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SERENDIPITY CINEMA"Murder By Decree" Movie Review
There are any number of historical inaccuracies that litter this film, and Holmes fanatics can belabor aspects (the actual use of the deerstalker hat was infrequent at best in the books) but if you can set those things aside and just watch as a newborn film
fan, there is a lot here to like.
Christopher Plummer makes an unusually believable Holmes, and James Mason absolutely nails the character of Watson.
Frank Finley makes Lastrade something he has rarely been before - - Lestade! The plot about the Masonic conspiracy that attempts to cover the Royal house’s involvement in the Jack the Ripper killings actually becomes riveting. In many hands it could have been pedestrian, but it is anything but.
With psychics and political opportunists and Princes and riff raff of all kinds all about, this one doesn’t leave
you a minute to take a breath. It is beautifully photographed and the action sequences crackle. The story of Holmes and Jack the Ripper has been handled in films before, most notably “A
Study in Terror.”
But this one has the big studio touch, and the investment of an obvious commitment of its stars to do this thing up right.
The only real sad part is that Plummer and Mason never played Holmes and Watson again. They are right up there with the best portrayers of the residents of 221 B Bakers Street the screen has ever seen.
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
There are equal elements of “Sweeney Todd” and “The
Seven-Per-Cent Solution” here, so if you liked either of those films, you may find that this is your taste of Holmes that could lead to an addiction. As a fellow addict, I certainly hope so, mersham and deerstalker aside.
If you have an idea for a Serendipity Cinema, or want to comment email here. The Archive of the old pages are here. --posted by Wayne
Monday, February 12, 2007
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