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.
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.