Basil Rathbone movie quotes

“The nose of the police dog, although long and efficient, points in only one direction at a time.”
Basil Rathbone - Sherlock Holmes

“What's Conover? No more than a symbol of the greed and cruelty and lust for power that have set men at each other's throats down through the centuries and the struggle will go on, Watson, for a pearl, kingdom, perhaps even world dominion... till the greed and cruelty have burned out of every last one of us. And when that time comes, perhaps even...” (continue)(continue reading)

Basil Rathbone - Sherlock Holmes

“- Sherlock Holmes: Did you discover anything, Watson?
- Dr. Watson: Yes. He's a very suspicious character. He tried to put me off the scent.
- Sherlock Holmes: From the little I heard, he seemed reasonably successful.”
Basil Rathbone - Sherlock Holmes
Nigel Bruce - Dr. Watson

“- Lady Margaret Carstairs: [presenting her diamond] My husband gave it to me on our fifth wedding anniversary.
- Sherlock Holmes: 423 carats, isn't it?
- Lady Margaret Carstairs: The original diamond was over 700 carats.
- Sherlock Holmes: Really?
- Lady Margaret Carstairs: [to her son] Your father had it cut. Less ostentatious.
- Dr. John...” (continue)(continue reading)
Mary Forbes - Lady Margaret Carstairs
Basil Rathbone - Sherlock Holmes
Nigel Bruce - Dr. Watson

“- Sherlock Holmes: Thank you, Lady Margaret. We'll be as unobtrusive as possible.
- Lady Margaret Carstairs: That would be a novelty from a policeman.”
Basil Rathbone - Sherlock Holmes
Mary Forbes - Lady Margaret Carstairs

“- Sherlock Holmes: The young lady is taking her mother to Scotland for burial.
- Inspector Lestrade: In a coffin?
- Sherlock Holmes: That is the customary method, I believe.”
Basil Rathbone - Sherlock Holmes
Dennis Hoey - Inspector Lestrade

“- Levasseur: You'll not take her while I live.
- Peter Blood: Then I'll take her when you're dead.”
Basil Rathbone - Levasseur
Errol Flynn - Peter Blood

“Sometimes I just crave to play in Shakespeare again.”
Basil Rathbone

“As one grows older one becomes more critical of oneself and less of other people.”
Basil Rathbone

“Never regret anything you have done with a sincere affection; nothing is lost that is born of the heart.”
Basil Rathbone

“- Levasseur: With your brain and my strength, there is nothing we cannot do.
- Peter Blood: But there's very little I can't do all by myself.”

Basil Rathbone - Levasseur
Errol Flynn - Peter Blood

“- Sherlock Holmes: This man pervades Europe like a plague, yet no one has heard of him. That's what puts him on the pinnacle in the records of crime.
- Doctor Watson: What's he do?
- Sherlock Holmes: Everything and nothing. In his whole diabolical career, the police have never been able to pin anything on him.”
Basil Rathbone - Sherlock Holmes
Nigel Bruce - Doctor Watson

“- Doctor Watson: A woman? You amaze me, Holmes. Why a woman?
- Sherlock Holmes: Because the method, whatever it is, is particularly subtle and cruel. Feline, not canine.”

Nigel Bruce - Doctor Watson
Basil Rathbone - Sherlock Holmes

“It's easy for you to play the martyr and destroy the new life I'm trying to build up for my son and for myself as you destroyed the old.”

Basil Rathbone - Alexei Alexandrovitch Karenin

“Whatever Watson has found out, you'll know inevitably. I have unbounded confidence in his lack of discretion.”
Basil Rathbone - Sherlock Holmes

“I don't like your work, Conover. I've seen quite a bit of it both here in London and and elsewhere on the continent. Don't like the smell of you either. That underground smell, the sick sweetness of decay. You haven't robbed and killed merely for gain like any ordinary halfway decent thug. No, you're in love with cruelty for it's own sake.”

Basil Rathbone - Sherlock Holmes

“- Sir Guy of Gisbourne: Do you know any prayers, my friend?
- Robin Hood: I'll say one for you!”

Basil Rathbone - Sir Guy of Gisbourne
Errol Flynn - Robin Hood

“The family cannot be broken up by a whim or a caprice or even by the... by the sin of one of the partners in the marriage. Our life must go on as it has done in the past.”

Basil Rathbone - Alexei Alexandrovitch Karenin

“For some time, I have known that in uniting my life to yours, I have made a mistake. But this I must bear for the sake of my public duty and for the sake of my child.”

Basil Rathbone - Alexei Alexandrovitch Karenin

“- Dr. Watson: We told you, you were taking an awful risk.
- Sherlock Holmes: We had to have a confession and these egomaniacs are always so much more chatty when they feel they have the upper hand.”
Nigel Bruce - Dr. Watson
Basil Rathbone - Sherlock Holmes

“- Sherlock Holmes: Very effective, my dear Watson!
- Doctor John H. Watson: Elementary, my dear Holmes, elementary.”

Basil Rathbone - Sherlock Holmes
Nigel Bruce - Dr. Watson

“During the time he's lived here, Ramson has undoubtedly established another character for himself, perhaps several others, while by now, familiar to the people of La Morte Rouge and quite above suspicion. He could be almost anyone in the village.”
Basil Rathbone - Sherlock Holmes

“Conditions have changed since you left, Don Diego. Your father resigned. Age, you know! Since then, the peons have become more industrious. As to the caballeros. They're encouraged to think of their own affairs. We take care of the government!”
Basil Rathbone - Capt. Esteban Pasquale

“- Jerrold Hunter: We don't want your interference, Mr. Holmes.
- Sherlock Holmes: I interfere whenever and wherever I like, Mr. Hunter.”
Alan Marshal - Jerrold Hunter
Basil Rathbone - Sherlock Holmes

“- Doctor Watson: But Holmes, that's impossible.
- Sherlock Holmes: Anything is possible until proven otherwise.”
Nigel Bruce - Dr. Watson
Basil Rathbone - Sherlock Holmes