Murder by Decree (1979) is a British-Canadian thriller film involving Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in the case of the serial murderer Jack the Ripper. As Holmes investigates London's most infamous case, he finds that the Ripper has friends in high places.
The film's story of the plot behind the murders is taken from the book Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution by Stephen Knight. The original script contained the names of the historical suspects...
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Murder by Decree (1979) is a British-Canadian thriller film involving Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in the case of the serial murderer Jack the Ripper. As Holmes investigates London's most infamous case, he finds that the Ripper has friends in high places.
The film's story of the plot behind the murders is taken from the book Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution by Stephen Knight. The original script contained the names of the historical suspects, Sir William Gull, 1st Baronet and John Netley. In the actual film, they are referred to as Thomas Spivy (Gull) and William Slade (Netley). This plot device was later used in other Jack The Ripper-themed films.
The film was directed by Bob Clark. It stars Christopher Plummer and James Mason as Holmes and Watson, respectively, and presents a largely different version of Holmes from the Rathbone days, with the aesthete still prevailing, yet tinged with a humanity and emotional empathy. James Mason's Dr. Watson is also a departure. Although he...
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