Review of Murder by Decree (1979) by Stuart K — 05 Aug 2013

Directed by Bob Clark (Black Christmas (1974), Porky's (1981) and A Christmas Story (1983)) and based on the book The Ripper File by Elwyn Jones and John Lloyd. This British-Canadian film is a good reimagining of the Jack the Ripper murders and also the best case Sherlock Holmes never handled.

It has a good cast all giving lovely performances, and it's one of the best Holmes films, even if it's not based on any of Arthur Conan Doyle's stories. In Victorian London, an unknown serial killer is picking off prostitutes in Whitechapel, Sherlock Holmes (Christopher Plummer) and his loyal assistant Doctor Watson (James Mason) are assigned to this gruesome case by the Prime Minister (John Gielgud) and Inspector Lestrade (Frank Finlay).

Holmes believes it's an open and shut case, but it's not that simple. Especially when he discovers links to the Freemasons. Holmes calls upon spiritualist Robert Lees (Donald Sutherland), and he leads them to Mary Kelly (Susan Clark), who claims to have slept with someone high up in the aristocracy, and if revealed, could bring down the monarchy and parliament.

Plummer makes a brilliant Holmes, while Mason plays against type as Watson, it has some very good cinematography by Reginald H. Morris too. It's a shame Clark didn't make more films like this, considering the kinds of films he ended up making.