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(out of 5)
Fans of Victorian horror stories will find much to enjoy in this delightful Sherlock Holmes mystery that seeks to unravel the legend behind Jack The Ripper. Ripper was a murderer who killed a number of prostitutes in late-19th century London in a brutal manner and is considered to be the first serial killer on record (a mystery still unsolved). Holmes (Christopher Plummer) and Dr. Watson (James Mason) follow the trail of evidence throughout the city in the hopes of discovering who the real culprit is (if you want a hint, the more recent From Hell starring Johnny Depp treads on the same theory). The performances are wonderful, including Genevieve Bujold as an asylum inmate, and the period is brought to life with a bone-chilling sense of atmosphere: everywhere you turn there is thick fog and a dirty cobblestone street. A fine film that makes a worthy companion to The Seven-Per-Cent Solution and Without A Clue.
Canadian Film Development Corporation, Famous Players, Highlight, Murder by Decree Productions
Directed by Bob Clark
Screenplay by John Hopkins, based on the book The Ripper File by Elwyn Jones, John Lloyd, from characters created by Arthur Conan Doyle
Cinematography by Reginald H. Morris
Produced by Bob Clark, Rene Dupont, Robert A. Goldston
Music by Paul Zaza, Carl Zittrer
Production Design by Harry Pottle
Costume Design by Judy Moorcroft
Film Editing by Stan Cole
