved dagger in the nearby abbey ruins. Suddenly, a dog unseen but heard by the audience appears and kills Baskerville. From then on, as legend has it, the "Hound of Hell" has become known as the "Hound of the Baskervilles", and any night a Baskerville is alone on the moor, the hound will kill him.

Several centuries later, the death of Sir Charles Baskerville is being reported by his best friend, Dr. Richard Mortimer (Francis de Wolff), to Sherlock Holmes (Peter Cushing) and Dr. Watson (André Morell), who are willing to meet the new owner of Baskerville Hall, Sir Henry (Christopher Lee). After meeting Sir Henry, Holmes remembers that he is going to be away on another case when Sir Henry returns to Baskerville Hall. Holmes puts Watson in charge of watching over Sir Henry. A tarantula attacks Sir Henry briefly in London; Holmes suspects foul play. Before he leaves, Holmes reminds Watson not to let Sir Henry go out onto the moor after dark.