The Limehouse Golem- My take on the movie with spoilers!
PLOT SUMMARY: When Elizabeth's husband is found dead, all fingers point to her. But is it really her or the work of a serial killer?
If like me, you’ve read hundreds of mysteries and are enthused about Sherlock Holmes tales, THE LIMEHOUSE GOLEM is actually pretty predictable.
Set in the Victorian Era, it promises to instil fear in you. Before Jack the Ripper, there was Golem- such is the tagline and you do want it to be the kind of movie that keeps you guessing until the very end as to the true identity of the killer.
Unlike the Jack the Ripper legend, Golem is easily recognizable in the very first instance the character is introduced.
The hunger in the eyes, the madness to carve a name on stone, not ice- all of it points towards their murderous intentions.
THE LIMEHOUSE GOLEM Movie Plot
The story is essentially about Elizabeth Cree and how she leaves behind a tragic, impoverished life to become someone. She finds her secret talents in a music hall where plays are held, led by Dan Leno, an actor who doesn’t mind cross-dressing. He runs the hall with the help of Elizabeth’s “uncle” who has a twisted secret of his own.
When Elizabeth’s husband is found dead by poisoning, all fingers point to the wife who had a terrible argument with him just before he died. To top it all, all his papers were burned the night before. It is up to the detective, working on the Golem case, to find a connection between the two cases and save Lizzie, as she is called.
The Limehouse Golem Ending Explained
The Golem is none other than Lizzie Cree. As soon as she came on screen, I knew it would be her. How?
She had an abusive mother.
Her mother just conveniently dies one day. Her husband is killed right after he refuses to complete writing his new play which was to feature her as a lead.
The first time she watched Dan Leno, you can see how awestruck she is by him being centre stage and of the way the audience applauds for him. A midget actor touches her inappropriately and is found dead the next day.
Her competitor sets her up to say the wrong thing to the audience and she responds by kissing the man she is interested in.
Then there’s the fact that she admits to the detective, halfway through the movie, that she married for stardom and he had ulterior motives for marrying her as well. Clearly, we are given an insight into her devious mind- Lizzie would do anything to get her share of the spotlight. Even become the famous killer everyone fears.
So, yes, the movie isn’t particularly suspenseful, nor are the murders executed in such a way as to invoke fear in the audience. We are not at the edge of the seats and cheering for the killer to be caught.
This is not to say that the movie is terribly boring. It is a fascinating tale that has its cringing moments but only because of the way the grey shades of each character is brought forward. The only person, you do end up liking is Dan Leno.
He is what he is, not ashamed to be even a clown and have his name carved in ice. For him, the show must go in, even if one of the actors accidentally kill themselves. In mere moments, he takes over and carries on with the show. It is his passion and he cares about each actor and thinks of them as family but he and his talent are not limited by their absence.
The show can go on without either of them.
The Limehouse Golem will leave you fascinated by its taut storytelling and not once make you feel like you’re watching a long drama. There’s not a single boring moment and you remember it long after you’ve finished watching.
It’s a good movie, just not very capable of posing as a good mystery.
Scare Scale:
Don't you think Dan Leno is actually the killer and his last victim was Aveline, the actress playing Lizzie at the end? We never did get to see his handwriting and somehow he managed to inherit the theatre from 'Uncle'. Lizzie would certainly have seen his handwriting, she wrote scenes and parts with him and knowing she was going to hang, knowing that he was likely to take revenge on Aveline, as he had on everyone who had been mean to Lizzie, she confessed to remove all suspicion from her protector and mentor.
ReplyDeleteYes but with a diferent twist: Lizzie did DO the murders but maybe "guided" by/or even WITH Leno (for them to write and star the final play together). Lizzie probably doesnt kill her husband (she said she was no poisoner but much more). Aveline poisons Cree to get Lizzie hanged (which probably Lizzie knew she would do hence she accepted her as "maid" and mistress in her own home). Because finally Lizzie gets hanged, which is not the plan, Leno gets Aveline killed and finally plays the big part as Lizzie, together as one, as planned. The look between Kildare and Leno at the end could be a realisation "I know it is you and you know I know" etc... (he surely knows that Aveline has just died). Leno has not Killed Kildare as or he didnt have a chance (yet) or the life of Aveline is enough in exchange of Lizzie (for the time being). If plausible then it DOES pose as a good mystery as it gives an alternative ending/murderer as the obvious is not necesseraly the truth...
DeleteI do believe Dan Leno is actually the real killer/mastermind. Lizzie is just a follower, executing his orders and always thinks she is on a stage even to the end; unfortunately, there are no audiences to hear her say: "Here we goes again!"
