Murder by Decree
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Movie Reviews of Murder by Decree
Movie Review: Someone Has Ordered The Torture of Whitechapel Prostitutes
Summary: 5 Stars
Conspiracy theorists will love "Murder by Decree." Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are investigating the Jack the Ripper slayings in Whitechapel. The two friends soon learn that it is not the work of a single madman but several. They are being followed, their investigation manipulated, and their lives endangered. Don't expect a tremendous amount of blood and gore, but there is quite a bit of brutality, both emotional and physical.
"Murder by Decree" boasts quite an impressive cast of actors that is a virtual who's who of seventies stars. Christopher Plummer ("The Pyx" and "Dracula 2000") and James Mason ("Mandingo" and "Salem's Lot") give intelligent, energetic performances as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, respectively. Donald Sutherland ("Don` Look Now" and "Virus") stars as a psychic who witnesses the murders in his mind. Fans of the giallo masterpiece "Deep Red" will recognize David Hemmings as an unscrupulous inspector. Genevieve Bujold of "Coma" and "Earthquake" fame is an innocent woman locked up in an insane asylum; Holmes and Watson endeavor to learn her secret before more prostitutes are murdered.
The sets are extremely authentic and breathtaking in their scope and beauty. I felt that I was actually looking back in time at London during 1888. A great soundtrack is provided by Carl Zittrer and Paul Zaza. Incidentally, Zaza provided a great disco soundtrack for another ripper movie, the horror hit, "Prom Night," starring Jamie Lee Curtis. Most importantly, "Murder by Decree" is expertly directed by Bob Clark; he is world renown for directing such horror hits as the classic "Black Christmas," "Deathdream," and "Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things." Ironically, he also directed the ever popular family classic "A Christmas Story." Films such as "Murder by Decree" prove that Bob Clark was an expert at directing films of all genres.
If you are a fan of gothic horror, a fan of Jack the Ripper, and/or a fan of Sherlock Holmes and Watson, you will definitely want to add this film to your horror collection. Anchor Bay has done a superb job of restoring it to a high quality widescreen presentation of 1.85:1. It has closed captions for the hearing impaired and many extras including a collectable booklet and an audio commentary with Bob Clark who has since passed away in a tragic car accident.
Movie Review: One of the Best movies ever made!
Summary: 5 Stars
I love Sherlock Holmes movies in their many incarnations, especially Robert Stephens version in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (PLEASE RELEASE ON DVD in Billy Wilder's original LONG FORM PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!). However, I must think Christopher Plummer is the best Sherlock ever. He brings so many textures and depth to his Sherlock, for once, making him a living, breathing man. In Private Life...Robert Stephens gives you a brilliant, heart-wrenching performance - at the point he realises he was been betrayed, and with no words he conveys SO MUCH it nearly tears you apart. Plummer gives you a similar heart-shredder, as he find Annie Crook in Bedlam, tortured, no longer sane, having retreated from the horrors around her and inflicted upon her, and in the following scene on the train ride back to London. In a masterpiece of blocking, you don't even see Holmes, you just his reflection in the train window while he talks about Annie. Compelling, heartbreaking, utterly BRILLIANT, demonstrating Plummer is one of the BEST actors ever to grace the screen.
The story line of Sherlock Holmes meeting Jack the Ripper was first explored by Ellery Queen novel. In it, Holmes identified the wrong person as the Ripper, hence the one Holmes story never published. It is brought to Queen and he must solved the 100 year old case. In Study in Scarlet, with John Neville as Holmes (another superior version, but cannot compare to Decree) the Ellery Queen beginning and end was dropped and the middle part of Holmes chasing Jack was turned into the movie in the 1960s. Neville is a marvellous actor, but pales by comparison to the virtuoso performance of Plummer. This version of the Ripper vs Holmes, follows the Stephen Knight book exposing the Annie Crook connection.
Lots of super support from a dream cast, such as Genevieve Bujold as Annie Crook, James Mason as Watson, David Hemmings as Foxborough, Susan Clark (Sister of producer/director Bob Clark - YES, people it is HARD TO BELIEVE the man who brought you Porkies create this masterpiece) as Mary Kelly, Frank Finlay as Lestrade, Donald Sutherland as Robert Lees the psychic, Anthony Quayle as Sir Charles Warren and John Giegud as Lord Sailsbury.
I cannot say how delighted I am this is finally out on DVD!!!
