Murder by Decree
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Movie Reviews of Murder by Decree
Movie Review: "Murder by Decree" DVD
Summary: 5 Stars
The item arrived within a week, exactly as advertised. Condition: excel-
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Movie Review: Read the Reviews, and Believe Them
Summary: 5 Stars
What can be added to the top rating this movie is given? Perhaps one of the funniest subtle sequences in movies: The "Pea Scene" between Plummer and Mason.Movie Review: An amiable Sherlock Holmes, a tepid Saucy Jack, an endearing Dr. Watson - this film is watchable by decree
Summary: 4 Stars
Here's a tantalizing What If. What if the greatest detective of all time were to try his hand at cracking the greatest unsolved serial killer mystery of all time? Cinemadom had two tries at this, first with 1965's A Study in Terror, then with this one, 1979's MURDER BY DECREE. Christopher Plummer, probably most well known for playing Captain Von Trapp in THE SOUND OF MUSIC, isn't the first actor you'd think of to bring the Great Detective to life and, yeah, whether Plummer succeeds or not in this role will depend hugely on how attached the viewer is to the standard portrayal of Sherlock Holmes as a cold, calculating fish. Because Plummer does something different here with his interpretation.
The year 1888, and Jack the Ripper has begun making his bloody rounds on the foggy, unsavory streets of London's Whitechapel district. Harlots are targeted and murdered gruesomely, and yet another soiled dove falls prey even as Sherlock Holmes and his good friend Dr. John Watson enjoy a night out at the opera house (with Watson coming to the rescue of a rudely welcomed royal). With word spreading of Saucy Jack's dark deeds Holmes is soon implored by a citizen's committee of East End merchants to take on the Ripper case, what with the Ripper not only posing a danger to London's womenfolk but also being decidedly very bad for business. Holmes and Watson begin their investigations, and it's quite a satisfying twist that Watson is here portrayed as capable in his own right. In fact, the good doctor acquits himself quite ably on his assigned solo jaunt (he gets to interview various ladies of the night). But, of course, in the area of detecting, Watson's skills aren't nearly as comprehensive as Holmes's.
Holmes promptly learns that Scotland Yard is reluctant to accept his services for this case. Still, he eventually sniffs out a vast cover-up at work, spanning the brothels of Whitechapel and an out-of-the-way loony bin and all the way to the hallowed halls of government and implicating the English throne itself. The Great Detective all too quickly learns it's challenging stuff nabbing a murderous bogeyman who also happens to have friends in very high places. In fact, this movie isn't about Holmes matching wits with the Ripper as much as it is Holmes going up against a powerful political conspiracy determined to keep its secrets locked away. The Ripper, as it turns out, is a mere symptom.
For fans of Sherlock Holmes, the 1970s must've been sheer bliss. That decade saw several pretty entertaining Sherlock Holmes films, not only MURDER BY DECREE, but also The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, SHERLOCK HOLMES IN NEW YORK, and THE SEVEN PER CENT SOLUTION (my personal favorite of these four). MURDER BY DECREE shines on the merit of its production values: the moodily realized period setting, the convincing costumes, the look of the characters. And, evidently, the film has remained fairly faithful to historical events and characters even as it shuffles in its Holmesian embellishments.
As revealed in the director's commentary, Peter O'Toole and Sir Lawrence Olivier were initially considered for the Holmes and Watson roles, but the two apparently just couldn't get past their mutual dislike. But, as celebrated as those two actors are, they would have been hard pressed to match the chemistry, warmth and sense of ease demonstrated by Plummer and Mason in their scenes together. Plummer and Mason combine for simply one of the most touching Holmes/Watson pairings ever, and one can really sense that deep and abiding friendship which roots their relationship. And nothing typifies this camaraderie more so than the amusing Puzzle of the Solitary Pea or the Adventure of Holmes Bailing Watson Out of Prison.
The controversy lies in Plummer's straying from the typical reiteration of Sherlock Holmes. Even though his Holmes still flaunts that penetrating intellect, the disguises, the deerstalker cap, Inverness cape, and the Meerschaum pipe, Plummer also invests him with a depth of sensitivity and a surprising emotional core. I'd never seen the guy grin or chortle so much. Count me, too, as one of those folks who finds that scene in which Holmes tears up at the insane asylum to be a jarring one. James Mason, on the other hand, is sublime. As mentioned, his droll Dr. Watson is presented as more Holmes's equal - ergo, less bumbling and more perceptive.
