User Reviews

A solid sober account of the theories surrounding identity of Jack the Ripper as of 1973. Barlow and Watt of TV's Z Cars go on a 'busman's holiday' examining the surviving police files on the infamous murder case in an attempt to identify the elusive killer. Witness statements are re-enacted and there is effective use of East End locations. The cast give understated performances, in keeping with the forensic examination of the evidence. This production is a great deal more exciting, not to say, educational, than any of the big budget flatulent Hollywood efforts of recent years and desperately needs to be released on DVD.

The popular detectives of BBC's "Softly, Softly" - Det. Chief Supt. Barlow (Stratford Johns) & Det. Chief Supt. Watt (Frank Windsor) - take a "busman's holiday" as they take a week off their busy careers to read over the files of the infamous Whitechapel Murderer - Jack the Ripper - in an attempt to discern his probable identity from the evidence provided.

JACK THE RIPPER (a.k.a. "The Ripper File") by John Lloyd & Elwyn Jones is truly a milestone in both JtR Documentary & Drama, where the key players (in true BBC style) vocalise only what was said on record.

Shown in six 50 minute episodes ("The First Two", "Double Event", "Butchery", "Panic", "Suspects" & "The Highest in the Land?") it is still the most accurate depiction to date.

I rushed home from work every night that this was shown on TV in 1973 and it started an interest in England and Jack the Ripper that continues to this day. I've heard the streets were clear in England while this show was on as everyone was inside watching the telly. I've been on a couple of JTR walks in London and would love to see the 1973 show again. Watt and Barlow (Z-Cars, Softly, Softly) as a duo are a wonderful device to discuss the background of Victorian London and they seem like old friends who have the same interests that the viewing audience has. Their attempts to solve the crime using modern day police methods add a lot to the show considering there are no fingerprints or DNA to use. A huge amount of information on this case has been made public in the 30 some years since this show was made, but as the case has never been satisfactorily resolved some of the proposed solutions and suspects are still as good as any. The old time look of the show lent an air to it that doesn't appear in most of the other JTR shows. UPDATE: 8-13-07. I just got a copy of this show from England. It's as good as I remember, keeping in mind some of the theories have been pretty well discredited over the last 30 some years.

This is the best miniseries/doc on the subject of Jack the Ripper.

The genius of this series come from the fact that they use the 2 fictional TV detectives Barlow and Watt to conduct the investigation.

From then on we get to see them go over witness testimony taken at the time of the murders and dramatized by some fine actors. Piecing together and cross referencing the various evidence. Examining the subjects that were known at the time and even referencing the odd piece of evidence that would become important to Ripperologists almost 30 years later.

All this is masterfully done by Johns and Windsor over 6 episodes that move along at a brisk pace.

Obviously its a little dated but its still the best series I've seen in the subject. I just wish they'd made it longer..