Jack the Ripper (1959) User Reviews

The ultimate lady-killer strikes

[violencegang · 6/10 · 2 April 2005]

One of the strange things about Jack the Ripper movies is that, as we get further away in time from the events of 1888, filmmakers seem much more concerned with providing a 'real', historically accurate solution to the mystery. This is in marked contrast to earlier movies about the Ripper, which only used the name as a framework for Gothic horror tales, and the 1959 version is no exception. Absolutely nothing in this movie really happened, but, this actually makes the film more entertaining; I always find it irritating when a director claims to have made a historically accurate Ripper movie, and then falls down on minor details. The makers of this film clearly had no such intentions, something clearly demonstrated by star Lee Patterson's 1950's Elvis quiff, unless his character was seriously ahead of his time where fashion was concerned.

As for the story itself, screenwriter Jimmy Sangster (who wrote several of Hammer's best movies) seems to have based his script very loosely on the 'Doctor Stanley' theory put forward by Leonard Matters in his 1929 book 'The Mystery of Jack the Ripper'. In this book, Matters alleged that the murders were committed because Stanley's son caught syphilis from Mary Kelly, the last of the five Ripper victims, and the not-so-good doctor went out looking for her, asking (and then killing) the other four victims for info about Kelly. In the film, Jack the Ripper is looking for a woman named Mary Clark, and he murders women after asking them if they either are, or know the whereabouts of, Mary Clark. The main difference, other than the name of the woman he's looking for, is that the Ripper's son committed suicide (sexually transmitted diseases being a no-no as far the BBFC were concerned at the time).

The film is generally pretty good, with decent performances from its two imported American leads (the producers were clearly taking no chances when it came to getting the film a U.S release), with Patterson making a likable hero, and Eddie Byrne (probably best known for playing a similar role the same year in Hammer's 'The Mummy') being suitably dogged as the Inspector on the Ripper's trail. There are maybe too many obvious red herrings, notably the mute, hunchbacked assistant who carries knives around and is nearly lynched by a mob, and John Le Mesurier's doctor who always comes into a room after a murder dressed in the stereotypical Ripper garb, but the revelation of the killer's identity is actually quite surprising, and the end sequence, with the Ripper crushed by a lift in a brief colour sequence, is suitably melodramatic (even if it does look like what it was, that is to say red paint squirted through a hole).

Are you Mary Clarke?

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 10 October 2015]

The serial killer known as Jack the Ripper is loose in London, 1888. As the police frantically search for the maniac through the East End smog, a whole bunch of suspects hone into view...

Murder by person or persons unknown.

Surprisingly little known, this Jack the Ripper picture belies its obvious budget limitations to produce an atmospheric and suspenseful piece. This is not in any way an accurate account of the actual story, so interested newcomers should be aware of that fact. It is basically an interpretation of Jolly Jack, a serial killer mystery to be solved.

There's plenty of cobbled streets and smog, dim gas lamps, top hats, tails and medical bags et al. The more severe parts of the story come with tilted camera perception, and the narrative embraces ladies of the night workings and vigilante justice. Which all builds to an absolute beaut of a finale.

Well worth a look by fans of Ripper period fare. 7/10

underrated film worth a look for JTR interest

[ianmercer54 · 7/10 · 17 June 2012]

Considering an obviously small budget this film is well written and has an authentic "foggy Victorian look" about it,aided by a complimentary Stanley Black score.It's real merit is the fine character performances especially Euan Solon as a very autocratic hospital surgeon and it is also interesting to see John Le Mesurier far removed from his mild mannered Sargeant Wilson of Dad's Army.The East End/Whitechapel appears to be inhabited by an array of unsavoury characters from music hall impresarios,run of the mill pickpockets and aggressive vigilante thugs.

