FROM HELL
US/UK, 2001, 122 minutes, Colour.
Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, Ian Holm, Robbie Coltrane, Ian Richardson, Jason Flemyng, Katerin Cartledge, Terence Harvey, Susan Lynch, Paul Rhys, Leslie Sharp, Ian Mc Niece.
Directed by the Hughes brothers, Albert and Allen Hughes.
From Hell is one of at least thirty-eight films based on Jack the Ripper or the Jack the Ripper story. It is one of the best.
The Hughes brothers, Americans, had made their name with films about race issues in the United States, especially Menace II Society and Dead Presidents. They continued this theme in subsequent films, and television programs.
They show great interest in the Jack the Ripper story and the screenplay is based on a graphic novel by Alan Moore (V for Vendetta). The screenplay was written by Terry Hayes, who had worked for many years in Australia including on the Mad Max films, and Rafael Yglesias, a novelist who wrote such films as Peter Weir’s Fearless. They have done an excellent job in terms of recreating 19th century London, the complexity of politics in the Victorian era, the squalor of Whitechapel. They have also developed the conspiracy theories about Prince Albert Victor, the Duke of Clarence, but have opted that he was not Jack the Ripper but rather Dr William Gull, the expert who treated the royal family and treated the prince for syphilis.
The film recreates London expertly. The Whitechapel sets were built in Prague. There is also an atmospheric musical score. The Hughes brothers use modern techniques of editing and pace for their story, especially in the suggestions about the Jack the Ripper killings, a collage of flashes and lights and blood.
Johnny Depp is excellent and proves once again his versatility, a more restrained role, with a cockney accent. Heather Graham is more decorative and useful than a good actress. However, it is the supporting cast which stands out. Ian Holm makes a genial and then sinister Sir William Gull, Robbie Coltrane is jovial as Sergeant Godley, the assistant to Depp’s Inspector Fred Abberline (who was portrayed by Michael Cain in the 1991 Jack the Ripper). Ian Richardson is a disdainful Sir Charles Warren. Jason Flemyng is the coachman who collaborates with Jack the Ripper. Katerin Cartledge, Susan Lynch and Lesley Sharp are very good as the prostitute friends of Mary Kelly.
The film also raises interesting political themes, the anti-Semitism of the government and the Jews living in Whitechapel and the persecution; the possibility of a backlash against Catholics because of the secret marriage of Prince Albert Victor to a prostitute in a Catholic church; the role of Masonic lodges and the high-placed dignitaries who all belonged to the lodge and were devoted to protecting the empire.
All in all, From Hell is expertly made, continually fascinating, especially for those interested in the Jack the Ripper story and in conspiracy theories.
1.The continued interest in Jack the Ripper? The mystery, the crimes, the London of the period, the murder of the prostitutes? The detective work? The cover-ups, conspiracy theories?
2.The visual style of the film, the sets, 1888, the detail of Whitechapel, the palace, the Masonic meetings? The atmospheric score?
3.The quote from Jack the Ripper that he gave birth to the 20th century? The title and the fact that Jack the Ripper was from Hell?
4.The strength of the cast, the Americans, the British?
5.The popular theories about the identity of Jack the Ripper? Prince Albert Victor? His going to Whitechapel, his relationship with Ann Crook? The marriage, the flashbacks to the ceremony, the Catholic church? Ann Crook giving birth? The possibility of this child being an heir to the throne? The prince’s syphilis, being treated by Dr Gull? The secret? The Catholic threat to the establishment? The focus on the Masons, their values, the highly-placed dignitaries, their banding together, secrecy? The report of Lord Hailsham to Queen Victoria? Dr Gull? as a Mason?
6.Fred Abberline and Johnny Depp’s performance? The opening hallucination, his taking drugs, the haze of the drugs? The memories of his wife, her pregnancy, giving birth, the death of the child, his wife? His becoming a recluse? His work for Scotland Yard, Sir Charles Warren and his reliance on him? Sergeant Peter Godley and his support? Abberline’s powers, dreams, visions, the way they were visualised? Sir Charles and his scepticism – and his thanking God that he was not that kind of detective? The examination of evidence, the scenes of the crime, the bodies, the lives of the victims? The encounter with Mary Kelly? The initial animosity? Mary’s friends? The suspects? His work with the force, the laughing at him, Godley’s reprimands? The graffiti about the Jews, the misspelling and his interpretation? His going to meetings with the aristocrats, their seeing him as middle class, looking down on him? His growing realisation and using the evidence to detect that the Ripper was an educated man?
7.The portrait of the women in Whitechapel, working the streets, the encounter with their clients? The pimps and their pressures, the exercise of violence, knives, wanting protection money? Their continued threats to the women? The clashes with Abberline – and their threatening him, almost killing him? Annie and her relationship to the prince, her not knowing, the birth? Her relying on Mary Kelly? The police going to the house, tearing it up, her arrest, taking the prince away? Ann’s imprisonment, Mary’s going to visit? The public demonstration of the lobotomy, Dr Ferral and his illustration of the lobotomy and Mary becoming a victim?
8.The police squad, Sergeant Godley, the investigations, the help? Godley and his admiration for Fred? His grief at the end and Fred’s death? The policeman laughing and his being reprimanded? Seeing the police on the streets, at the crimes?
9.The background of doctors, Jack the Ripper and his surgical expertise, the gruesome details of the murders, the disembowelling? The introduction to Dr Ferral, the demonstration of the lobotomy, the support of Dr William Gull? Gull and his role, physician to the royal family, access to the queen? His explanations about the prince? His genially talking to Fred, fatherly? Giving him the information, about syphilis, about the prince? The gradual revelation that he was the Ripper? The film having shown the scenes but not revealing the character, hearing his voice, working with Netley, the coachman? The revelation of his ideas, his madness, arrogance? Seeing him and the brutality of his crimes? Confronted by Abberline, Fred’s being attacked, the coach, its being overturned? Sir William Gull going before the Masonic group, their hearing against him, the condemnation? His arrogant replies that he was superior to them? His being in prison – and his experiencing the lobotomy?
10.The visualising of the murders, the collage, the lights, the reaction of Netley? The references to Hell?
11.Mary, in herself, her relationship with the other women, their characters, personalities, friendship with Ann Crook? Their being murdered one by one? Meeting the Ripper, the grapes, the drink, the killing? Liz and her relationship with the Belgian woman, the lesbian aspects, the reaction of the women? Mary and her meeting with Fred, getting to like him, their discussions, the identity of the prince, Fred taking her to the gallery? The flashback of the wedding? Her finally being used as a bait for Dr Gull – and the irony that the Belgian girl was killed and that Mary had escaped to Ireland, the scenes of her bringing up the prince’s daughter?
12.The Masons, the rituals and ceremonies, the presence of Sir Charles Warren, of other members of the government? Dr Gull? His imagining his performing the autopsy in front of them and their applause? The Masons and the secrecy, regulations, the loyalty to the monarchy, to God? The reception of Dr Ferral? The condemnation of Dr Gull?
13.Queen Victoria, the comment about the coldness of her eyes, her attitude towards the prince, reassured by Dr Gull? Her wanting to hear no more of the situation?
14.The presentation of life in Whitechapel, the details in the street, the shops, the inns, the clients? The brutality of the protection racket? The girls, the landlord, the deaths and the effect?
15.The end, Fred’s fear for Mary, his not going to Ireland? The pathos of his death? The coins – and the rituals of the Masons and their executing him?
16.The perennial interest in Jack the Ripper, his crimes and the mystery?
