The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Arthur Wontner is the only Sherlock Holmes. His playing throughout is in perfect character and he seems to have walked straight out of the Sidney Paget illustrations which made Sherlock Holmes universally recognisable. It is, therefore, disappointing that Dr. Watson should have been transformed from the bushy-moustached Victorian practitioner into a dapper contemporary. It is true Ian Fleming is successful in getting his laughs, but many would prefer him to have carried on the classical tradition. Lyn Harding, in an impossible part, came very near to presenting a credible 'Napoleon of crime.' Roy Emerton's Boss McGinty is a perfect piece of character acting. For the rest, the film moves – the brisk American sequence is particularly effective – the photography is good, but the triumph is Arthur Wontner's."^[5]

The Daily Film Renter wrote: "Arthur Wontner's realistic characterisation dominates picture, in which criminologist's personality constitutes outstanding avpeal. Workmanlike development. Touches of human comedy enliven unravelling of problem, and chase climax makes exciting conclusion. Straightforward detective feature in Sir Conan Doyle style."^[6]

Picturegoer wrote: "Arthur Wontner is a perfect Sherlock Holmes, and it is good to see him again as the world's most famous fictional detective. Unfortunately, the story is not too well told; there are very few really convincing scenes of crime detection and much too much footage is expended in showing the early life in America of the supposed victim of a murder mystery."^[7]

The New York Times wrote, "a mellow, evenly paced British film that renders to Holmes what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would have rendered to him: Interest, respect and affection... Mr. Wontner decorates a calabash pipe with commendable skill, contributing a splendid portrait of fiction's first detective. Lyn Harding is capital as Moriarty and Roy Emerton, Leslie Perrins, Ian Fleming and Michael Shepley perform competently."^[8]

• The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes at IMDb
• The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes at the TCM Movie Database (archived version)