KOOL TV CLASSIC IMAGE: MICHAEL CAINE VS 'JACK THE RIPPER'!

To find a murderer. Michael Caine hunts down JACK THE RIPPER. Images: ULIKE/WARNER ARCHIVE (US).

Despite the gruesome atrocities he committed in old London of 1888, the notorious, now legendary figure of Jack the Ripper- alongside his unsolved identity and never discovered reasons for his brutal slayings- remain as chillingly nefarious and mysterious as ever-perhaps the reason why we're all so fascinated by him and his actions even now, over a one hundred and twenty years on.  He's certainly become a great inspiration in the crime drama genre of film and TV entertainment- whether appearing in, or being a catalyst for copycats, within all types of drama, be it period, modern (like ITV's largely forgettable WHITECHAPEL), or even outer space (i.e., STAR TREK's classic episode Wolf in the Fold, by PSYCHO writer Robert Bloch).

Lewis Collins as Sergeant Godley and Caine's Inspector Abberline.

To make the then centenary of the evil wrought by this clearly deranged and despicable animal, populist film and TV director David Wickes was determined to do a brand new drama that would finally unmask Jack's identity to the world. The result was a huge and lavish production for the UK's THAMES TELEVISION, featuring an all-star cast, At that time rarely doing television, Brit legend Sir Michael Caine was lured back to the small screen (where he first made his name) for the feature-length production (with an accompanying pay packet also proving a considerable lure, too!), part of a fine compilation of on-screen talent, accompanied by excellent pre-publicity, that would quickly insure its worldwide sales success. Caine would portray Inspector Frederick Abberline, based on the real-life maverick detective, with a bit of a drinking problem, who risked his career to track down the insane killer, whilst facing mounting pressures in the process from his police superiors, the powerful newspaper press of the day and the mounting fears of the general public, as the villain bloody work on foggy London's prostitutes (played here by the likes of Lysette Anthony, Susan George and Deirdre Costello) seemed, for a brief time, unending. Assisting Caine's Abberline is another popular eighties star, and friend of David Wickes, THE PROFESSIONALS tough guy Lewis Collins as Sergeant George Godley, whilst his primary love interest comes in the English Rose form of Jane Seymour, long before she became immortalised in the US as their wild west heroine, DOCTOR QUINN - MEDICINE WOMAN. Other fine actors, and Ripper suspects, would include character acting greats like Armand Assante, Ray McAnally and Michael Gothard.

▶ Jack the Ripper (1988) Trailer - YouTube

Jane Seymour adds glamour amongst the bloodshed, as Emma.

The final product, shown over two night in the UK, ultimately received a critical panning, especially from Jack the Ripper experts/aficionados, who shot down Wickes and his production teams revelation (which also proved similar to those of Johnny Depp's later movie take on the Ripper legend-the equally atmospheric FROM HELL), but it proved a ratings hit, thanks to the considerable presence of Caine (who enjoyed the production so much, he would work for Wickes one last time a year or two later, in the not quite as successful JEKYLL & HYDE adaptation). Though the London shown in JACK THE RIPPER is more in the style of how Hollywood would see it- a romanticised version far more audience friendly than the truly grim atmosphere of poverty and filth that it actually was, there's no denying that the two-part mini-series series is overall great entertainment, provides some occasionally chilling moments, and shows Caine at his most popular. It's well worth catching in its UK repeat on the DRAMA channel this Saturday evening.