Abberline in the movies

[Paddy Goose]

It's a movie.

Here we say "That's Hollywood." What would be the equivalent saying in the UK?

Paddy

[Mike Covell]

Sadly the studio's think the Royal Conspiracy puts "Bums on seats" and I fear we have not seen the last of it!

[detective abberline]

[QUOTE=kensei;18755]I've seen Abberline portrayed in film by Michael Caine (who was probably the most perfect choice in the world at that time, though they should have had him grow the facial hair).

Hi. IMO It was a great depiction of Abberline and a greqt depiction, generally, of the area at the time of the murders. The conclusion, IMO, was dare I say CRAP... which is why we still are here discussing Jack's murders.

[Mike Covell]

You make me wanna watch it again Kensei!

[kensei]

Well, I have to give credit to Caine for really making his own mark on the Abberline character - for the first and only time in a movie context, Abberline was portrayed as an angry, sadistic psychotic, screaming at and threatening both witnesses and collegues with feriousity.
I readily admit, that was a very creative and unusual approach. No doubt i have never seen such an unsympathetic portrait of the old detective.

All the best

I must disagree with the idea of Abberline being potrayed by Caine as "sadistic and psychotic." He got rough when he needed to, or when frustrated by what seemed to be roadblocks in his investigation. The scene where he beats up on John Netley in the jail cell is one of my favorites. Of course it was pure fiction and never really happened, but as pure escapism it totally rocked, and would have been expected if an accomplice of the Ripper had really been in custody. Then there were several moments such as the one where Chief Inspector Arnold was pressuring him to make an arrest and he snapped, "Do you want the killer or will anybody do?"

But don't forget the moments of real compassion. When talking to the distraught Bowyer after the finding of Mary Kelly's body, Abberline comforts him. "All right, old son. It's all right." A moment later a weeping friend of Mary's cries on his shoulder.

All in all I thought it was a very balanced performance within the context of such an emotionally charged situation.

[Glenn Lauritz Andersson]

Well, I have to give credit to Caine for really making his own mark on the Abberline character - for the first and only time in a movie context, Abberline was portrayed as an angry, sadistic psychotic, screaming at and threatening both witnesses and collegues with feriousity.
I readily admit, that was a very creative and unusual approach. No doubt i have never seen such an unsympathetic portrait of the old detective.

All the best

[Jeff Leahy]

Although Depp's adaption is pathetic and as far from reality as a black tulip, I think Michael Caine's version of Abberline was disastrous - aggressive and a bully. I hated it. But worst of all, Caine was guilty of over-acting to the extreme.
A highly overrated performance and a pure example of bad acting.

All the best

Youve obviously never seen 'Jaws" three

At least Caine is honest..he simply never turns any roll down and goes with the part that offers the most money..a man I might add, after my own heart

[Sam Flynn]

The guy playing Godley in the Caine version comes off like a fag in a number of parts of it.

LOL! I think a few British women - and I daresay a few chaps - would raise a few eyebrows at Lewis Collins being thus described, Tom. His image, on and off screen, has always been pretty much the all-action type. See his Wikipedia entry here.

I recall the scene where Godley impersonates Lees and his camp demeanour, but that's about it. Elsewhere in the film, he seems a regular enough guy - although not as "regular" as Cadoche, who inexplicably makes no appearance in the movie. Perhaps he was unavoidably detained

[Tom_Wescott]

The guy playing Godley in the Caine version comes off like a fag in a number of parts of it. Anyone else notice that? He also resembles Mr. Brady, which is not an insult, since the Brady Bunch is a classic. Just a couple of observations. Michael Caine chewed some scenery, but as for being too aggressive and bullying, I wouldn't know. I'm an american and we don't have that kind of behavior here. Jane Seymour was a babe way back in the day.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Sam Flynn]

Hi Glenn,

I think Michael Caine's version of Abberline was disastrous - aggressive and a bully.

It's worth noting that this TV film was made in an era of British television that had spawned Special Branch, The Sweeney, The Professionals (featuring Lewis "Sgt Godley" Collins), Target, and The Equalizer. It's perhaps no coincidence that the director and co-writer of the Caine film (David Wickes) had worked on all but one of these in the past. He worked on several episodes of The Sweeney, which was maybe the darkest and grittiest of the lot.

These series had between them established the uncompromising, often violent enforcer as a firm favourite on British TV in the 1970s and 1980s, and contrasted starkly with their "lighter" American equivalents (Columbo, McCloud, Hawaii 5-0, etc), which were equally popular with British TV audiences at the time.


PS: I think Caine's performance is quite splendid overall, but that's just my view

[Glenn Lauritz Andersson]

Although Depp's adaption is pathetic and as far from reality as a black tulip, I think Michael Caine's version of Abberline was disastrous - aggressive and a bully. I hated it. But worst of all, Caine was guilty of over-acting to the extreme.
A highly overrated performance and a pure example of bad acting.

All the best

[BillyE]

You have to admit, JohnR, Michael Caine's role was better than the Depp role. Both actors did wonders with the characters given to them, but as far as roles go Caine had the better one.

[Johnr]

I was less than convinced by Londoner Michael Caine playing a Dorset man, Abberline.
Especially when the heavily mascarared M.C. uttered the immortal line...
"Summ-boddee must know summ-ffingg..." JOHN RUFFELS.

[Christine]

More plausible than Dr. Gull, at least when you factor in the claim that the motive was to summon Jah-bel-on...and it worked!

[Mike Covell]

It is true,
Here is the imdb entry, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780653/

The movie is set in Wales and London and it is alleged on the imdb forums that the Wolfman will be.........the whitechapel murderer!!!