Still,the plot unwinds at a reasonable pace and the Lee Patterson/Betty McDowell romance doesn't interfere too much with the grizzly goings on in the streets.The final unmasking of Jack is quite unsettling in its brutality,but all the loose ends are nicely tied up with the realisation that due to circumstance(i.e. Jack the Ripper is killed) the true identity of the killer will always be known to the police but not the public.

Well worth a look if you like this genre of film.

AMC sucks!!

[jackgriffin1-1 · 30 July 2006]

This film was on the other night on American Movie "Classics". I was waiting for the last shot when the ripper is crushed by the elevator to see if AMC showed the color shot. Not only was it not in color-they cut the whole scene. All you see is a reaction shot of the two guys in the elevator looking at the floor in horror, but you never see what they're looking at. The only place to see this film is on AMC and they butcher it. Is there any reason on earth to watch AMC? They pan and scan, cut for commercials, speed up films, show previews during closing credits, and censor. That's it. I haven't watched this disgrace of a channel in years and I never will again. Who the hell watches it anyway? Thank God for TCM. If anyone reads this post, please tell every film fan you know to boycott this station. It has no reason to exist.

Jack murders in black & white, but bleeds in color!

[Coventry · 7/10 · 7 February 2019]

Ah, Jack the Ripper... Media's favorite and most notorious serial killer, and the subject of numerous pulp novels, pseudo-psychological thesis works, mini-series and an excessively wide variety of horror/cult films! If I got $1 for every Jack the Ripper themed movie I ever watched in my life, I would...well, at least be able to treat myself to a medium-large lunch at McDonald's! To keep things reasonably transparent, let's state there exist four main categories of Jack the Ripper film adaptations. The earliest ones are based on the novel "The Lodger" by Marie Belloc Lowndes and narrate from the viewpoint of an elderly couple that rent out a room to a sinister man whom they suspect is the Whitechapel murderer. The most famous version was the silent 1927 classic directed by none other than Alfred Hitchcock, but also the 1944 version by John Brahm or the 1953 film starring Jack Palance are very good. Much later, the persona of Jack the Ripper got linked to other iconic, but entirely fictional characters like Arthur C. Doyle's Sherlock Holmes ("A Study in Terror", "Murder by Decree") and Robert L. Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll ("Edge of Sanity", "Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde"). The more absurd but ingenious category of films plucks The Ripper out of 1888, and even London, and time-warp him to present day where he cheerfully continues his murder spree, like in "Time after Time", "Bridge across time" and, to a lesser extent, "Jack's Back". The fourth and last category often claims to be the most factual, although that is debatable, and convincingly claims that Jack the Ripper was a highly intelligent and prominent figure, like a surgeon, an artist or even a member of the royal family! "Hands of the Ripper" and especially "From Hell" are most famous, but also the obscure yet surprisingly "Jack the Ripper" homes in this group.

Although unknown and not doing too well at the box-office around its time of release "Jack the Ripper" is a fascinating little film with several atmospheric & downright unsettling moments, a nifty whodunit structure with a few red herrings, excellent use of settings, decors and shadows and a virulent climax to boot! Unless I'm mistaken, this is also the first film version in which the Ripper wears a long black cape and hat, and these accessories became prototypic since then. In this film, the misogynist killer corners his female victims in dark alleys and ask them if they are "Mary Clarke" before carving them up, anyways. What the film does exceptionally well is giving a face to the ripper's victims and forcing us, viewers, to sympathize with them. The barmaid, for instance, is a semi-heroine and the go-go dancer was an even bigger shock. Of course, there are also defaults in Hammer genius Jimmy Sangster's screenplay, like why was it necessary to drag an American inspector? The climax is phenomenal, and not just because it's a tense and morbid cat-and-mouse race, but also thanks to that one oddly peculiar moment in color, with thick red Jack the Ripper blood coming through the elevator floor.

A restored treasure with a new music score to present Jack the Ripper!!!

