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Murder by Decree (1979)
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Overview
Tagline:
Sherlock Holmes unveils the secrecy of Jack the Ripper - clue by clue - murder by murder. morePlot:
Sherlock Holmes investigates the murders commited by Jack the Ripper and discovers a conspiracy to protect the killer. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
5 wins & 4 nominations moreUser Comments:
Superbly atmospheric, produced but flawed... moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Christopher Plummer | ... | Sherlock Holmes | |
| James Mason | ... | Dr. John H. Watson | |
| David Hemmings | ... | Inspector Foxborough | |
| Susan Clark | ... | Mary Kelly | |
| Anthony Quayle | ... | Sir Charles Warren | |
| John Gielgud | ... | Lord Salisbury | |
| Frank Finlay | ... | Inspector Lestrade | |
| Donald Sutherland | ... | Robert Lees | |
| Geneviève Bujold | ... | Annie Crook | |
| Chris Wiggins | ... | Doctor Hardy | |
| Tedde Moore | ... | Mrs. Lees (as Teddi Moore) | |
| Peter Jonfield | ... | William Slade | |
| Roy Lansford | ... | Sir Thomas Spivey | |
| Catherine Kessler | ... | Carrie | |
| Ron Pember | ... | Makins |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
124 min | Sweden:110 minLanguage:
EnglishColor:
Color (Metrocolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreSound Mix:
MonoCertification:
Sweden:15 | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (original rating) | UK:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:16MOVIEmeter: 
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Frank Finlay also played Inspector Lestrade in A Study in Terror (1965), another film that pitted Sherlock Holmes against Jack the Ripper. Both films also featured Anthony Quayle in a supporting role. moreGoofs:
Revealing mistakes: Holmes later refers to the cab that ran him over as a "hansom". Those were two-wheeled vehicles, and Holmes was attacked by a four-wheeler. (Sure, he's entitled to be a bit confused here, what with being injured, but then again, this is the master of observation and he would have been particular about the distinction between a hansom and a brougham). moreQuotes:
Sherlock Holmes: We've unmasked madmen, Watson, wielding scepters. Reason run riot. Justice howling at the moon. moreSoundtrack:
God Save the Queen moreFAQ
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| From Hell | A Study in Terror | Jack the Ripper | Sherlock | The X Files |
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"Murder by Decree" could have been one of THE great Sherlock Holmes films but suffers from problematic scenes that need to be edited or cut altogether. Outstanding art direction and recreation of London in 1888 help to salvage it. It also features winning interpretations of Holmes and Watson by Christopher Plummer and James Mason (my favorite Dr. Watson), and fine performances by a strong supprting cast. It also features one of the scariest moments I've ever seen in a film, when the black eyes of the killer appears in a tight close-up. Scary! Overall: sluggish at time, but entertaining.