The Pearl Of Death (1944) Apr 2026

While demonstrating the flaws of a museum's security system to prove a point, Holmes inadvertently allows master criminal Giles Conover (Miles Mander) to steal the pearl.

The story centers on the theft of the "Borgia Pearl," a valuable gem with a sinister reputation for bringing death to its owners. The Pearl of Death (1944)

Released on September 22, 1944, is the ninth film in Universal Pictures' Sherlock Holmes series starring Basil Rathbone as Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson. Directed by Roy William Neill , the film is loosely based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s 1904 short story " The Adventure of the Six Napoleons ". Plot Summary While demonstrating the flaws of a museum's security

Pursued by police, Conover hides the pearl inside one of six wet plaster busts of Napoleon in a pottery shop. Watson

Holmes realizes the connection between the broken pottery and the Napoleon busts. He eventually tracks down the final bust, traps the killers, and retrieves the gem. Production & Cast The Pearl of Death (1944)

After the busts are sold to various customers, a series of brutal murders begins. Victims are found with their spines snapped, surrounded by smashed china—the trademark of Conover’s henchman, a disfigured killer known as The Hoxton Creeper .