Murder by Decree (1979)
Reference View | Change View
- PG
- 2h 4min
- Mystery, Thriller
- 09 Feb 1979 (USA)
- Movie
Sherlock Holmes investigates the murders commited by Jack the Ripper and discovers a conspiracy to protect the killer.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- 5 wins & 5 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| 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 | ... |
Prime Minister 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
|
|
|
June Brown | ... |
Anne Chapman
|
|
|
Ken Jones | ... |
Dock Guard
|
|
|
Terry Duggan | ... |
Danny
|
|
|
Hilary Sesta | ... |
Catherine Eddowes
|
| Anthony May | ... |
Lanier
|
|
|
|
Betty Woolfe | ... |
Mrs. Dobson
|
|
|
Iris Fry | ... |
Elizabeth Stride
|
|
|
Geoffrey Russell | ... |
Home Secretary Henry Matthews
|
|
|
Peggy Ann Clifford | ... |
Lees' Housekeeper
|
| Ann Mitchell | ... |
Jane
|
|
|
|
Katherine Stark | ... |
Molly
|
|
|
Elaine Ives-Cameron | ... |
Ellen
(as Elaine Ives Cameron)
|
|
|
Stella Courtney | ... |
Betty
|
| Judy Wilson | ... |
Emily
|
|
|
|
Roy Pattison | ... |
Carroll
|
|
|
Victor Langley | ... |
Prince of Wales
|
|
|
Pamela Abbott | ... |
Princess Alexandra
|
|
|
Robin Marchal | ... |
Duke of Clarence
|
|
|
Richard Pescud | ... |
Doctor
(as Richard Pescuid)
|
|
|
Pat Brackenbury | ... |
Nurse
|
|
|
Dan Long | ... |
Constable Long
|
| Michael Cashman | ... |
Constable Watkins
|
|
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Tony Clarkin | ... |
Police Sergeant (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
Peter Dean | ... |
Police Constable (uncredited)
|
| Norman Gay | ... |
Distinguished gentleman (uncredited)
|
|
|
|
Jim McManus | ... |
Policeman (uncredited)
|
Directed by
| Bob Clark | ||
Written by
| Arthur Conan Doyle | ... | (characters) |
| John Hopkins | ... | (screenplay) |
| Elwyn Jones | ... | (co-author) (book "The Ripper File") |
| Stephen Knight | ... | (book: "Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution") |
| John Lloyd | ... | (co-author) (book "The Ripper File") |
Produced by
| Bob Clark | ... | producer |
| René Dupont | ... | producer |
| Robert A. Goldston | ... | producer |
| Len Herberman | ... | executive producer |
Music by
| Paul Zaza | ||
| Carl Zittrer | ||
Cinematography by
| Reginald H. Morris | ||
Film Editing by
| Stan Cole | ||
Editorial Department
| Ian McBride | ... | assistant editor |
Casting By
| Karen Hazzard | ||
| Irene Lamb | ||
Production Design by
| Harry Pottle | ||
Art Direction by
| Peter Childs | ||
Set Decoration by
| Denise Exshaw | ||
Costume Design by
| Judy Moorcroft | ||
Makeup Department
| Colin Jamison | ... | chief hairdresser |
| Peter Robb-King | ... | makeup artist |
| Jane Royle | ... | makeup artist |
| Jan Jamison | ... | assistant hairdresser (uncredited) |
Production Management
| Peter Davis | ... | production manager: UK |
| Ted Rouse | ... | production manager: Canada |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| John Dodds | ... | third assistant director |
| Ariel Levy | ... | assistant director |
| Ken Roch | ... | second assistant director |
| Guy Travers | ... | second assistant director |
Art Department
| Percy Godbold | ... | production buyer |
| Jock Kay | ... | scenic artist |
| Adrian Start | ... | art stand-by |
| Andy Andrews | ... | property master (uncredited) |
| Ken Pattenden | ... | construction manager (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| David Appleby | ... | re-recording mixer (as Dave Appleby) |
| Ron Butcher | ... | sound maintenance |
| Dennis Drummond | ... | sound editor |
| Patrick Drummond | ... | sound editor |
| Wayne Griffin | ... | sound editor |
| Joe Grimaldi | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Kenneth Heeley-Ray | ... | supervising sound editor (as Ken Heeley Ray) |
| John W. Mitchell | ... | sound recordist (as John Mitchell) |
| Don White | ... | foley recording mixer |
| Keith Pamplin | ... | boom operator (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| Michael Albrechtsen | ... | special effects |
Visual Effects by
| Cliff Culley | ... | visual effects supervisor |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Richard Blanshard | ... | still photographer |
| Maurice Gillett | ... | gaffer |
| Michael J. Jacobs | ... | special unit photographer |
| Ray Meehan | ... | best boy |
| Jimmy Turrell | ... | camera operator (as James Turrell) |
| Graham Attwood | ... | still photographer (uncredited) |
| David Wynn-Jones | ... | focus puller (uncredited) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Ron Beck | ... | wardrobe supervisor |
