Murder by Decree

Murder by Decree

Our Price: $39.49
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy Used: from $4.98 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases

DVD Cover Information

Movie Reviews of Murder by Decree

Movie Review: The definitive Jack the Ripper Movie
Summary: 5 Stars

Irrespective of whether you believe this to be the `solution' to the Ripper mystery (based on Stephen Knights' book `The Final Solution'), this film is the best version of the Ripper story to date in covering most of the established facts as well as setting the story in the context of the concern in Victorian England at the time with the rise of the Radicals. This is down to the intelligent screenplay by John Hopkins (whose script for Sidney Lumet's `The Offence' was one of Sean Connery's best films) who cleverly makes sure that every scene conveys at least one piece of information to help set the story in its proper context.

If that isn't enough, this film also possesses a wonderful eerie atmosphere by the bucketloads thanks to Harry Pottle's sets, Judy Moorcroft's costumes, Carl Zittrer and Paul Zaza's music and Reg Morris' photography (especially the distorted wide angle shots portraying the first person view of the Ripper). Of course anyone who has seen Bob Clark's earlier `Black Christmas' will recognise the same directorial flourishes which Clark uses here. It is hard to believe that Clark's later career was marked by such films as `Porky's' and its ilk as he shows such a great touch here that he should have continued to make films like this rather than the teen comedies which he is best known for. The sense of unease which the music and the camerawork in particular bring to this film is seldom seen elsewhere (the aforementioned `Black Christmas' and Bernard Rose's `Candyman' are the only examples that come to mind that I am aware of) which make for genuinely uncomfortable viewing.

If it wasn't for Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke's great television portrayal of Holmes and Watson, I would argue that Christopher Plummer and James Mason also manage to create the definitive portrayal of the great detective and his trusty assistant. Certainly theirs is the best film portrayal (although I retain a great fondness for Robert Stephens and Colin Blakely in Billy Wilder's `The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes' which is a slightly more comic tale). Mason in particular avoids the trap of making Watson the cretinous sidekick which certain other versions have essayed (particular the Basil Rathbone versions which I can't believe are regarded as definitive by so many people). The warm friendship between the two is a particular highlight of this version.

Praise be to Anchor Bay who have released the DVD of this great film with a 124 minute version which seems to feature extended scenes which I have not seen previously.

This is a truly great film which I doubt will ever be surpassed in its portrayal of the Jack the Ripper murders or as a Sherlock Holmes mystery.