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->''"We've unmasked madmen, Watson, wielding scepters. Reason run riot. Justice howling at the moon."''

A 1979 mystery film directed by Creator/BobClark, starring Creator/ChristopherPlummer as Literature/SherlockHolmes and Creator/JamesMason as Dr. Watson. This is the one where Sherlock Holmes hunts down VictorianLondon's most notorious killer UsefulNotes/JackTheRipper, again.[[note]] He'd previously hunted him before in the 1965 film ''Film/AStudyInTerror''.[[/note]] The plot of the movie is clearly influenced by Steven Knight's 1976 book ''Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution'', which has influenced scores of works based of Jack the Ripper, most notably ''ComicBook/FromHell'' by Creator/AlanMoore.

London is in a state of panic. While Whitehall worries about radicals and anarchists threatening the social and political order, a mysterious serial killer stalks the slums of Whitechapel going after prostitutes. Scotland Yard is baffled, so naturally they call in Sherlock Holmes... except, they don't. The new police commissioner, Sir Charles Warren (Anthony Quayle), is adamant that Holmes not be let anywhere near the case, much to the frustration of Inspector Lestrade (Frank Finlay). Realizing something is seriously wrong, Holmes and Watson take up the case regardless and uncover a conspiracy that may rock the Empire to its very core.

Also in the cast are Creator/DonaldSutherland as Robert Lees, Sir Creator/JohnGielgud as the Prime Minister, David Hemmings as Inspector Foxborough, Susan Clark as Mary Kelly, and Creator/GenevieveBujold as Annie Crook.

