You're unlikely to find a mystery as cynical, paranoid, and gloomy as this. Welcome to the '70s, Sherlock Holmes.
Murder by Decree has a lot worth recommending. Christopher Plummer and James Mason are near-perfect as Holmes and Watson (especially Plummer, who brings a sense of sentimentality to the role that makes the character a lot more likeable than usual), the foggy London sets are wonderfully atmospheric, and I think the Jack the Ripper premise fits pretty seamlessly. So the foundation is solid.
Unfortunately, the mystery started to lose me after a while. I mean, I suppose it's sporadically thrilling, especially on the many occasions where our leads are in imminent danger, but I also thought it all unfolded a little too slowly and aimlessly (like, did we really need the Donald Sutherland stuff?) to ever get fully invested. And that final explanation/accusation scene is downright interminable.
Still, while the story didn't always grab me, I liked the darker tone and presentation - especially because they're sporadically offset by some winsome humour. For the rest of my life, I'll never be able to eat peas without thinking of this movie.
Grade: B
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