[elo-equipamentos · 7/10 · 24 January 2020]

The unsolved case of Jack the Ripper was largely exploited by movie industry, this British production sins a little bit when it offers a conclusion of the real killer, nonetheless brings to screen a decent version at Whitechapel's events with many authentic elements from those days, poorly enlightened narrow streets with dense fog from the chimneys, countless pubs, several burlesque theatre that was used as front to exploit prostitution and so on, here the picture expose a Doctor who asking revenge against Mary Clark who was the woman of an easy life and after discovered her past, Doctor's beloved son committed suicide, meanwhile he wandering for those streets looking for her, but ends up killing many women supposedly prostitutes, the Scotland Yard in charge of all enquires was under pressure to solve the case soon as can, the casting are almost unknown, although had a fine performance, anyway a fine movie restored from a copy found in France and insert another music score, on bonus material has many shoots cut off from the original with many nudes scenes, fantastic!!

Resume:

First watch: 2010 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.5

Be afraid Jack, the cowboy has arrived!

[Sorsimus · 6/10 · 9 November 2000]

Every once in a while one finds a film that is mostly mediocre but has one redeeming feature.

The bright spot of Jack the Ripper is it's beautiful lightning. Some B&W films are just gray when to me the beauty of it is in the strong contrast between light and shadow.

All in all this is a very easy film to like. It is beautifully naive in it's portrayal of it's sex murder topic yet at the same time it succeeds in making a powerful point about lynching mob attitude.

The characters are rather predictable and bland with one exception: the young American policeman visiting London. With his accent and idealism displayed under a greasy fifties Buddy Holly hairstyle (remember that this is a period piece set in the 19th century)he brings a nice cowboy twist to the legend of Jack the Ripper.

JACK THE RIPPER (Robert S. Baker and Monty Berman, 1959) **1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 6/10 · 26 August 2011]

The titular serial-killer has captivated film-makers and audiences ever since the Silent days: in fact, this was already at least the sixth time – after the 1926, 1932 and 1944 versions of THE LODGER, PANDORA'S BOX from 1929 and 1953's MAN IN THE ATTIC – his vicious exploits were brought to the screen (and countless more would follow)! Other notorious Victorian figures to which the cinema would return time and again are grave-robbers Burke and Hare and their eminent accomplice Dr. Robert Knox: indeed, THE FLESH AND THE FIENDS (which would also see the involvement of Baker and Berman) appeared shortly after this one…and, interestingly enough, both would be released in "Continental Versions" – a brief trend that incorporated entirely gratuitous and often jarringly-inserted nudity intended for more liberal markets, such as France (the copy I acquired of the title under review actually reverts to that language for its three 'alternate' scenes)!

Anyway, the script here (by the late Hammer stalwart Jimmy Sangster) attempts to give a face and a motive to the reputedly methodical perpetrator of these crimes – making him a respectable surgeon deranged by the obsession to seek out and chastise the ex-prostitute apparently responsible for his similarly-gifted but eventually wayward son's suicide; to be fair to it, some of the earlier and later 'Ripper' outings did likewise and their conclusions proved just as simplistic! Nevertheless, Sangster managed to subtly touch upon a number of issues along the way such as female emancipation (and the way it was looked at with suspicion by the male gender), illicit 'after-hours' cabaret activities (and how defenseless young women were practically blackmailed into acquiescing) and also the immediate socio-economic effect of the killings (resulting in deserted streets and a people constantly on edge and distrustful of strangers and authority who find mob violence an efficient outlet for their frustration, with a hunchback and mute morgue attendant – initially a clichéd device – the most convenient scapegoat).

More pragmatically, the finger of guilt seems to be pointing in the direction of John Le Mesurier, a sterling presence in many a classic British comedy but here playing it atypically – albeit effectively – stern (especially given his character's declared aversion to the Police, seedy environments and foreigners, notably Americans: with respect to the latter, let us not forget that the events of 1776 were little more than a hundred years removed from this era and the natural animosity between the two sides had not abated completely).

