Murder by Decree
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Movie Reviews of Murder by Decree
Movie Review: The Best Jack the Ripper movie....
Summary: 4 Stars
Although not based on anything written by Arthur Conan Doyle, Murder by Decree is both one of the best Sherlock Holmes movies and it is THE best Jack the Ripper movie ever made. The conspiracy theory that this movie puts forth should be familiar to anyone who is familiar with the Jack the Ripper story. It is basically the same plot as in From Hell. This is a much better movie than From Hell (although that graphic novel is one of the best of all time).It is inevitable that someone would pit Holmes against Jack the Ripper sooner or later. Holmes made his literary debut around the same time as the Ripper, but Conan Doyle never put him on the case (because Sherlock would have to SOLVE the case and, of course, the Ripper's identity is still a mystery). In this version, fictional characters like Lestrade mingle with real-life characters like Sir Charles Warren - historically, a man whose incompetence hindered the capture of the Ripper. At this point in history, Holmes and Watson would have been comparatively young men at the start of their careers. Christopher Plummer (Holmes) and James Mason (Watson) are middle-aged and elderly, respectively. However, both actors are so fine that it is a pleasure to watch them act. James Mason - an underappreciated actor today - brings the dignity to Watson that Conan Doyle bequeathed him (this character is usually played as a dunce for comic relief). Christopher Plummer plays a humanist Holmes that would have been a tad unfamiliar to Conan Doyle - at one point, Holmes breaks down in tears, something the literary character would NEVER do. Even though Basil Rathbone will always own the part, Plummer plays him as a real person and not a caricature.
The movie was directed by Bob Clark, whose most famous film is A Christmas Story (I won't mention Porky's here). However, he also directed the greatest "the calls are coming from inside the house!" movie, Black Christmas. Here we see the same techniques as he employs the fish-eye lens to show the twisted POV of the killer. Unlike other directors, he holds this perspective even during the murder.
I've taken the Jack the Ripper tour and seen this area in real life - although now it is almost unrecognizable. This film does a good job of re-creating the look and feel of the gloomy East End of Victorian England all those years ago.
Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes takes on the Ripper Killings
Summary: 4 Stars
"Murder By Decree" is a 1979 film that posits the theory that the Ripper killings was a conspiracy. This is also the movie that predated "From Hell", another Ripper movie starring Johnny Depp and Heather Graham. Both are well-made movies, though I felt that the script and acting in "Murder By Decree" was far superior than "From Hell".
In "Murder By Decree", Sherlock Holmes, the gentleman sleuth is called upon by some Whitechapel merchants to solve the Ripper murders. Here Holmes is played impeccably by a dashing Christopher Plummer, who also makes Holmes seem very much human and not just a cold investigator. His sidekick, Dr Watson is ably portrayed by James Mason, and the pair share good chemistry, bantering away naturally, and seem very much at ease in their roles.
As the pair follow each clue, they meet a host of interesting characters, and some really sinister ones as well - there's Inspector Foxborough [David Hemmings] who resents their intrusion, the medium Robert Lees [effectively played by a haunted-looking Donald Sutherland], the prostitute Mary Kelly [Susan Clark] who harbors a dangerous secret, the insane woman in the asylum , Annie Crook [Genevieve Bujold in a brief yet very emotional scene] who may hold the key to solving the mystery, Sir Charles Warren [Anthony Quayle], and even Sir John Gielgud [as Prime Minister Lord Salisbury].
The movie is rich in atmosphere - London looks overcast and gloomy, and the scenes of the murders in Whitechapel are pervaded by an atmosphere of menace. The movie as a whole effectively captures the darkness of the period and the score is well-done as well. Though the story itself is one of murder and evil, there are light moments that offset its grim tone - the camaraderie between Holmes and Watson, the funny situations that Watson finds himself in [he is obviously the comic relief here] are all credibly done and enhance the storytelling.
All in all, I found myself riveted throughout the unfolding of this story and would highly recommend it to fans of period thrillers & Sherlock Holmes.
Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes Meets Saucy Jack
Summary: 4 Stars
Murder By Decree continues the winning streak for Anchor Bay Entertainment. They've done some outstanding work restoring little-seen films and giving them new life on DVD, and Murder By Decree is no exception.The film postulates the fateful encounter between the Sherlock Holmes/Watson duo (Christopher Plummer & James Mason, both excellent in their roles) and Jack the Ripper, or more accurately, the conspiracy BEHIND Jack the Ripper. The forces, both social and economic, at work in London in the late 1800's are explored fully and to great effect by Director Bob Clark, who is perhaps best known for directing the perennial Holiday Favorite "A Christmas Story". A film about Jack the Ripper may seem like an odd fit for Clark, but he handles the film well, and gets some great performances by the cast, including John Gielgud, Frank Finlay, Genvieve Bujold, and Susan Clark; They're all phenomenal in their parts. Plummer's Holmes seems more human than most other cinematic depictions I've seen, and Mason brings an almost unheard-of degree of professionalism and dignity to the oft-maligned role of Watson, who is usually depicted as a bufoon onscreen. The film suffers slightly from a score which doesn't seem to fit the sinister visuals at all; The music is too old-school, and seems to have been lifted from a cheesy 1940's melodrama.
The DVD comes with an informative booklet, one of my favorite features of Anchor Bay's DVD line. The DVD itself includes commentary by Director Clark, an extensive photo and poster/ad gallery, and Biographies of Clark, Plummer, & Mason. The film transfer is gorgeous, as usual for Anchor Bay. Murder By Decree is probably the best Sherlock Holmes film I've ever seen, and will make a welcome addition to any Mystery/Thriller fan's DVD collection.
Movie Review: Near Perfect
Summary: 4 Stars
This is the first film I have been tempted to give 5 stars to. I just don't know about 5 star ratings. People seem to give them out so readily, and I am not so inclined to see perfection in everything that I like. This one, though, is a close bet. After some serious consideration and re-viewing of classic Holmes films, I really believe this to be the absolute best film, of both the Sherlock Holmes character and of the Jack the Ripper story.I don't need to add to the chorus of people giving synopses of the movie, but I feel compelled to share my glee that this has finally received the class A DVD treatment. I first saw this when it was released theatrically, and managed to catch it a few times over the years on HBO or some other movie channel. I have so many good memories associated with this film. The cast is fantastic (special nod to James Mason and Genevieve Bujold), the ambience and look of the film is exemplary and really takes you to the foggy dank East End of Victorian England. It is spooky, funny, thrilling and pastoral all at once.
I implore you, if you have any interest in this time period, Ripperology or Holmes, do not wait any longer to get your hands on this. Things of this quality have a tendency to be underappreciated and go out of print, as this was for so many years.
Movie Review: A comment on the DVD quality
Summary: 4 Stars
In a 3 February 2003 review below, a Mr Richard A. Young complains about the disc quality of this movie and blames manufacturers for making many faulty discs ("10%"). He claims that there is a three second delay between chapters 14 and 15. What Mr Young doesn't seem to realize is that many DVDs are dual-layered discs. In the transistion between layers, there is often a slight pause or blip. The length of the pause or the severity of the blip depends partly on your DVD player. My player did pause for less than a second between chapters 14 and 15 of this movie. Mr Young may want to upgrade his player if these transitions are as noticable and as bothersome as he claims. This slight pause did not ruin my enjoyment of the movie, and certainly did not prompt me to run about town renting different copies. I guess some people have a lot of time on their hands.The transfer is clean, colourful and well-detailed. The anamorphic picture looks nice on my 16x9 TV, so those of you with similar TVs can order this disc knowing that the presentation is truly anamorphic and not letter-boxed.