Murder By Decree [1979]

Country of Origin: UK / Canada
Year of Production: 1978
Running Times: 120 mins [USA]     124 mins
Format: Metrocolor     35mm
Ratio:
Sound:

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Saucy Jack Inc / Decree Productions / Wow!! Entertainment / Canadian Film Development Corporation / Famous Players / Highlight
Executive Producer: Len Herberman
Producers: Bob Clark, René Dupont, Robert A. Goldston
Presented By: Robert A. Goldston
Production Manager [UK]: John Davies
Production Manager [Canada]: Ted Rouse

SCRIPT
Script: John Hopkins
Books: Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution by Stephen Knight; The Ripper File by John Lloyd and Elwyn Jones

DIRECTION
Director: Bob Clark
Assistant Director: Ariel Levy

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Reginald H. Morris
Lighting: Lee Lighting Ltd

EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION
Editor: Stan Cole

MUSIC
Music: Carl Zittrer, Paul Zaza
Music Recordist: Frank Morrone

SOUND
Re-Recording Mixer: Joe Grimaldi
Sound Editor: Ken Heeley-Ray

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Costume Designer: Judy Moorcroft

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: Michael Albrrechtson

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Harry Pottle
Standby Props: John Graham

MISCELLANEOUS
Publicist: S.C. Dacy

LOCATIONS
Locations: London, England, UK
Studios: Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, UK; Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, England, UK

CASTING
Casting: Karen Hazzard

CAST
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]
Teddi Moore [Mrs Lees]
Peter Jonfield [William Slade]
Roy Lansford [Sir Thomas Spivey]
Catherine Kessler [Carrie]
Ron Pember [Makins]
June Brown [Ann Chapman]
Ken Jones [dock guard]
Terry Duggan [Danny]
Hilary Sesta [Catherine Eddowes]
Anthony May [Laumer (?)]
Betty Woolfe [Mrs Dobson]
Geoffrey Russell [Henry Matthews]
Peggy Ann Clifford [Lees' housekeeper]
Ann Mitchell [Jane]
Katherine Stark [Molly]
Stella Courtney [Betty]
Judy Wilson [Emily]
Victor Langley [Prince of Wales]
Pamela Abbott [Princess Alexandra]
Robin Marshall [Duke of Clarence]
Richard Dedmon [doctor]
Dan Long [Constable Long]
Michael Cashman [Constable Watkins]
Peter Dean [police constable - uncredited]

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are drawn into the brutal series of prostitute murders in 1888 Whitechapel. As the killer - dubbed Jack the Ripper - hunts down his last victim, Holmes races against time to save her life. Along the way he uncovers a monstrous conspiracy that reaches even the highest echelons in the land...

Although it does betray a certain lack of courage in its own convictions [the alleged culprits are renamed and, more damagingly, Holmes lets the prime movers behind the Ripper murders off the hook at the climax], Murder By Decree is for the most part a first rate thriller, still the best - if not the most accurate - Jack the Ripper film. The 'facts' on which the story is based [also used in Jack the Ripper [1980] and From Hell [2001]] have since been widely discredited, but they make for a cracking tale - and here it's well told, brilliantly directed and acted to perfection by an excellent cast.

Australia
Theatrical Distributor: Filmways Australasian

Canada
Theatrical Distributor: Ambassador Films Distributors Ltd

UK
Video Distributor: BMG Video [VFC02634]

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Avco Embassy Pictures
Video Distributor: Embassy Video

CENSORSHIP HISTORY

Finland
Rating: K-16

Norway
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: 15

USA
Rating: PG

1980
Edgar Allan Poe Awards
Edgar: Best Motion Picture [John Hopkins] - nominated

Genie Awards
Best Achievement in Direction [Bob Clark] - winner
Best Achievement in Film Editing [Stan Cole] - winner
Best Music Score [Paul Zaza, Carl Zittrer] - winner
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role [Christopher Plummer] - winner
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role [Geneviève Bujold] - winner
Best Achievement in Cinematography [Reginald H. Morris] - nominated
Best Achievement in Sound [David Appleby, Joe Grimaldi] - nominated
Best Sound Editing [Kenneth Heeley-Ray] - nominated

1978
June
19: UK - production begins

August
25: UK - production ends

1979
January
19: USA - press screening at the Regent Theater, Westwood, Los Angeles, California

February
1: Canada - theatrical release
9: USA - theatrical release

1980
March
20: UK - theatrical release

1983
November
11: Finland - theatrical release

Asesinato por decreto - Spanish title
Assassinio su commissione - Italian title
Kauhun oppitunti - Finnish title
Meurtre par décret - French title
Mord an der Themse - German title
Morderstwo na zamówienie - Polish title
Murha tilauksesta - Finnish title
Saucy Jack Meets Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes and Saucy Jack
Sherlock Holmes: Murder by Decree
Verschwörung im Nebel - German title

SEE ALSO
Jack the Ripper [1980]
From Hell [2001]

MAGAZINES

Cinema Canada no.54 [April 1979] pp.49-50 [Canada]
review [by John Hofsess]

Hollywood Reporter vol.255 no.4 [22 January 1979] p.4 [USA]
credits, review [by Robert Osborne]

Necronomicon no.1 pp.10-13 [UK]
illustrated review

Psychotronic no.16 p.53 [USA]
review

Screen International no.144 [24 June 1978] p.1; 10 [UK]
illustrated article [A new Holmes and Watson]; credits

Screen International 5 January 1980 p.20 [UK]
advert

Sequences no.96 [April 1979] pp.25-26 [Canada]
review

Variety 24 January 1979 p.22 [USA]
credits, review [by Poll]

BOOKS

Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror [2nd edition] p.331
credits, review

KEYWORDS

sherlock holmes, jack the ripper, london, prostitutes, serial killers, true crime, freemasons, conspiracies, police

Last Updated: 6 March, 2007