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The Hound of the Baskervilles is the preferred version of many Sherlock Holmes aficionados, particularly those who treasure the character as he appears in the works of Arthur Conan Doyle. Peter Cushing gives the detective the same aloof confidence that he has in the novels, subtly sneering as he cracks the case that lesser minds could not. The supporting cast is similarly serious: as Watson, Andre Morell discards the buffoonery of Nigel Bruce's incarnation of the character, and Christopher Lee provides an authoritative air of nobility as Sir Henry Baskerville. The film has the stylish look common to Hammer Films' best efforts of the late 1950s. Director Terence Fisher has a good feel for what makes the material work, keeping the most cinematic aspects of the original story and creating new elements as required. The film's biggest liability is the unconvincing look of the hound itself, but even that does little to mar Hound's overall qualities.