艾斯米拉达（玛琳·奥哈拉 Maureen O'Hara 饰）是一位善良而又迷人的吉普赛女郎，巴黎圣母院的神父克洛德（托马斯·米切尔 Thomas Mitchell 饰）在内心里被她迷得神魂颠倒。卡西莫多（查尔斯·劳顿 Charles Laughton 饰）是教堂的撞钟人，他天生生得一副丑陋异常的容貌，没有人愿意多看他一眼。
神父指使卡西莫多将艾斯米拉达绑架至圣母院，计划却被上尉菲比斯（艾伦·马歇尔 Alan Marshal 饰）扰乱。菲比斯救了艾斯米拉达，得到了她的芳心，可是之后菲比斯遇袭，艾斯米拉达却站到了被告人的席位之上。按照法律艾斯米拉达即将被判处绞刑，然而却是卡西莫多救了她。前者将她藏到了圣母院中，渐渐的，艾斯米拉达在卡西莫多丑陋的外表之下看到了一颗真挚而又善良的心。
Sir Charles Baskerville dies at the entrance of his manor, and Doctor Mortimer says he died of natural causes. However, when telling Sherlock Holmes of the case, he feels Sir Charles' death was a result of a centuries old curse that runs in the Baskerville family, which Dr. Mortimer feels will strike at Sir Charles nephew, Sir Henry, who is arriving to claim the Baskerville estate. Holmes sends Dr. Watson in his place, along with Dr. Mortimer and Sir Henry, to the manor and for Watson to keep an eye out for any suspicious actions. Immediately after arriving, Watson notices the queer occurrences at the estate and surrounding moors, and sends Holmes reports of what is going on concerning the life of Sir Henry. Will Holmes arrive in time to unravel the mystery, and who is responsible for Sir Charles' death and the attempted murder of Sir Henry? Is it Dr. Mortimer, neighbor Stapleton, butler Barryman, harmless old Frankland, a mysterious wild man, or is there a curse on the Baskerville family? Very good opening entry in the Rathbone-Bruce Holmes series (even though this film lacks qualities of any ongoing entries.) The film could have been a bit more darker and foreboding (the film does have a movie studio set feel) and have an ending with a little more confrontation to it, but it does provide for much fun. The romantic scenes with Greene and Barrie have little spark, but there are very good red herring performances by the cast, which is a plus for this movie. Rating, 8.
