Flicks of Shame: what's a nice actor like you doing in a movie like this?

A Study in Terror (1965)

Judi Dench (or Dame Judi Dench, to use her royally approved title) has been one of England’s finest thespian exports for many years. Nominated for five Oscars, she won Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare In Love. She has also clocked up a staggering twenty BAFTA nominations, of which she took home nine. Most people will know her as M in the James Bond movies, but she has also picked up plaudits for her work in quieter fare such as Mrs Brown, Iris and Chocolat.

Or you may just remember her as a floaty, transparent mist lady in Chronicles of Riddick.

Whatever the case, she’s one of the finest actresses working today – and yet she got her movie breakthrough as Jack the Ripper’s girlfriend in this entertainingly lurid period horror thriller, which pitted the notorious serial killer against none other than Sherlock Holmes.

Following three grisly murders, in which prostitutes with heaving bosoms are cruelly knifed, Holmes is lured into the case by a mysterious package – a box of surgeon’s instruments bearing an aristocratic seal, the largest scalpel notably missing. The trail takes the super-sleuth from back-street pawn shops to manor houses, and to a grotty Whitechapel soup kitchen. It’s here that we get the first of our brief glimpses at Judi Dench as Sally Young, the prim niece of a part-time police surgeon who does what he can to help the poverty stricken denizens of London’s foulest borough. We also discover, thanks to Sherlock’s cunning, that Sally is shacked up with the brother of the missing student surgeon whose tools were so conveniently delivered to Holmes. Got that? Good.

As Sally is the only female character that isn’t a snaggle-toothed crone or cleavage-flashing harlot, it’s not unreasonable to assume that she’ll play a large role in the story. Sadly, it’s not to be. Dear sweet Sally vanishes unceremoniously from the story, even though the truth about the ripper is intrinsically linked to both men in her life, and that’s the last we see of Judi Dench as a blonde bombshell.

A Study in Terror is superior to many of its mist-shrouded English horror peers, in that it at least has a coherent plot and a decent portrayal of Holmes. The story manages to reference many of the touchstones of the Sherlock character, which is more than can be said for its faithfulness to Ripper lore. Most notably, much is made of the surgical skill with which the murderer carves up his victims even though the crimes themselves - which we see from the killer’s leering perspective – are portrayed as sudden, frenzied stab attacks. The first victim is simply left with a knife through her neck, which is almost certainly not common surgical practice.

Need to know: A Study in Terror has also been known to go by the title Fog, and starred John Neville as Sherlock Holmes. At the age of 63, Neville’s career received an unexpected revival when Terry Gilliam cast him as the lead in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. He went on to appear regularly on The X-Files as Well-Manicured Man. Director James Hill followed this ripper romp with the more cuddly safari flick, Born Free, and went on to helm episodes of many classic British TV shows including The Avengers, The Persuaders, Worzel Gummidge and Minder.

The movie was produced by Herman Cohen, a maestro of exploitation movies, who also brought us the wonder of Trog (see: Joan Crawford). The ripper’s third victim was played by Barbara Windsor, the squeaky-voiced star of Britain’s beloved Carry On movies.

Sherlock faced Jack once more in the rather more star-studded 1978 movie, Murder By Decree. Although the movies are unrelated, apart from their shared concept, Frank Finlay appeared in both movies as Inspector Lestrade, while Anthony Quayle also graced both flicks, albeit in different roles.

For even more ripping Ripper yarns, see: Melanie Griffith, James Spader.

Availability: A Study in Terror is available on DVD in the UK.

		A Study in Terror (1965) Judi Dench (or Dame Judi Dench, to use her royally approved title) has been one of England’s finest thespian exports for many years. Nominated for five Oscars, she won Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare In Love. She has also clocked up a staggering twenty BAFTA nominations, of which she took home nine. Most people will know her as M in the James Bond movies, but she has also picked up plaudits for her work in quieter fare such as Mrs Brown, Iris and Chocolat. Or you may just remember her as a floaty, transparent mist lady in Chronicles of Riddick. Whatever the case, she’s one of the finest actresses working today – and yet she got her movie breakthrough as Jack the Ripper’s girlfriend in this entertainingly lurid period horror thriller, which pitted the notorious serial killer against none other than Sherlock Holmes. Following three grisly murders, in which prostitutes with heaving bosoms are cruelly knifed, Holmes is lured into the case by a mysterious package – a box of surgeon’s instruments bearing an aristocratic seal, the largest scalpel notably missing. The trail takes the super-sleuth from back-street pawn shops to manor houses, and to a grotty Whitechapel soup kitchen. It’s here that we get the first of our brief glimpses at Judi Dench as Sally Young, the prim niece of a part-time police surgeon who does what he can to help the poverty stricken denizens of London’s foulest borough. We also discover, thanks to Sherlock’s cunning, that Sally is shacked up with the brother of the missing student surgeon whose tools were so conveniently delivered to Holmes. Got that? Good. As Sally is the only female character that isn’t a snaggle-toothed crone or cleavage-flashing harlot, it’s not unreasonable to assume that she’ll play a large role in the story. Sadly, it’s not to be. Dear sweet Sally vanishes unceremoniously from the story, even though the truth about the ripper is intrinsically linked to both men in her life, and that’s the last we see of Judi Dench as a blonde bombshell. A Study in Terror is superior to many of its mist-shrouded English horror peers, in that it at least has a coherent plot and a decent portrayal of Holmes. The story manages to reference many of the touchstones of the Sherlock character, which is more than can be said for its faithfulness to Ripper lore. Most notably, much is made of the surgical skill with which the murderer carves up his victims even though the crimes themselves - which we see from the killer’s leering perspective – are portrayed as sudden, frenzied stab attacks. The first victim is simply left with a knife through her neck, which is almost certainly not common surgical practice. Need to know: A Study in Terror has also been known to go by the title Fog, and starred John Neville as Sherlock Holmes. At the age of 63, Neville’s career received an unexpected revival when Terry Gilliam cast him as the lead in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. He went on to appear regularly on The X-Files as Well-Manicured Man. Director James Hill followed this ripper romp with the more cuddly safari flick, Born Free, and went on to helm episodes of many classic British TV shows including The Avengers, The Persuaders, Worzel Gummidge and Minder. The movie was produced by Herman Cohen, a maestro of exploitation movies, who also brought us the wonder of Trog (see: Joan Crawford). The ripper’s third victim was played by Barbara Windsor, the squeaky-voiced star of Britain’s beloved Carry On movies. Sherlock faced Jack once more in the rather more star-studded 1978 movie, Murder By Decree. Although the movies are unrelated, apart from their shared concept, Frank Finlay appeared in both movies as Inspector Lestrade, while Anthony Quayle also graced both flicks, albeit in different roles. For even more ripping Ripper yarns, see: Melanie Griffith, James Spader. Availability: A Study in Terror is available on DVD in the UK.
Text © 2008 Dan Whitehead. No cut and paste, y'hear? All images remain the property of the offending studios and their reproduction is covered by Fair Use law.