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!!Tropes:
* AdaptationalHeroism: Bob Clark and Christopher Plummer portrayed Sherlock Holmes as a more compassionate figure, as shown in his warm friendship with Watson, his sympathy to Annie, his rage at the doctor who imprisoned her, his offense over [[spoiler: the government's involvement in these murders]].
* AllForNothing: Robert Weverka's novelization has Holmes disputing the justification of the government's actions to resolving what they thought was the threat to the monarchy. [[spoiler: Annie Crook's Catholic child by the Duke of Clarence & Avondale would never been a serious claimant: the Royal Marriage Act 1701 would have rendered the marriage invalid and the Act of Settlement 1772 mandated a Protestant as a successor to the throne. Thus, the threat that led to these horrible crimes only existed in their paranoia.]]
* AmbiguousSituation: [[spoiler: How much involvement the Prime Minister and the Royal Family have in the Ripper murders. The Prime Minister is adamant that Queen Victoria was not involved in any way, and Holmes doesn't want to believe she was involved. As for the Government, Holmes doesn't know how directly they were involved - only that their Catholic prejudices egged Dr. Spivey on.]]
* ArsenalAttire: Holmes weaponizes his trademark scarf by weighing it down and swinging it like a cudgel.
* BandOfBrothers: [[spoiler: The Prime Minister, the Home Secretary, and Sir Charles cover up the Ripper murders because they feel obliged to due to the Ripper being a fellow Freemason.]]
* BedlamHouse: To keep her out of the way, the conspirators have Annie Crook confined to a barbaric asylum far out in the country. Even the normally stoic Holmes sheds ManlyTears on seeing her plight.
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: The Ripper and his accomplice are dead, but in a ForegoneConclusion Holmes is unable to save any of the Ripper's victims and Annie Crook is left lobotomized. Warren is disgraced by his handling of the situation but the other government officials involved in the cover up escape any consequences. However, Holmes is able to pressure them into leaving Annie Crook's child alone.]]
* CallBack: At the end of the film, Holmes plays on his violin a musical piece played at Catherine Eddowes' funeral.
* CanonForeigner: There was no Inspector Foxborough in Doyle's writings, nor in the real Ripper case.
* CastingGag: Frank Finlay had played Lestrade in the ''other'' film where Holmes faces off against the Ripper -- ''Film/AStudyInTerror''.
** Sir Creator/JohnGielgud who played Holmes in a radio series for the BBC opposite Creator/RalphRichardson as Watson.
* ClothesMakeTheLegend: The film expresses Holmes at wearing the traditional Deerstalker cap and Inverness Coat, having him wear it to the Opera instead of a Top Hat and Opera Cloak (which the canonical Holmes would have worn instead).
* ClothingCombat: Holmes weaponizes his trademark scarf by weighing it down and swinging it like a cudgel
* CoolOldGuy: Dr. Watson gets lured into a trap by a prostitute and her thief beau. Watson defeats the thief.
* DestroyTheEvidence: When an inscription ''The Juwes are the ones who will not be blamed for nothing'' turns up on an alley wall near the murders, Sir Warren orders the message destroyed. He claims the message will blame the Jews for the crime and start a race riot in the neighborhood. In truth, [[spoiler: the message is implicating the Freemasons, and Warren is protecting his fellow members.]][[note]]As Holmes later says, the 'Juwes' are Jubela, Jubelo and Jubelum, three villains from Masonic lore[[/note]]
* FreakOut: The normally stoic Holmes is ''appalled'' at the abuse Annie Crook has been put through at the asylum to the point he '''assaults''' the chief doctor snarling at him to let her go!
* GentlemanSnarker: Holmes and Watson. It's about the only way Watson can cope living with Holmes.
* AHandfulForAnEye: When Holmes walks in on Slade and Spivey [[spoiler:murdering Mary Kelly]], Slade tosses a handful of hot coals in Holmes' face.
* HeKnowsTooMuch
** Polly Nichols, Liz Stride, and Annie Chapman were killed [[spoiler:for knowing what Mary Kelly told them about the child]].
** Makins the Citizens Committee Member for making the 'Juwes' message and telling Holmes to check on it.
* HistoricalVillainUpgrade:
** Sir Charles Warren is made into an incompetent buffoon actively hampering the investigation. The real Sir Charles while a talented military officer was ill-suited for the job of police commissioner. And he was constantly criticized by the liberal press and even the Government to point he actually quit his post during the Ripper case.
** [[spoiler: Lord Salisbury, the Prime Minister.]]
** [[spoiler: Prince Victor Albert. Maybe Queen Victoria]]
* IllKillYou: Holmes gives this warning [[spoiler: to Foxborough]]
---> '''Holmes''': If she dies, and you come under my hands again: Expect no mercy. You have my word for it.
* KarmaHoudini: Although 'Jack the Ripper' was punished, [[spoiler: the official higher-ups complicit in Annie Crook's imprisonment and the murders suffer none.]]
* ManlyTears: Holmes sheds tears over Annie Crook's situation.
* MurderByMistake According to the novelization, Catherine Eddowes was mistaken for Mary Kelly.
* NeverSuicide: [[spoiler: Holmes is told that Annie Crook committed suicide. Holmes does not believe it.]]
* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: Donald Sutherland doesn't attempt to put on a British accent as Robert Lees, instead using his natural Canadian accent.
* NooseCatch: The Ripper is hanged when he gets tangled in a cargo net and strangles himself.
* NotWhatItLooksLike: Dr. Watson notices a used syringe. Holmes indulging in his cocaine habit? No. The detective was just using it to empty his pipe.
* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: The fact Sherlock Holmes hasn't been called by Scotland Yard to help with the Ripper case clues the Great Detective in that something is very wrong, if Scotland Yard refuses to have him consult on such a high profile case.
* OutOfCharacterMoment: Sherlock Holmes admits to a belief in spiritualism. In canon, Holmes is a firm atheist on the subject (although the author was a devoted spiritualist).
* PublicDomainCharacter: Naturally for a Ripper film. We have Sir Charles Warren - the Police Commissioner, Lord Salisbury - the Prime Minister, and medium Robert Lees. Oddly the actual detective who worked on the case, Inspector Abberline is nowhere to be seen.
** Actually, Inspector Foxborough is a RomanAClef of Abberline.
* RealityIsUnrealistic: A poor prostitute gets a church funeral and a procession?!? Actually, Catherine Eddowes was given such a display through the charity of an undertaker named Charles Hawkes.
* RomanAClef: Several real people involved in the Ripper Case (or ''suspected'' to be involved) had their names changed for this film. Sir Thomas Spivey is based on Sir William Gull. William Slade is based on John Netley. Inspector Foxborough is based on Ripper Investigator Frederick Abberline.
* ScarfOfAsskicking: Holmes weaponizes his trademark scarf by weighing it down and swinging it like a cudgel.
* SecretRelationship: [[spoiler: Catholic Housemaid Annie Crook becomes the attention of a handsome guest at her employer's house. He seduces and marries her and she bears him a daughter. Of course, since the man turns out to be the Prince Albert Victor Christian Edward (or "Eddy"), the Duke of Clarence & Avondale, a Protestant and second-in-line to the Throne of England, this relationship has to be kept secret.]]
* SwordCane: The Ripper employs this weapon.
* TemptingFate: A prostitute tries to prove her worth to Dr. Watson by showing she is still in possession of all her teeth. Suddenly, she breaks a tooth.
* TheVoiceless: Not once does the Ripper ever speak on screen.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: [[spoiler: Foxborough is willing to sacrifice Mary Kelly to prove the government's involvement in the Ripper murders.]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: After Holmes' second meeting with him, Robert Lees is absent for the remainder of the movie, with no resolution to the subplot.
* WhoDares When the Prime Minister takes offense to Holmes' words, Holmes responds that his offense is based on being himself offended.
* WouldHurtAChild: [[spoiler: The purpose in causing so much suffering and death is to locate and kill Annie Crook's child fathered by the Duke of Clarence and Avondale.]]
* YouMonster: Watson and Holmes give different views on [[spoiler:Foxborough and his willingness to sacrifice Mary Kelly for the sake of radical change.]]
---> '''Watson''': He is out of his senses. He doesn’t know what he is saying.
---> '''Holmes''': Oh Yes he does, Watson. He knows full well. He knows exactly what he is doing. A man devoid of conscience. As guilty as the murderer himself.
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