Incidentally, here we have fictitious support to the manhunt from the United States, with the young cop not only involved in the obligatory romance (as it happens, Le Mesurier's ward and also unwitting sponsor of the Ripper's intended target) but actually solving the case!; however, so as to uphold the established truth of its being an affair still shrouded in mystery, Sangster concocts an improbably bloody demise for the villain.

Despite the obvious low-budget (not helped by the fuzziness of the print on display), the period reconstruction seems fairly authentic – even if such thoroughness, at this stage, did not extend to the murder sequences, which are dealt with too swiftly for them to give an inkling of the adopted clinical approach (that said, the film-makers could have easily worked their way around this hurdle by turning the camera away while keeping the brutal action going in the background!).

Jack the Ripper Versions

[35541m · 5/10 · 20 March 2007]

There appear to be two versions of this film so beware. The colourised ending with the blood seeping out seems to have been done especially as a gimmick for the USA market.

In the UK version there is no colorised ending (it's all in black and white) and it also looks as if the ending has suffered from censor cuts.

Hopefully, one day we will see a DVD release with both endings included. All screenings in the UK (on TV) have been of the UK version with the black and white ending.

Those interested in this film may also care to check out A Study In Terror in which Sherlock Holmes tackles Jack the Ripper in a hammer forror-ish style.

Roaring huraah ...

[ThisisJimik · 7/10 · 27 March 2021]

Hey . . I think the world of cinematography should give us all a roaring welcome and excellent for spending yer time and money to find , download and watch these very outdated old and unique movies for more than 60 years ago , and care so much that you would come here and rate it... About the movie , i loved it because of it's nice and professional filming and it's ideal ideas of mysterious murder scenes and locations.

Who do you think you are kidding Mr. Ripper?

[Maringo · 4/10 · 15 July 2002]

I wasn't intending on watching this film as it got a bad review in my TV guide. But when I saw John Le Mesurier (whom I most associate with the TV series "Dad's Army") becoming a prime suspect at the start of this Jack the Ripper themed whodunnit, then I just had to watch the rest.

The film basically uses the Jack the Ripper case as a excuse for a whodunnit. Jack's identity is pretty easy to guess (not enough suspects!), but the motive for the killings takes a bit longer to figure out.

The inclusion of an American policeman in the story does rather pander to an American audience, but it works quite well. I was cynically expecting him to solve the case before the London policeman and have a fight to the death with Jack at the the end of the film. But I was pleasantly surprised with the ending (it was vaguely reminiscent of the endings of a couple of Dario Argento's gialli).

Overall it's not a great film, but if you're into whodunnits then it's worth checking out.

The best ripper flick

[dunsuls · 8/10 · 21 June 2002]

Maybe it was the black and white film,maybe the ending,don't know,I just liked this version the best so far.For a 50's flick it was bloody,but not as much as later versions.The story plot takes a twist toward the ending giving a different view of the killer and a ending leaving no questions.

All Ripper movies start here...

[BandSAboutMovies · 6/10 · 26 February 2019]

Produced and directed by Monty Berman and Robert S. Baker (the same guys who helped bring The Saint to movies and TV), this 1959 take on Jack the Ripper is based on Leonard Matters' theory that the killer was a doctor with revenge on his mind. As in Matters' book, The Mystery of Jack the Ripper, Jack is murdering prostitutes to avenge the death of his son. The difference is his son died of venereal disease in the book and here, he committed suicide once he learned that his lover was a prostitute.

By now, you know the rules: Whitechapel. 1888. Jack the Ripper on a tear.

Scotland Yard's Inspector O'Neill (Eddie Byrne, Star Wars' General Willard) gets a visit from NYPD pal Sam Lowry who, despite having no jurisdiction, becomes part of the investigation. Along the way, Sam falls for modern London lady Anne Ford and runs afoul of her guardian, Dr. Tranter.

Jimmy Sangster, who wrote so many Hammer films, has been credited as this film's screenwriter. It establishes so many of the narrative beats that future Ripper films will follow.