For its time, this film was looked at as an all-star cast. The two leads, plus John Gielgud submitting a cameo as England's Prime Minister, Genevieve Bujold who is sympathetic in the pivotal role of the institutionalized Annie Crook, and Donald Sutherland as a wacky psychic. A casting conceit worth mentioning is that of Frank Finlay again taking on the part of Inspector Lestrade.
Note that MURDER BY DECREE takes a page from Stephen Knight's 1976 book Jack the Ripper: the Final Solution, a book which must also have been thoroughly pored thru by Alan Moore and artist Eddie Campbell for their graphic novel FROM HELL, later adapted into a 2001 film. If you've seen FROM HELL, it's kinda fun spotting the points of similarity between it and MURDER BY DECREE (and I guess you can do the same with A STUDY IN TERROR). FROM HELL, of course, doesn't have Sherlock Holmes in it. And neither does FROM HELL reveal the honest-to-gosh super-duper clandestine handshake of the Secret Order of Freemasons.
DVD special features now: informative, low-key commentary by director/co-producer Bob Clark; a Behind-the Scenes Still Gallery; a Poster & Still Gallery; talent bios for Plummer, Mason, and Clark; the theatrical trailer; the original screenplay available as a PDF file for those with DVD-ROM capability; and a 12-paged insert booklet titled "Jack the Ripper, I Presume" which includes a reprint of the film poster and an article by Anchor Bay's Michael Felsher regarding the film.
I dig the creepy atmosphere, and ultimately I even got used to Plummer's interpretation of a more touchy feely Holmes (some people may not get used to it). Several things bring the film down a few notches. First is the stuffy script, resulting in a film which is perhaps too talky. I get it that a Sherlock Holmes story tends to be more cerebral than action-packed. But, considering that it's the notorious bloody Saucy Jack serving as the Big Bad, I expected a more ramped up level of suspense, chills, and violence. As it is, the pace is sluggish and the grotesqueries are implied more so than enacted. The film also could've benefited with more of Holmes's standard parlor trick observations. And then this: Holmes gets his behind handed to him a few times before he finally springs into manly action, taking on the Ripper with only a weighted scarf, except that by that stage, I'd already marked him as a Victorian era wimp. Question: Just how often can Sherlock Holmes get knocked senseless? Answer: quite often (I thought the great man practiced Bartitsu?).
MURDER BY DECREE makes for intelligent, atmospheric cinema and it even has unexpected moments of humor. Holmes investigates a powder keg of a mystery, one which he finds himself ultimately better off not solving publicly, for the good of crown and country. We also see a rare moment for Holmes, that of a misjudgment on his part which results in tragedy. If you're a diehard fan of Sherlock Holmes, then this is a fascinating movie pastiche, with Plummer's performance being a polarizing element. But, as an edge-of-your-seat nail biter, it falls short of the mark. For that, you'd do better to check out the terrific sci-fi thriller movie Time After Time, which offers a grudge match between Jack the Ripper and none other than H.G. Wells.
Movie Review: Perhaps The Best Non-Doyle Based Holmes film
Summary: 4 Stars
So it isn't the most original idea out there for Sherlock Holmes to attempt to solve the case of the infamous murders committed by Jack The Ripper. At least one other film (A Study In Terror) and several books have (had) been written along those lines so the storyline could have been predictable. Yet Murder By Decree rises above what could have been a tired and predictable story to deliver perhaps the best non-Doyle based Holmes film. It is a must-see for fans of Holmes and does supply an interesting solution (pardon the pun) to the mystery of the Ripper.
Christopher Plummer gives an exceptional performance as the great detective. Whereas others had played Holmes as the intellectual with little emotion, Plummer takes Holmes and makes him more human. While he is still the intelligent and brilliant deducing detective of other films, he does have an emotional side that comes into play several times throughout the film. James Mason might come across at first as the bumbling, idiot Watson of earlier films but as the film progresses he proves to be anything but. There are scenes were Watson does get to prove himself and he is anything but bumbling. The chemistry between Plummer and Mason is ideal for the film and there are many great scenes between them including the famous pea scene.
The supporting cast is ideal as well. David Hemmings is an interesting Inspector Foxborough though he does lack some believability in the role. Donald Sutherland is fascinating as the psychic Robert Lees and it is a shame we don't get to see more of him in the film. Susan Clark's brief appearance as Mary Kelly is impressive and it is a shame that we don't see more of her either because her scene with Plummer's Holmes is a good scene. Anthony Quayle portrays real life Scotland Yard chief Sir Charles Warren with a lot of animosity towards Holmes and other characters. Also, there is a cameo by Sir John Gielgud as the Prime Minister in one of the film's best done scenes.