Movie Review: A MUST-see Sherlock Holmes thriller!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
While other actors have turned more definitive performances of the great Sherlock Holmes and his loyal friend, Dr. John Watson, perhaps no one has captured the Holmes/Watson dynamic better than Christopher Plummer and James Mason in the classic thriller, MURDER BY DECREE. This flick has the Great Detective facing off against Victorian England's most vile creature, the killer known only as Jack the Ripper. However, in the course of his investigation, Holmes finds a trail that could lead to the Royal Family itself. Full of twists and turns, this film sails smoothly under the sure direction of Bob Clarke, who provides an insightful commentary on the DVD. While Plummer isn't as quirky as other actors who've played the role, he invests Holmes with a wry sense of humor that makes the character easy to relate to, while still being a formidable presence. Mason's Dr. Watson has his share of humorous moments, but he never plays him as a buffoon. Even in his more amusing moments, he retains his stalwart British dignity. It is a special treat when both actors share the screen together and there is when this film especially shines. You can believe that these characters are long-time friends given the wonderful give-and-take moments throughout the film. The scene where Watson vainly tries to stab the last pea on his dinner plate, and Holmes' reaction is a classic!!!! But they don't carry the film alone. The entire supporting cast is excellent. Donald Sutherland is effective as the medium who provides a vital clue, while Frank Finley makes a wonderfully droll Inspector Lestrade. Anthony Quayle is solid as the nasty Sir Andrew Warren of Scotland Yard and Sir John Guilgud is British dignity personified as the Prime Minister. Susan Clark is heart-wrenching as the ill-fated prostitute, Mary Kelly.
Needless to say, this film is a must for Sherlock Holmes fans and for anyone who enjoys a ripping (pardon the pun) good thriller. Highly recommended.
Movie Review: Holmes and Watson; Plummer and Mason: An Excellent Film
Summary: 5 Stars
In my view this is one of the best Sherlock Holmes movies yet made, with a strong, literate story, an outstanding cast and great atmosphere. London prostitutes have been gruesomely slaughtered by Jack the Ripper and Sherlock Holmes enters the case. The street women are scared to death but seem to be protecting someone. One, Mary Kelly, wants to help. Another, Annie Crook, has gone missing. The more Holmes probes and searches, the more it appears that some in high places are interfering with his investigation. Annie Crook is found and the secret discovered, but not before more lives are wasted and a secret which could shake the throne is uncovered. Justice more or less triumphs, but for Holmes and Watson it is a sad, bittersweet victory.
The movie features, in my opinion, outstanding interpretations of Holmes and Watson. Christopher Plummer gives Holmes not only brilliance but also humanity. He responds deeply to the terrible injustice he finds behind the Ripper killings. Mason plays Watson as an equal partner, with humor, wisdom and courage, and with none of the blundering and bluster that Nigel Bruce imprinted on the character. The cast features Genevieve Bujold as Annie Crook and Susan Clark (great in Night Moves) as Mary Kelly. David Hemmings, Anthony Quayle, John Gielgud, Frank Finlay and Donald Sutherland give a lot of depth to the movie.
As by way of a modest spoiler, the people who made From Hell by rights should have given a modest credit line to director Clark and writer John Hopkins. One other fascinating point concerns Clark. For some reason, this appears to be by far the best movie he ever made. Clark, shortly after Murder by Decree, gave us one of the broadest and corniest movies around, Porky's, and seems to have stayed more or less at the Porky's level ever since.
If you enjoy Sherlock Holmes along with first-rate acting, I think you'll like this film. The DVD transfer is very good.
Movie Review: Possibly the best Holmes movie ever made
Summary: 5 Stars
The New York Daily Post referred to this movie as the "greatest Sherlock Holmes movie ever made" and who am I to disagree with their esteemed reviewer. Well, I write reviews for a large metropolitcan newspaper also, but I have to say I can find no qualms with their opinion. I grew up watching the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movies on quiet Saturday mornings on BBC2 in my native Scotland, so I am probably always going to enjoy sitting down to a couple of hours with my longtime detective friend and his faithful sidekick Dr. Watson. Although for me Rathbone will always be the definitive Sherlock Holmes (never really cared for Jeremy Brett)I have to admit to finding Christopher Plummer as an entertaining, if somewhat unusual, Holmes in this late 1970s movie.
Based not on one of the Conan Doyle books but on a notion that the Baker Street detective investigated the Jack the Ripper murders (much like in the lesser production "Study in Terror" a decade earlier) this sceenplay moves along at a fair speed and examines the actual evidence collected at the time to weave together a theory not unlike that of the more recent Johnny Depp movie "From Hell."
What really makes this movie stand out is the quite incredible cast that Clark (yes, incredibly the same guy behind "Porky's") put together in this Canadian production. Alongside Plummer is none other than James Mason as Watson. We also have Anthony Quayle, John Gielgud, Donald Sutherland, Susan Clark, Frank Finley and Genevieve Bujold. Put these actors in a handsomly presented production design (quite incredible actually) and combine it with the intriguing and fast paced script and you have what (I would have to concur with the Post is the best Holmes movie ever put to film.