Perhaps just as interesting as the film, producer Joseph E. Levine held a luncheon for major film distributors to kick off U.S. release of the film. At one point, he had Brinks guards wheel in $1 million dollars in cash to show off exactly how much he was putting into promotion. He'd had success doing the same thing with 1958's Hercules, which starred Steve Reeves. Between plenty of TV ads and saturating theaters with over 640 prints of the film, the film had huge ticket sales and a high number of holdover dates. But, according to Joseph E. Levine, the film was a failure. In their sale copy, Severin says that "audiences were horrified by the film's startling violence, graphic nudity and bloody Technicolor climax."

It did, however, have a song that went with it. Nino Tempo released the song "Jack the Ripper" on RCA, backed up by composers Jimmy McHugh and Pete Rugolo and his orchestra. Comic Steve Allen was tapped to write the lyrics!

Reasonably effective chiller loosely based on Whitechapel murderer

[mlraymond · 5/10 · 31 October 2006]

This movie would probably be more fun to watch in its original British presentation, before American distributor Joseph Levine got hold of it and added a gimmicky prologue and different music. The basic story holds up, and there are some effective performances by a typically solid English cast. Eddie Byrne is good as the no nonsense police inspector, and George Rose has a brief scene as the father of one of the victims.The scenes of the Ripper stalking his victims are suspenseful, and the murders more violent than any cinematic Ripper killings had been portrayed before. The settings are adequate at showing 1888 London's Whitechapel and the Victorian atmosphere is reasonably well shown. The one incredible flaw in the version most Americans have seen is the startling and totally inappropriate use of a modern jazz score to accompany the stalking and killing scenes. Every time we see the mysterious figure of a man in a cape and top hat, carrying the little black bag, emerging from a foggy alley to pursue a victim, our ears are suddenly assaulted with a blaring, brassy Fifties jazz theme that would have been appropriate to an episode of Peter Gunn or Mike Hammer, but is utterly out of place in the Victorian England of the story. It is such a jarring, incongruous effect, that it takes away from the otherwise effectively sinister visuals. Whoever thought this was a good idea and why is beyond me. Compare this misplaced music with the brilliantly ominous score by Hugo Friedhofer for The Lodger (1944) and you'll see what I mean.The movie is adequate , but there are far more compelling and better done Ripper films, for those interested in the grim history of Jack and his prostitute victims.

Jack the Ripper

[Scarecrow-88 · 23 October 2007]

Okay little crime thriller is a rather studio-driven interpretation on the White Chapel assassin.

Jack the Ripper is haunting the dark-cornered streets of London, searching for a woman named Mary Clarke. Those he encounters, even though they are not the woman he asks about, die at his hand, stabbed expertly with a surgical knife several times in an appropriately placed spot. Most of the women who perish at the hands of the Ripper are dance-hall girls and prostitutes. A growing mob of frightened, frustrated citizens in the area are demanding better work from the police force, aimed mostly a5 Inspector O'Neill(Eddie Byrne), and begin forming a mob pursuing anyone they believe could fit the profile of the Ripper with chaos ensuing. American cop Sam Lowry(Lee Patterson)comes to London supposedly on vacation to assist his friend O'Neill. Meanwhile, O'Neill is encountered by the likes of the Assistant Commissioner(a blustery Jack Allen)demanding more satisfactory police work as it seems the Ripper commits his crimes right under their noses. Sir David Rogers(Ewen Solon)runs the local women's hospital and is in charge of the post-mortem of the females murdered by the Ripper who claims that the killer must have skills with surgical equipment as the methods are committed by a man with medical knowledge on how to use knives properly placing his stab wounds. The film provides a rather open idea that Dr. Tranter(John Le Mesurier)might be behind the murders as he appears late for a emergency surgery shortly after the Ripper brutally stabbed another victim in an alley. There's a hunchback surgical assistant who works at the hospital named Louis Benz(Endre Muller)who seems to be an ideal choice as a candidate(..like Tranter, though, Benze might be too obvious)for being the Ripper. Even Doctor Urquhart(Garard Green)who works for the hospital, often aiding either Tranter or Rogers, could be a logical suspect. Tranter has a niece named Anne(Betty McDowall)who comes to work as a secretary at the hospital, obviously set-up by the screenplay as a possible woman in peril at the end..also, the film provides a little possible relationship between Anne and Lowry. Also, interesting enough, a woman named Kitty(Barbara Burke)has a sub-plot of her own who received the emergency operation at the beginning of the film. She informs Anne that her past was quite corrupt and that a young man she loved committed suicide. What does Kitty have to do with the Jack the Ripper killings? Hmmm..

