The Boston Strangler

1968 "Why did 13 women willingly open their doors to the Boston Strangler?"
7.1| 1h56m| R| en| More Info
Released: 16 October 1968 Released
Producted By: 20th Century Fox
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

Boston is being terrorized by a series of seemingly random murders of women. Based on the true story, the film follows the investigators path through several leads before introducing the Strangler as a character. It is seen almost exclusively from the point of view of the investigators who have very few clues to build a case upon.

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Reviews

Cebalord Very best movie i ever watch
Ensofter Overrated and overhyped
Moustroll Good movie but grossly overrated
Bergorks If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.
Tony It's the sixties, you make a film with a Fonda in it, does anyone get where I'm going with this - yes, exit stage left. You've psychics, hypnotism and psycho analysis thrown in to this hippie idea of love would have saved him, it wasn't his fault. Fact - he was a sick, deranged animal that preyed on defenceless women. There's only one humane answer for any seriously sick animal, if there is a God it's His call regarding hope of redemption, or if he just screwed up with that one.
rbrooksie12 The Boston Strangler was perhaps one of the most dangerous serial killers in American history. The Boston Strangler stars Tony Curtis in a career best performance as Albert DeSalvo and co-stars Henry Fonda as John S. Bottomly, and George Kennedy as Detective Phil DiNatale. All the acting performances are wonderful but the performance by Tony Curtis stands out.One thing that a lot of people do not like about the film is the split screen camera that is present in this film. There are times where they show for example DeSalvo knocking on the door on the left side then on the right side they show a woman reacting to the door being knocked on. This is not distracting but it starts to get distracting when four or five different images are being shown because it is hard to concentrate on all of them at once.This is a great film for anybody that are fans of Curtis, Fonda, or Kennedy, or a great film for anybody interested in serial killer biographies. However I wished there was more. It felt as if the film were missing something. After watching this film, you can assume that DeSalvo was guilty but he was never tried for the murders nor imprisoned for the Boston Strangler murders. I wish this film mentioned The "Green Man" rapes, which DeSalvo was actually sentenced to life in prison for. All in all this was a great film and I enjoyed it. The portrayal of Albert DeSalvo by Tony Curtis is not one that you will want to miss if you are a fan of him. It is a career performance and deserves recognition that he didn't get. I encourage you to see this film!
MartinHafer My background is not typical of the average viewer. Years ago, I used to be a psychotherapist and I worked with some very, very sick people. In addition, I taught psychology. So I have some idea what I am talking about when I say this film is probably a lot of psychological mumbo-jumbo. Let me explain. Back in the 1950s, the book and movie "The Three Faces of Eve" created a sensation. Suddenly this new diagnosis of Multiple Personality Disorder (now called Dissociative Identity Disorder) was identified and the number of cases was very large for a newly named mental illness. And, when the TV mini-series "Sybil" came out, the number of cases increased dramatically. Then came the bombshell--the lady who identified herself as 'Eve' admitted that her illness was a hoax--and there was good reason to doubt the account in "Sybil" as well. And, each time a movie or book came out on the subject, the number of cases increased! Something was clearly amiss. Today many counselors and psychologists doubt that the disorder actually exists. I am not sure I'd go that far, but do know that many folks who claim to have it do so in order to avoid prison--as there is clearly a gain for them to be 'sick'. So, in light of this (and so much more I haven't the space for here), it's very doubtful that the killer in "The Boston Strangler" actually had the Multiple Personality you see in the film. He more likely used this as an excuse for his sick behaviors. Instead, sex offenders often 'compartmentalize'--in other words, while they KNOW what they did, they often deny it to themselves and others--treating their sick behaviors like it happened 'to another part of them'. Despite the distinct possibility that MPD does not exist, it does NOT make "The Boston Strangler" a bad film. First, at the time, MPD was seen as a very real thing by most therapists. Second, the film is very well constructed, finely acted and interesting throughout.The film is about a real series of rape/murders in the Boston area and the man who is assumed to have been the perpetrator, Albert DeSalvo. The entire first hour is about the investigation and furor over the killings and you don't even see DeSalvo (Tony Curtis) until this hour is complete! This makes this movie perhaps the only one I know of where you wait this long to see the star! I liked the investigation portion the most, as it was NOT glamorized but seemed rather realistic. As for Curtis, soon after he enters the film, you see him committing one attack---and you can clearly see it's him for the first time. This attack doesn't go as he planned, however, and for the first time he's left a living witness. Soon after, he's caught while trying to break into another home. The problem is not whether or not he did the crimes but whether or not he's even competent to stand trial for them. Overall, a fascinating portrait of the investigation and the killer. Well worth seeing and a quality production despite the strong possibility DeSalvo was NOT a Multiple Personality.By the way, the first portion of the film consists of a bizarre multi-paned screen--with several scenes occurring in little windows. The only other film of the time that I can think of that did this is "The Thomas Crown Affair".
Herag Halli Apparently, Desalvo, told people in the Bridgewater Asylum, that he faked the hallucinations, since he knew, if he was declared insane he would not be convicted and avoid prison. He had confessed to his attorney F. Lee Bailey, that he had murdered twelve women and he could not remember the name of the 13th victim, except to say that she had died of heart attack in his arms. There was also a scheme concocted by himself, that his family lawyer would collect the reward money and give the bulk of the money to Desalvo's wife and children, since he knew he would never get out of jail facing multiple rape charges. The movie is based on the book which is complex, since there were four other suspects, who were either mentally ill, lying and or evidence circumstantial. The only surviving victim and witnesses could not identify Desalvo, as the strangler and the positive identify was an inmate at the same asylum, by the name of George Nasser, and he was the only one who fit the profile of the strangler as determined by a panel of experts, but he was never charged. As far as the acting, Tony Curtis's acting was over rated. Any actor could have done his role. Someone like Robert Blake would have been the perfect choice. The fact is, he solicited for that role, by gaining weight and perfecting his accent. The split scenes take away lot of the suspense and the superimposed scenes with Fonda and Curtis lack depth. This is a good movie-a safe seven rating.