Murder by Decree

"It is possible that I may be in the minority, but I thought that Christopher Plummer's portrayal of Sherlock Holmes was brilliant. Most adaptations of the popular character only use one side of his personality, his immersion in his own talents and the cases he solves. Usually, there is little to no real consideration for the people he encounters except in a practical sense. The Whitechapel murders by Jack the Ripper see Holmes being very affected mentally. That reaction makes sense to me for someone who connects clues, staying steps ahead of other investigators. Certainly, he would react humanely to a victim of a crime, and definitely these horrific crimes. Watson was portrayed by James Mason with a subdued passion, but still smart in his own way. Holmes and Watson were definitely friends and colleagues who respect each other and know their weaknesses and strengths. A major part of one real theory regarding the ripper murders is one that I have never seen in any recent documentaries, so it must not be as popular. It was fascinating, and drove the story in an intelligent and engaging way, along with the director way of capturing the eerie mood of darkness and foreboding in the neighborhood of Whitechapel. The story flowed well, and I was absolutely riveted to each scene in the final act, leading up to an exciting and emotional conclusion. "

"This is a non-canonical, Victorian Era Holmes story but it’s plot and structure is heavily influenced by the 1970s paranoid thrillers. The central conspiracy, involving the free masons, anti-government radicals and Jack the Ripper, doesn’t fully work but the performances and the atmosphere make it worth a watch. Christopher Plummer and James Mason bring some real charisma and star power to Holmes and Watson here. Plummer plays Holmes with a warmth, empathy and emotionality that isn’t present in the source text or other adaptations. This makes him more of participant in the mystery, a la the 70s conspiracy film lead, than the cold, analytical detective. Susan Clark, David Hemmings and Donald Sutherland all stand out among a strong supporting cast. Director Bob Clark, whose eclectic credits include A Christmas Story, Porky’s, the proto-slasher Black Christmas and Baby Geniuses, does a credible job recreating the era and giving the story a strong sense of dread. 3.5 out of 5 Stars"