We do get an inside look at the seedy side of the dance-hall show business in the film displaying the back stage behavior of the staff..and, better yet, we see how the local wealth desire extra pleasures which, in actuality, pays the music-hall manager more than his show business and liquor itself.

I thought it was paced rather well and stylishly directed with a great climactic death sequence which is quite an interesting way of explaining the whereabouts of the vanished Jack the Ripper who was never caught on record. Rather adult script by scribe Jimmy Sangster as well. Probably not that particularly memorable, though.

There bringing in a body. What sort of body? A Dead One!

[sol1218 · 7/10 · 13 April 2008]

***SPOILERS*** We get a clue to who this mysterious killer terrorizing the Whitechaple district of London is almost as soon as the movie "Jack the Ripper" began: Mary Clarke! The is the name the killer asks everyone of his victims before he runs them in with his surgical scalpel.

The murdering in Whitechaple gets so out of control that Scotland Yard has to ask for help from the NYPD in the person of police detective Sam Lowry, Lee Patterson. Lowry in trying to assess the damage done by the elusive killer almost gets himself lynched by the terrified people in the area in thinking, in him being an outsider, that he may very well be the killer: "Jack the Ripper".

Working together with his British counterpart Inspt. O'Neill, Eddie Byrne, Lowry comes to the conclusion that the killer with his knowledge of the human anatomy and experience in using surgical equipment, in murdering and dismembering his victims, has to be a physician. It's these clues that has both Lowry and Inspt. O'Neill zero in on the only hospital in the Whitechaple district a privately funded medical clinic for women. The hospital is run by Sir David Rogers, Ewen Solon, and his top man the person who just happened to preform all the autopsies of the "Ripper's" victims Dr. Tranter, John Le Mesurier.

As the killing in Whitechaple go unabated the people in he area start getting openly violent even attacking and almost killing Dr. Tranter's assistant the harmless mute, but a bit weird, Louis "Dumb Louie" Benz, Endre Muller. Louie being at the scene of the "Ripper's" latest murder accidentally dropped his medical kit containing a number of surgical scalpels. Feeling in that he had the murder weapon on him and that he's the notorious "Jack the Ripper" lead the angry and mindless mob to chase Louis all through the streets cornering and and almost murdering him if it wasn't for both Lowry and Inspt. O'Neill coming to his rescue.

Finally through him locating her birth certificate the "Ripper" finds out who this mysterious Mary Clarke is and it's that very reason that in the end he finally exposes himself and the reason why he so's determined to murder her. It turns out that Mary Clarke, using another name, works as a chorus girl at a nightclub in the neighborhood. With him knowing Mary Clarke's true identity the "Ripper" completely drops his guard in going after her. This leads to the "Ripper" not only murdering Mary but attacking and, in making it look by Scotland Yard, almost killing the only person who can, by seeing his blood soaked clothes, identifying him. Trapped on all sides and with nowhere to go the "Ripper" has his whole world slowly come crashing down on him in he films bone crushing and gut spilling climax. By the time the movie ends there's nothing of "Jack the Ripper's" remains left even to be buried.

First, harm the patient.

