The setting is murky grey Victorian London. A series of grotesque murders have shocked the East End community of Limehouse and Scotland Yard assign the unsolvable case of finding the mythical Golem to Inspector John Kildare (Bill Nighy).
With the help of Constable George Flood, Kildare uncovers a lead in the form of Thomas De Quincey’s Ratcliffe Highway Murders library book. Over its pages the killer has scrawled a diary of his own crimes, providing Kildare with four suspects; novelist George Gissing, philosopher Karl Marx, music hall favourite Dan Leno (Douglas Booth) and playwright John Cree (Sam Reid), whose music hall star wife Elizabeth (Olivia Cooke) had just been imprisoned for his poisoning.
Convinced of her innocence, Kildare visits Elizabeth in her prison cell to get her help in uncovering the Golem. Told through a series of flashbacks depicting Elizabeth’s climb from poverty-stricken and abused child to famous music hall performer, Kildare comes closer to naming the Golem, until a twist in the story shocks both him and the audience alike.
Directed by Juan Carlos Medina and filmed predominantly on set in Manchester, The Limehouse Golem does a great job at recreating the desolation, greyness and mystery of Victorian London without falling for the clichés. Jumping between the colourful costumes of the music hall to the murky streets of Limehouse, the pace of the film and its use of flashbacks make sure the audience join Kildare in piecing the mystery together bit by bit.
Nighy takes a rare lead in this film, giving Kildare the perfect balance of wit and empathy, while keeping him a reserved gentleman of the time. Impressive are also Booth as the buck-toothed Leno and Cooke, whose portrayal of Elizabeth keeps us all on our toes.
Based on the 1994 novel by Peter Ackroyd, the story was adapted for the big screen by Jane Goldman and has been hailed by some critics for its feminist views, specifically through the portrayal of Elizabeth Cree. Although the film does tackle some gender issues (Kildare’s profession has not progressed as he is “not the marrying kind”, while Elizabeth is determined to prove women can make it without the help of a man) The Limehouse Golem is more a riveting Victorian thriller than feminist social commentary.
The Limehouse Golem review by Tina Baraga, December 2017.
The Limehouse Golem is available on DVD and Blu-ray.
