A Study in Terror

1965
1h 35m

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

2.7K

YOUR RATING

John Neville in A Study in Terror (1965)

Play trailer2:01

1 Video

87 Photos

Crime Mystery Thriller

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John H. Watson join the hunt for the notorious serial killer, Jack the Ripper.Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John H. Watson join the hunt for the notorious serial killer, Jack the Ripper.Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John H. Watson join the hunt for the notorious serial killer, Jack the Ripper.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

2.7K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle never wrote a story in which Sherlock, a fictional character, worked on the real-life Jack the Ripper case. However, Dr. Joseph Bell, the real-life inspiration for Holmes, was consulted by Scotland Yard on the case.

Goofs
In 1888, they sing a song "Ta-Ra-Ra Boom-De-Ay!" which is composed by Henry J. Sayers in 1891 and was not introduced into Britain until 1892.

Quotes
Sherlock Holmes: My dear Mycroft, this is a surprise! Watson, some sherry... Is this a social call?
Mycroft Holmes: Yes, yes, oh yes, purely social.
[pause]
Mycroft Holmes: How are you?
Sherlock Holmes: Very well.
[pause]
Sherlock Holmes: Well, now that the social call is over, hadn't we better get down to business?

Alternate versions
BBFC cuts were made to the original UK cinema release to reduce shots of blood in the trough and to shorten a repeated stabbing and scenes of Annie Chapman struggling with her assailant. Later video and DVD releases were uncut.

Connections
Featured in The Many Faces of Sherlock Holmes (1985)

Soundtracks
Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-Dee-Aye
(uncredited)
Written by Henry J. Sayers
Sung by Georgia Brown

User reviews71

Featured review

A Sherlock Holmes film rather than a Saucy Jack one!

Having just watched this film I thought I would add my penny's worth to IMDB.

I have to admit that I am a fan of Murder By Decree and there have been comparisons between that film and A Study In Terror. In my mind they are quite dissimilar.

A Study In Terror is what I would call a Sherlock Holmes film with the murders of Jack the Ripper playing second to the characters whereas Murder By Decree is a film about Jack the Ripper with Sherlock Holmes playing second to the murders and the plot. I think this is borne out in that Murder By Decree you could have actually had any two detectives investigating the murders and the film would have worked. A lot of attention is paid to the historical facts and the timing and places of the murders. In A Study in Terror the victims are 'cannon fodder' and the facts not that historically correct. There was no mention of the 'Jewes' message left on the wall after the infamous double murder and, although Mary Kelly was murdered indoors, it was in a ground floor room. That is not to say A Study In Terror is not a good film, it is. We have an instantly recognisable Sherlock in John Neville who plays the part well; the supporting cast are good in their own right to. Interestingly Frank Finley played Lestrade in both A Study in Terror and Murder by Decree and Anthony Quale also appears in both films but in different characters.

I cared more about the victims in Murder by Decree (especially the scene with Annie Crook in the mental institution) than I did A Study in Terror and I think that is why I like that film more. Still A Study in Terror will keep you interested and I would recommend both films but for different reasons.