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 24 March 2009]

Jack the Ripper stories are always rather fun. Historically, Saucy Jack killed (and mutilated in varying degrees) five known whores in Victorian England. They must have been easy prey, down and outers with bad teeth, alcohol problems, and no place to sleep. Then, too, the murders were never solved, so movie makers can dream up all kinds of plots to explain the heinous goings on. It was an actor. Or it was some mysterious lodger. Or it was Queen Victoria's psychopathic relative. Or it was Victoria herself in drag.

This film endorses the common belief that the Ripper was a man of medical knowledge. (It's a lot of horse hockey. It's like the speculation that Son of Sam was a draftsman or architect because his printing was neat.) In fact, Jack is a surgeon here -- Ewan Solon, as the mythical chief surgeon of some equally mythical hospital. John Le Mesurier provides a red herring as another surgeon, an edgy one, perhaps too fond of his niece, played by Betty McDowall. Assorted other characters provide color and texture to an interesting movie that offers the viewer a satisfactory climax in which Jack the Surgeon gets squashed in the shaft beneath an elevator descending to the morgue.

"We know who it was but we can never prove it," concludes the requisite police inspector, Eddie Byrne. Wouldn't it be pretty to think so.

It's fairly well done. The cobblestoned back streets of Whitechapel are effectively represented. The performances are all good, especially Solon's, and the characters well portrayed, except for the visiting American detective, Lee Patterson with his Elvis Presley do, put into the script presumably to appeal to American audiences.

Not bad, if not exactly original or surprising in any way.

the continental version

[malcolmgsw · 6/10 · 11 February 2014]

In the 50s and 60s British film producers made 2 versions of their films.One the version that would be shown in UK cinemas and the other for more broadminded tastes the other side of the channel.So about half way through the film in the music hall the dancers have just finished the can can.They go back to their dressing room.They start talking in French ,with English subtitles,and all the dancers are undressed.This goes on for the next 5 minutes or so till the next murder.I have often pondered what happened to the continental versions and here some enterprising soul has cut the relevant scenes into the film.It certainly livens it up as it is not one of the better Ripper films,since it deals with it as a who dunnit.The final scenes with the lift though are the most effective part of the film.

Watch it, if you dare:

[lorddrewsus · 7/10 · 1 October 2019]

I've only seen the US version of this. I guess there are two. The cinematography was great for the era. I enjoy black and white movies a great deal, and this is a treat. Unrelated mostly, I read a number of books on the subject years ago, and I think the authors of this script read the same ones. Then again it was the largest case for it's time and subject. Maybe less special today after so many with greater numbers. The tint red at the end with the crummy special effects was great. I guess maybe the marina is not in the over seas version? It's worth a watch for entertainment, either way. Mesurier's villany from the movie is spooky. I also like the kind of gory kill scenes.

Bland telling of the story

[kannibalcorpsegrinder · 5/10 · 14 January 2013]

During a rash of brutal murders, a Scotland Yard inspector asks a visiting American detective for help in quelling the public hysteria while the psycho remains at large and continues his rampage.

This one here turned out to be a pretty uneven affair with some good and bad parts. one of the main problems with this one is the fact that instead of focusing on the savage killing and stalking, it concentrate more on the police investigation and them dealing with the locals, and that in turn leads to this one having a lot of scenes where the two policemen are either investigating a crime scene or breaking up a local mob brought on by the inability to catch the killer, which isn't all that fun. Also of note is the fact that it really doesn't focus on the investigation at all, tending to introduce them after the fact, not do much of anything there and show up elsewhere only to scoff and sneer at the locals for the lack of action in solving the crimes, leaving a lot of time to the women targets living their normal lives. when it does get to some good stuff, it's rather enjoyable with admittedly-brutal stalking scenes for the time-period, resulting in some pretty tense sequences. From the opening walk-through of the foggy streets all the way to the stalking of the dancer once she realizes her suitor's true intentions, it has a couple that make for a good time and the finale is also a lot of fun with a good bit of action and a fun resolution, making it the best part of the film. Overall, this one turned out pretty decent but disappointing.

