The Scarlet Claw – Fog, Fear, and a Hint of Falu Red

Let’s just get it out there – Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes, with Nigel Bruce bumbling along as Watson, is about as classic as it gets. And this one, The Scarlet Claw, still creeps under my skin. I saw it for the first time at a mate’s place in Växjö, 1996, when we were avoiding homework with the dedication of true cinephiles. My mate Jocke’d borrowed the VHS from his granddad, and the cover alone was so dramatic. Half of us expected the film to be in colour, dunno why, but nope… Pure black and white, like a snowy day at Slussen.

So, Roy William Neill directed this one, and for some reason I always mix up his name with an old hockey coach, but that’s just me. Universal was behind it which explains the heavy fog and that cozy feeling you get when murder’s around the corner. It’s set in Canada – or well, Hollywood playing dress-up with maple leaves – and manages to be both chilly and weirdly comforting. Like an Abba song at midsummer.

Holmes is sharper than the cheese at Julbord, but yeah, some bits feel a bit formulaic. The “monster” in the marshes, all those red herrings – at times I just wanted them to get on with it! Still, the mood is spot on. You can almost smell damp wool and old books. That church bell? Still gives me the creeps.

Sometimes I wonder if films like this made me scared of the dark as a kid or just gave it character, you know? If you’re ever wandering home during November fog in Stockholm, watch this first. It’s like a security blanket with claws.

Oh, and if you’re expecting a Scandinavian noir vibe… nah, but who needs grim when you’ve got Rathbone and Bruce being totally iconic? Give it a whirl and let the fog wrap around you like an old friend.

watch the full movie on Mavshack Movies on YouTube

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