Retro Mystery Movie: Murder By Decree

Christopher Plummer & James Mason

Sherlock Holmes has investigated some difficult cases, but in 1979's Murder By Decree, he tries to solve one of the greatest mysteries of all: the identity of Jack The Ripper. The film is one of the better big screen Holmes adventures, thanks in large part to the strong direction by Bob Clark, and outstanding performances from Christopher Plummer as Holmes and James Mason as Dr. Watson. There's also an all-star supporting cast, including Donald Sutherland, Genevieve Bujold, Anthony Quayle and John Gielgud. 

A series of grisly murders is plaguing Whitechapel, and Scotland Yard is having difficulty apprehending the perpetrator, or even producing any leads on the killer. When Holmes joins the hunt for the man nicknamed "Jack The Ripper," he finds his investigation blocked at every turn. Eventually, the consulting detective becomes embroiled in a conspiracy involving the police, the Freemasons and even the hallowed halls of the British government. Could Jack The Ripper have ties to the Royal Family? If Holmes uncovers the truth, will he be putting both his and Watson's lives in danger?

Murder By Decree is an atmospheric, well-mounted thriller. The cast is excellent across the board, but Plummer and Mason take top honors for their amazing work as Holmes and Watson. They have wonderful chemistry, and both actors bring warmth and conviction to their interpretations of these iconic characters. Plummer is especially good in a moving scene with Genevieve Bujold as Annie Crook, who's an unfortunate victim of the conspiracy that hopes to conceal the Ripper's true identity. He is also first-rate in a scene at the end of the film where he confronts representatives of the government regarding the truth about the Ripper mystery.

Holmes had faced off against Jack The Ripper once before on cinema screens, in the 1965 thriller A Study In Terror, an almost Hammer-style take on the story. Murder By Decree's solution to the Ripper's identity, which posits that the killer may have had a connection to the royal family, was an idea much in vogue at the time of the film's release. That theory has since fallen out of favor, but that doesn't take away from the fact this is an exciting, well-produced Holmes adventure. In addition to the wonderful cast, the direction by Bob Clark is stellar. The talented and eclectic Clark also helmed films as diverse as Deathdream, Black Christmas, Porky's and A Christmas Story.

Murder by Decree wasn't the only Ripper tale released to theaters in 1979. Time After Time, written and directed by Nicholas Meyer, features H.G. Wells (played by Malcolm McDowell) facing off against Jack The Ripper (portrayed by David Warner) in a time travel tale which brings both men to present-day San Francisco. It's a delightful movie which also features Mary Steenburgen in an an early role. Time After Time is an enjoyable science-fiction adventure, and would make a great double feature with Murder By Decree. By the way, Meyer has also penned several Holmes novels, including The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, which was filmed by director Herbert Ross in 1976. Both Murder By Decree and Time After Time have been released on DVD and Blu-ray, and are available on various streaming services.