-Adaptation of the comic book series of the same name by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell about the Jack the Ripper murders.
Did You Know?
-To play the lead role of Fred Abberline, Jude Law, Brad Pitt, Daniel Day-Lewis auditioned before the role eventually went to Johnny Depp
-Great care was taken to accurately reproduce the Whitechapel neighborhood, the sites of the actual "Ripper" murders and the wounds upon the victims. Pictures from 1888 were used as references
-Pictures from the real Jack the Ripper murders are on the wall in the police station. This was done to give the cast an edgier feel after seeing the real life victims.
-According to John Douglas, who invented criminal profiling, the real life murders were done by someone with a disorganized, paranoid personality, not a calculating one like in the movie
-Johnny Depp's character was based on a real person. Inspector Frederick Abberline of Scotland Yard headed the investigation in the East End. The real Fred Abberline was not a dope addict or psychic, and did not die following the investigation. He died in 1929 at age 86. Robbie Coltrane's character is based loosely on Essex born George Godley, who at the time of the Ripper murders, was a sergeant at Bethnal Green
Plot
-In 1888, Mary Kelly(Heather Graham) and her small group of London prostitutes, who all are friends, go through the daily drama of trying to earn money, their only consolation being that things can't get worse. Unfortunately, the situation does get worse. Their friend Ann Crook(Joanna Page) is kidnapped and they are drawn into a conspiracy with links high up, links they could not imagine. The kidnapping is soon followed by the gruesome murder of another woman, Martha Tabram(Samantha Spiro), and it becomes obvious that they are being hunted down, one by one, as various prostitutes are killed and mutilated post mortem.
-By Whitechapel standards, these murders attract the attention of Police Inspector Frederick Abberline(Johnny Depp), a brilliant, troubled man who has the uncanny ability to see and do his police work through "visions". His investigations reveal that the murders, while gruesome, imply that someone highly educated is behind it due to the almost surgical perfection of the cuts. Ann is discovered a few days later in an asylum, after being lobotomized after officials and doctors found her to be insane. It's said that this was done to silence her. Abberline consults a physician to the Royal Family named Sir William Gull(Ian Holm), drawing on his experience and knowledge of medicine. These discoveries, paired with his bosses holding back the investigation, point to something far darker and possibly an organized conspiracy. Abberline becomes deeply involved, possibly too deeply, and it takes a toll on him when he and Mary begin to fall in love.
- Johnny Depp as Inspector Frederick Abberline, the visionary and sympathetic police officer who has to investigate the murder series. The consumption of drugs makes him dream scenes from the murders, but he conducts the investigation on a conclusive line of thought.
- Heather Graham as Mary Kelly, a young prostitute or "bangtail" who builds up a relationship to Abberline and eventually falls in love with him.
- Ian Holm as Sir William Gull, a fine gentleman, retired surgeon and physician ordinary to Queen Victoria, now teaching at the Royal London Hospital. Because of his expertise in anatomy and the soul, he becomes the scientific adviser of Abberline.
- Robbie Coltrane as Sergeant Peter Godley, the humorous and literary-minded subordinate assistant and friend of Abberline. The character is based on Sgt. George Godley.
- Ian Richardson as Sir Charles Warren, a stiff bureaucrat and Abberline's superior.
- Jason Flemyng as Netley, the coachman and stooge of the murderer.
- Katrin Cartlidge as Annie Chapman, aka Dark Annie, prostitute and gullible 3rd victim of the murderer.
- Terence Harvey as Ben Kidney, the head of the Special Branch of the Metropolitan Police.
- Susan Lynch as Liz Stride, the spirited prostitute and 4th victim that "wasn't finished".
- Paul Rhys as Dr. Ferral, an ambitious young doctor and specialist in treatment of dementia.
- Lesley Sharp as Kate Eddowes, the mothering prostitute and 5th victim.
- Estelle Skornik as Ada, the old friend of Liz from Bruxelles, 6th victim of the murderer.
- Nicholas McGaughey as Officer Bolt
- Annabelle Apsion as Polly Nichols, the 2nd victim of the murderer.
- Joanna Page as Ann Crook, an ex-prostitute and now wife to Albert and young mother of a daughter.
- Mark Dexter as Albert Sickert/Prince Edward, husband to Ann Crook and grandson of Queen Victoria. A composite character based on Walter Sickert and Prince Albert Victor.
- Danny Midwinter as Constable Withers, a cheeky member of the task force led by Abberline.
- Samantha Spiro as Martha Tabram, the 1st victim of the murderer.
- David Schofield as McQueen, a crook who extorts the prostitutes.
- Bryon Fear as Robert Best, a reporter.
- Peter Eyre as Lord Hallsham, a confidential servant of Queen Victoria and judge of...
- Cliff Parisi as Mac Bartender
- Sophia Myles as Victoria Abberline, dead wife of Fred Abberline who appears in one of his dreams.
- Ralph Ineson as Gordie, a stooge of McQueen.
- Liz Moscrop as Queen Victoria
- Ian McNeice as the coroner Robert Drudge.
- Vincent Franklin as George Lusk
- Anthony Parker as Joseph Merrick then known as John the Elephant Man.
- Simon Harrison as Thomas Bond.