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DeleteBoth conclusions are plausible, but as they said in the multiple-ending movie "CLUE", "...but here's how it really happened". What I believe is that Lizzie kills the executioner and guard at her second hanging attempt. With no one around, she hides the bodies and leaves the prison dressed as a guard (after all, dressing as a man was her specialty). She realized that Kildare has not exposed her as the Golem and she will not have the immortal fame she planned for. To change her future, she must "have a go at it again". Eventually, the bodies of the guards will be found and with the murder of Aveline, Kildare will have to expose his knowledge of her being the Golem. She returns to the theater to kill Aveline, dresses as the executioner(again, another male disguise), unhooks the safety device, drops Aveline to be hung in front of everyone's eyes, while Leno says the show must go on speech, she transforms as herself, being reborn, to take the stage once more to receive the adulation of the crowd as herself, a woman of Victorian times, where it is not proper for a lady to have such fame. Just as earlier in the film, suspects are placed in the role of the Golem to give reality to the vision to the movie audience, the same trick is used when you are to think Leno is coming out as Lizzie, but it is really her. The stare given by the Leno Lizzie, would actually be the real Lizzie staring at Kildare, waiting to see what his move will be. Since there is no response but his dumbfounded stare of realization that it is her and that he will be demoted/ridiculed just as much as he was championed for being the hero detective. Lizzie may or may not be captured shortly after, but there can be no denying that she was the Golem, and she will have her name carved in stone, not ice.
DeleteIf we look at the facts only, Aveline lied in her witness account. She says there was a violent dispute where she heard one person shout "it was you. You did it all" (or something along those lines). But in the diary the killer writes " there was no questions asked, no recriminations". Aveline also states she finds the bottle of poison in the kitchen when Lizzie is seen preparing the cordial in the living roon, Aveline is for sure the person who poisoned Cree. If you remember during the fight outside the theater he rides away leaving her on the street, stating that is has grown tired of her too. Aveline is taking revenge on them both by poisoning the husband and pointing the finger at Lizzie.
ReplyDeleteThe death of Aveline at the end is no accident. This proves the Golem was Dan Leno all along. The catchphrase "here we are again" is his; and the fact that Lizzie says it in the scene where the mum and the children are about to be killed is a direct clue for us, the audience.
My interpretation is that Lizzie represented everything Dan Leno wanted to be (a woman for a start) and he killed to protect her.
Lizzie looked carefully at the handwriting on the diary before she wrote her confession and accused herself to be the Golem because she wanted to be famous in her death. However as someone mentioned we never got to see Dan Lino's handwriting sample. I think Kildare knew it wasn't her (hence the reason he burnt the confession) but only got confirmation it was Dan Lino when he looked at him in the eye on stage at the end.
I completely agree.
DeleteI'm not so sure. There are some chinks in your theory.
Delete1 - the cufflinks - Dan leno didn't buy cuff links, he bought something else.
2 The blow by blow clues expose reveal at the end by the director, obviously wishing to remind the audience.
3 The reason Kildare burned the confession was because of extreme shock (look at his face as it shows her writing a confession) - he was protective of lizzie and had a fatherly love towards her.
4 It is extremely difficult to copy handwriting, that's why handwriting experts are brought in to cases - for the handwriting to exactly match when this is the first time she has seen the journal says it all
As lizzie says - "I have never told you anything but the truth Kildare", and then what does she write - "I am the Golem". For Lizzie to announce herself as the Golem after just stating she has always told the truth shows that she is NOT covering up for Leno. Also, note when Kildare says to Lizzie your husband was a terrible murderer and he was the Golem. Then Lizzie, who has said she has never told anything but the truth, says "well, we will need to correct the record" and the next thing she writes is her confession both written and verbally to Kildare that she is the Golem
DeleteLizzie Cree would have been horrified at this theory. Trying to redirect her limelight!
DeleteIs the director and Goldman willing to make a part 2 of this movies. It can fascinating cos many roads of story leads from where it ended.
ReplyDeleteVanessa nailed it..mrs cree was simply in love with being a star. a follower in the cult of Dan Leno. remember his words..we lookout for each other. Great movie.
ReplyDeleteI found this page when Googling "Limehouse Golem Ending Explained" - and while I find the hyptheses here intriguing, I don't enjoy probing movies this deeply unless the answer can be eventually discerned. So IF the movie was saying anything more than the obvious - Lizzie is the Golem - then I will have to be inclined not to like it.
ReplyDeleteIf you are inclined not to like any answer except the obvious. Then why the hell were you googling "Limehouse Golem Ending Explained"???
DeletePersonally I like the Dan Leno is the mastermind. I can't see how it is possible that Lizzie messed with the safety on the noose at the end. And frankly that's the giveaway to me.
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ReplyDeleteFor me the ending is like this :
ReplyDelete1. Lizzie confess of being a Golem.
2. Kildare is shocked by that as he didn't consider her to be such kind of a monster.
3. He delays his press briefing and burns the confession as it will make lizzie a legend like Jack the RIPPER.
4. Thus denying her centerstage which she wanted and she dies without an audience.
5. Kildare made John Cree the Golem as it saves his job while getting ridiculed for not been able to save lizzie.
6. He goes to the show to see Lizzie life but as Aveline dies which was clearly orchestrated by Den Leno as his way of providing justice to lizzie as she was mean to her all along.
7. The last scene where Lizzie is shown in place of Leno is a way of his tribute to her as his show will showcase her life and make her a legend or Carve his and her name in stone with the help of this show.