But the real scene stealer of the supporting cast is Geneviève Bujold as Annie Crook. She has only one scene of dialogue in the film and only a handful of appearances in the film. Yet she becomes the emotional anchor of the entire film. She is the one character in the film (besides Mary Kelly) who really draws the emotion out of Holmes. She is the most sympathetic and realistic character in the film and while her appearance is short, it leaves a lasting impression.
The film's main pull is its stylistic approach. For the most part the film is a dark and moody trip into 1888 London and the film never lets you forget it. With its convincing mix of sets and real life locations the film is virtually flawless in taking you back in time. The cinematography of the film is important in that the film is almost at times a tribute not to the Holmes films of the 1930's and 1940's but to the film noir genre of that period. It is never overly graphic and yet the horrendous nature of the Ripper murders still comes across. The film also has a good mixing of suspense, action, and exposition that manages not to slow down the film too heavily for the most part though the pace does occasional drop. But for the most part director Bob Clark manages to keep your attention focused on the screen and in suspense while waiting to learn the secret of the Ripper.
The script from John Hopkins is a near masterpiece of screen writing. Hopkins has successfully intermingled established facts, the Holmes universe, and one of the darkest conspiracy theories of our time into a taught and tension filled mystery. Never has such a complex theory about the identity of Jack The Ripper been so well presented on screen in a way easy to understand by the average person. While the authenticity of the theory put forth in the film is debatable, it fits well into the film and that is what matters.
Murder By Decree is one of the best Holmes films out there. With a terrific Holmes and Watson, a good supporting cast, haunting cinematography, and a tension filled conspiracy, this is one of the most thought out thrillers out there. If you are a Holmes fan, this is a must-see. If not, defiantly worth your while.
Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper
Summary: 4 Stars
MURDER BY DECREE
(UK/Canada - 1978)
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Theatrical soundtrack: Mono
Whilst investigating a series of murders committed by 'Jack the Ripper' in Victorian London, Sherlock Holmes (Christopher Plummer) and Dr. Watson (James Mason) uncover a Masonic conspiracy which leads them to the very heart of the British Establishment.
During the summer of 1973, the BBC ran a six-part documentary series entitled "Jack the Ripper" (also known as "The Ripper File"), in which two popular fictional detectives (played by Stratford Johns and Frank Windsor) investigated the 'true' identity of Jack the Ripper, using all the evidence available to them at the time. Their conclusions formed the basis of Bob Clark's all-star period thriller MURDER BY DECREE, which condenses vast amounts of information into a single digestible screenplay.
A British/Canadian co-production, the film's lavish recreation of Victorian London (extravagant opera houses, cobbled streets and miles of gloomy Whitechapel alleyways populated by hundreds of costumed extras) belies its modest $4m budget, and for once, the starry supporting cast - including Anthony Quayle, David Hemmings, John Gielgud and Donald Sutherland - seem perfectly suited to their individual roles. For the most part, Clark subordinates his deceptively simple visual style to a wealth of evidence which constitutes the heart and soul of John Hopkins' detailed screenplay. In particular, director and writer outline the political and class divisions which prevailed in England at the time of the Ripper murders, exacerbating a number of problems surrounding the police investigation and leading to all manner of conspiracy theories which persist to this day. However, the script contains a number of memorable character touches (the episode of the 'errant pea' is most prized by the movie's many fans) which prevents the narrative from becoming bogged down in a series of facts and figures. Plummer and Mason are ideally suited to the roles of Holmes and Watson, though Genevieve Bujold almost steals the film during a heartbreaking sequence in a lonely asylum where Holmes discovers the key to the unfolding mystery.
You may not agree with the film's conclusions (the same evidence was re-evaluated by author Stephen Knight in his popular non-fiction account 'Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution' [1976] and David Wickes' excellent TV movie JACK THE RIPPER [1988] starring Michael Caine), but MURDER BY DECREE is generally ackowledged as one of the best Ripper/Holmes movies ever made.
Incidentally, the film was given a PG rating at a time when the MPAA was allowing some extraordinarily vivid material to go unchecked within this particular category, and while MURDER BY DECREE doesn't revel in violence, it conveys the grislier aspects of the Ripper's crimes with enough borderline potency to warrant a PG-13 these days.