Question: Holmes says he realised that Inspector McDonald was an impostor because he supposedly knows the 'real' Inspector McDonald of the Edinburgh police. As shown in the other movies and Conan Doyle's original stories, there are several Inspectors working for Scotland Yard in London (another British city), which begs the question: does this resolution Holmes mentioned about two British Inspectors having the same surname make sense and, if so, why?
Terror by Night (1946)
1 question
Directed by: Roy William Neill
Starring: Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Alan Mowbray
Lady Margaret Carstairs: I shall report you both to Scotland Yard.
Inspector Lestrade: ...But I am Scotland Yard.
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Answer: If you're comparing the film to Arthur Conan Doyle's original Sherlock Holmes stories, then any discrepancies do not really apply. The Basil Rathbone films were mostly loose adaptations of Doyle's work, often incorporating plot elements from multiple stories or original screenplays with new characters. "Terror by Night" was an entirely original story. The films also set Holmes in the late 1930s through the 1940s during World War II, and he was often fighting enemy spies and Nazis. The original Sherlock Holmes was set in the late 19th century.
raywest ★
Actually, my question is related to the movies themselves and it's not a comparison. There are still several inspectors working for Scotland Yard in the Basil Rathbone saga too (I've made an entry edition to include this).
Big Game
Thanks for clarifying. Much of my previous answer still applies. The Rathbone movies were not meant to be a definitive interpretation of Sherlock Holmes. The 12 films by Universal Studios were low-budget and cranked out in quick succession for a quick profit and "to simply be entertaining B pictures." Little regard was given to historical accuracy or plot continuity from film to film and they probably were developed simultaneously by different people. The 12 films had multiple directors and screenwriters focused on their individual projects.
raywest ★
Actually, almost all the movies were directed by Roy William Neill (11 of 14).
Big Game