Today's Rating-Unrated/PG: Violence.

An infamous killer frightens London.

[michaelRokeefe · 7/10 · 9 March 2010]

In ways pretty tame version of this often told story. A serial killer hides in the shadows of the cobble-stoned streets and alleys of London. The Whitechapel district seems to be vary comfortable for the killer, who brutally rips open women with the precision of a surgeon. Sam Lowry(Lee Patterson)is the American detective who joins Scotland Yard in their troubled search for the elusive ripper. The crisp black and white film is full of atmosphere and at times there is some disturbing images...not enough for me. Plus there is a good assortment of suspects.

A very solid cast that also features: Eddie Byrne, Barbara Burke, Betty McDowell, Jack Allen, Garard Green, Ewon Solon and John Le Mesurier.

Everybody thinks they know who Jack was!

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 22 October 2019]

A rather sordid and violent atmosphere prevents this B tale of real life murder and mayhem from becoming something that would have been acceptable for a late 1950's TV anthology show. It obviously doesn't ring any reality bells, but it's entertaining enough and fast paced to become a passable horror programmer.

The typical foggy atmosphere, slim gaslit cobblestone streets, and floozy streetwalkers are expected for the 1880's London atmosphere, and the actual attacks (unbloody fortunately) are appropriately horrifying. Typical public paranoia takes over for every stranger on the streets, including American detective Lee Patterson who is actually there by request to aide in the investigation.

The ripper is out to find someone named Mary Clark, heard whispering the name before he strikes. This script presumes to solve the cast, but 140 years later, there's no evidence of the real ripper's identity. My favorite ripper story is 1979's "Murder By Decree", with "Time After Time" a close second. 1944's "The Lodger" is also preferable to this which thanks to some good photography and a dramatic music score is just average.

What happened to the colorized ending?

[pdavideastburn · 9/10 · 10 December 2002]

I remember seeing this movie in the theater when I was 12 years old in Washington, D.C.,and it scared the hell out of me. It was a wonderful eerie period piece. It was black and white throughout the whole movie until the very end when Jack was crushed under the elevator. As his blood seeped up through the floor boards, the movie changed to glorious color to show the red of the blood, and the horror of the men in the elevator looking down at the floor. Most effective! I bought this video tape from England, but that colorized blood-seeping scene was not included. I don't even think it had the blood seeping up in black and white. I was later to learn that this colorized ending was added to the American release. But as far as I know it is not available in VHS or DVD. I was really disappointed when this novel scene did not appear in my video. At least I have the memory of it as a child and the effect it had on me then.

Mediocre "B" with some effective moments

[JohnHowardReid · 6/10 · 15 October 2012]

This version of the Jack the Ripper saga opens rather poorly by serving up a lot of dull and incredible hoke about a visiting police detective to the London scene by our star player, Lee Patterson, here playing an American detective (although he is in fact a Canadian in real life). Personally, I wouldn't care a fig if our visiting "American" had stayed at home and left the investigation in the more capable hands of Sherlock Holmes. But once the plot really gets into stride, both the story and its presentation improve enormously. Producers/directors/photographers Monty Berman and Robert S. Baker are obviously much more at home with action than standing still. And happily, they have outlaid a fortune (at least by quota quickie standards) on sets and extras.

Fair

[Michael_Elliott · 12 March 2008]

Jack the Ripper (1959)

** (out of 4)

Atmospheric and moody version of the infamous serial killer. This isn't quite as good as the version with Klaus Kinski but it remained entertaining throughout. The director does a great job building up the atmosphere of 1888 London but for some strange reason he never pushes the "mystery" surrounding the case. He throws a lot of suspects at us but for some reason he never tries to build up a mystery film as to who the killer is. There's a big twist at the end, which makes one think the film is going to do something with it but it never does. I'm not exactly sure what the filmmakers were going for but the movie still works.