| Janet Tebrooke | ... | wardrobe mistress (uncredited) |
Music Department
| Frank Morrone | ... | music engineer |
Script and Continuity Department
| Marjorie Lavelly | ... | continuity |
Transportation Department
| Howard Pugh | ... | driver: cast |
Additional Crew
| Andy Birmingham | ... | production accountant |
| Marilyn Clarke | ... | production coordinator |
| S.C. Dacy | ... | publicist |
| Robert A. Goldston | ... | presenter |
| Bob Halliday | ... | police liaison |
| John William Ault | ... | film extra (uncredited) |
| Lynda Levy | ... | unit publicist (uncredited) |
Production Companies
- Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC)
- Famous Players
- Highlight
- Murder by Decree Productions (copyright holder)
Distributors
- AVCO Embassy Pictures (1979) (United States) (theatrical)
- Ambassador Film Distributors (1979) (Canada) (theatrical)
- Ascot Filmverleih (1979) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- Cineriz (1980) (Italy) (theatrical)
- Columbia-EMI-Warner (1979) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- El Chico de los Recados (1980) (Spain) (theatrical)
- Filmways Australasian Distributors (1979) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Fram Film (1980) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Parafrance Films (1979) (France) (theatrical)
- Savoy Filmi (1983) (Finland) (theatrical)
- Sofilmes (1980) (Portugal) (theatrical)
- Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1980) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Vesna Film (1979) (Yugoslavia) (theatrical)
- Anchor Bay Entertainment (2003) (United States) (DVD)
- BMG Video (1992) (United Kingdom) (VHS)
- CBS (1981) (United States) (tv) (broadcast premiere)
- Embassy Home Entertainment Australia (1984) (Australia) (video)
- Embassy Home Entertainment (1986) (United Kingdom) (VHS)
- Embassy Home Entertainment (1986) (United States) (VHS)
- Embassy Video (1983) (West Germany) (VHS)
- Globo Vídeo (1984) (Brazil) (VHS)
- Home Box Office (HBO) (1980) (United States) (tv) (pay television)
- Interglobal Home Video (1986) (Canada) (VHS)
- Kino Lorber (2020) (United States) (Blu-ray)
- Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
- Lionsgate Home Entertainment (2009) (United States) (DVD)
- M6 (1989) (France) (tv) (dubbed version)
- Magnetic Video (1980) (United States) (VHS)
- Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment (2003) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Nordic Video (1984) (Finland) (VHS)
- RCV Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
- StudioCanal (2005) (France) (DVD)
- StudioCanal (2017) (Germany) (DVD)
- Umbrella Entertainment (2017) (Australia) (DVD)
- VL-Musiikki (2012) (Finland) (DVD)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Lee Lighting (lighting)
- MGM Laboratories (release prints)
- Medallion-PFA Film & Video (answer print)
- Pathé Sound and Post Production Center (post-production facilities)
- Rank Film Laboratories (processing)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Sherlock Holmes investigates London's most infamous case, Jack the Ripper. As he investigates, he finds that the Ripper has friends in high places.
Written by John Vogel |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | Sherlock Holmes unveils the secrecy of Jack the Ripper - clue by clue - murder by murder. See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
|
Additional Details
| Also Known As |
|
| Runtime |
|
| Country | |
| Language | |
| Color | |
| Aspect Ratio |
|
| Sound Mix | |
| Filming Locations |
Box Office
| Budget | CAD5,000,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | One of the last actors cast was James Mason. Director Bob Clark had to travel to Spain, where Mason was shooting another movie, to meet with him. Mason agreed to play Watson if he could make him a serious character, not the "silly ass" buffoon character which was the rule. Mason re-wrote two scenes, including the famous "pea scene". See more » |
| Goofs | The Jack the Ripper murders took place in 1888, and yet we can see Tower Bridge which was not opened before 1894. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Hair/Murder By Decree/A Perfect Couple/The Champ/Buck Rogers in the 25th Century/Love at First Bite/In Search of Dracula (1979). See more » |
| Soundtracks | God Save the Queen See more » |
| Quotes |
Sherlock Holmes:
[to Lestrade]
When people are frightened, they turn to God, and when they have no help from him, they look to the Devil. See more » |