Murder by Decree [VHS]

Murder by Decree [VHS]
by Bob Clark (III)

Murder by Decree [VHS]

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Product details

Actor: Anthony Quayle, Christopher Plummer, David Hemmings, James Mason, Susan Clark
Director: Bob Clark (III)
Edition: VHS Tape
Format: Color, NTSC
Running Time: 124 minutes
Release Date: 1988-10-26
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Publisher: Embassy/Nelson Ent. - O.B.
Studio: Embassy/Nelson Ent. - O.B.

VHS Movie Reviews of Murder by Decree [VHS]

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: 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: A lot of fun
Summary: 4 Stars

A fun story and the best one involving Jack the Ripper. Plummer plays Holmes with aplomb and is more accessible and likeable than some other portrayals. Mason as Watson is, well, perfect.

Movie Review: 2 stars out of 4
Summary: 2 Stars

The Bottom Line:

The production values of this Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper film are decent but Plummer and Mason never seem comfortable in their roles and the movie goes through the motions of a Royal conspiracy without ever engaging the viewer; unless you're a Ripperphile who's already seen From Hell, there's little reason to make time for this turgid bore.

Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes meets the Sea Hag
Summary: 3 Stars

Remember that old Popeye the Sailor female known as "The Sea Hag"? Well, you will find strong competition in this production among the victims of Jack the Ripper and other women consigned to the Asylum. I suspect that the director thought he would be invoking the realism of life in Whitechapel by showing the effects of poverty on the many faces of poor wretches forced to make their living on the streets of London.
The results are rather disturbing, as we are forced to see some rather revolting images among a few rare moments of normalcy.
Christopher Plummer as Sherlock Holmes is rather understated here, save for a few moments among the representatives of the cult of the Masonic Order, who are blamed for the Ripper murders and the subsequent cover up. James Mason's performance as Watson is something that will grow on you as you see the movie over again over the years, especially his upset at Holmes when Holmes "solves" the problem of Watson's attempts to remove the last pea from his dinner plate.
I think Donald Sutherland played his character rather well, considering that he is a rather tall psychic. The film invokes the era of "London Fog" very well and throws the "revolutionary fire" and is constantly at odds between the Aristocracy and the Poor.
Overall an interesting concept, but poor Dr. Gull is not around to defend himself and reminds me of how the revisionist historians now make famous people look bad after they are deceased.
Produced during the great Holmesian revival, this film is a decent piece of work but the sets are rather dull, and cheap save for the opening of Holmes at the Opera House. Worth seeing but not the best tangent from the Holmes stories ever done.

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Summary of Murder by Decree [VHS]

Murder by Decree has the distinction of being not only one of the best Sherlock Holmes films, but one of the best pastiches (i.e., a Holmes fiction created by someone other than author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) featuring the late-Victorian Era detective. Christopher Plummer is very good as Holmes, and James Mason redeems the many mishandled screen portrayals of Dr. John Watson with a rare, insightful performance. The story may not be unique in post-Doyle Holmes adventures--the private investigator pursues Jack the Ripper during the latter's reign of monstrous murders in foggy London--but the script by John Hopkins (Thunderball) is keenly intelligent, developing concentric circles of power and evil with great subtlety. Before losing himself in Porky's, director Bob Clark did a masterful job of surprising audiences with Murder by Decree, convincing viewers they were watching one kind of drama but then unleashing something very different, very unsettling. --Tom Keogh

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