6 Best Basil Rathbone Movies

By Vlad Zakh · January 28, 2026

Drama intensethought provoking

Basil Rathbone became the definitive screen Sherlock Holmes, and his precise, aristocratic villainy made him one of classic Hollywood’s best swashbuckling antagonists. The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes are his detective peaks, The Adventures of Robin Hood has him against a dispossessed nobleman’s outlaws, and The Court Jester has a carnival performer infiltrating a usurper’s court. Captain Blood and A Tale of Two Cities round out the list.

The Court Jester (1955) 01

The Court Jester (1955)

TMDB ★ 7.5

Basil Rathbone appears as a former carnival performer infiltrates a usurper's court to help restore the rightful king.

Directed by Norman Panama & Melvin Frank · 1h 41m

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939) 02

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939)

TMDB ★ 7.1

Alan Marshal appears as Holmes matches wits with his archenemy Moriarty to prevent a major crime.

Directed by Alfred L. Werker · 1h 25m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) 03

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)

TMDB ★ 6.9

Basil Rathbone plays the detective investigating a deadly legend haunting a wealthy family's estate.

Directed by Sidney Lanfield · 1h 20m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: FlixFling · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling

▶ Trailer Letterboxd
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) 04

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

TMDB ★ 7.9

Alan Hale appears in the classic of a noble outlaw who robs the corrupt rich to defend the poor.

Directed by Michael Curtiz & William Keighley · 1h 42m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd
Captain Blood (1935) 05

Captain Blood (1935)

TMDB ★ 7.2

A wrongly enslaved doctor becomes a legendary pirate captain seeking freedom and revenge across the Caribbean.

Directed by Michael Curtiz · 1h 59m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd
A Tale of Two Cities (1935) 06

A Tale of Two Cities (1935)

TMDB ★ 7.6

A dissolute English lawyer gives up everything for the woman he loves during the French Revolution.

Directed by Jack Conway · 2h 06m

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

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Vlad Zakh

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.