The Boston Strangler (1968)

Director:

Richard Fleischer

Writers:

Edward Anhalt (screenplay)
Gerold Frank (book)

Release Date:

16 October 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Why did 13 women willingly open their doors to the Boston Strangler?

Plot:

Boston is being terrorized by a series of seemingly random murders of women. Based on the true story...

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Strangler | Gay Bar | Airport | Courtroom

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Tony Curtis	...	Albert DeSalvo
Henry Fonda	...	John S. Bottomly
George Kennedy	...	Det. Phil DiNatale
Mike Kellin	...	Julian Soshnick
Hurd Hatfield	...	Terence Huntley
Murray Hamilton	...	Det. Frank McAfee
Jeff Corey	...	John Asgeirsson
Sally Kellerman	...	Dianne Cluny
William Marshall	...	Atty. Gen. Edward W. Brooke
George Voskovec	...	Peter Hurkos
Leora Dana	...	Mary Bottomly
Carolyn Conwell	...	Irmgard DeSalvo
Jeanne Cooper	...	Cloe
Austin Willis	...	Dr. Nagy
Lara Lindsay	...	Bobbie Eden
George Furth	...	Lyonel Brumley
Richard X. Slattery	...	Det. Capt. Ed Willis
William Hickey	...	Eugene T. O'Rourke
Eve Collyer	...	Ellen Ridgeway
Gwyda Donhowe	...	Alice Oakville
Alex Dreier	...	News Commentator
John Cameron Swayze	...	T.V. Narrator
Shelley Burton	...	David Parker
Elizabeth Baur	...	Harriet Fordin
James Brolin	...	Det. Sgt. Phil Lisi
George Tyne	...	Dr. Kramer
Dana Elcar	...	Luis Schubert
William Traylor	...	Arnie Carr
Carole Shelley	...	Dana Banks
Karen Ericson	...	Pat Bruner (as Karen Huston)
Enid Markey	...	Edna
Dorothy Blackburn	...	Minnie
Almira Sessions	...	Emma Hodak
Isabella Hoopes	...	Bertha Blum
Richard Krisher	...	Tom
Arthur Hanson	...	Commissioner
Walter Klavun	...	Chief of Police
Tim Herbert	...	Cedric
Matt Bennett	...	Harold
Penny Williams	...	Mae
Janis Young	...	Louise Parker
George Fisher	...	Mr. Taylor
David Lewis	...	Judge Schroeder
Pamela McMyler	...	Grace (as Pam McMyler)
Greg Benedict	...	Dick Matheson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tom Aldredge	...	Harold Lacey (uncredited)
Linda Clifford	...	Bystander (uncredited)
Linda Dano	...	(uncredited)
Gina Harding	...	Audri (uncredited)
Chuck Hicks	...	Cop (uncredited)
Jack Hynes	...	TV News Reporter (uncredited)
Nancie Phillips	...	Barbara Wise (uncredited)
Alex Rocco	...	Detective at Apartment of Victim #10 (uncredited)
Marie Thomas	...	Gloria (uncredited)
Edward Winter	...	Man in Hallway (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Fleischer

Writing credits
Edward Anhalt		(screenplay)
Gerold Frank		(book)

Produced by
James Cresson	....	associate producer
Robert Fryer	....	producer

Original Music by
Lionel Newman

Cinematography by
Richard H. Kline		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Marion Rothman

Art Direction by
Richard Day
Jack Martin Smith

Set Decoration by
Stuart A. Reiss
Walter M. Scott
Raphael Bretton		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Edith Lindon	....	hair stylist
Daniel C. Striepeke	....	makeup artist (as Dan Striepeke)
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Eric Stacey	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Hall	....	assistant director

Art Department
Fred Harpman	....	production film treatment

Sound Department
Don J. Bassman	....	sound (as Don Bassman)
David Dockendorf	....	sound

Visual Effects by
L.B. Abbott	....	special photographic effects
John C. Caldwell	....	special photographic effects
Art Cruickshank	....	special photographic effects

Stunts
Ron Burke	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Couch	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Dial	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bennie E. Dobbins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Larry Duran	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Hicks	....	stunts (uncredited)
Hubie Kerns	....	stunts (uncredited)
Victor Paul	....	stunts (uncredited)
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Sawaya	....	stunts (uncredited)
Walter Scott	....	stunts (uncredited)
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Thomas Del Ruth	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Travilla	....	costume supervisor

Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
John S. Bottomly	....	technical advisor
Phillip J. Di Natale	....	technical advisor
Ralph M. Leo	....	production accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1968) (USA) (theatrical)
• Centfox (1968) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Fox Films (1968) (Finland) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1973) (USA) (TV)
• Magnetic Video (1978) (USA) (VHS)
• Magnetic Video (1978) (USA) (video) (Betamax)
• Key Video (1988) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan for CBS/Fox Video)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Germany (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• FS Film Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Hispano Foxfilms S.A.E. (Spain)

Also Known As:

"Der Frauenmörder von Boston" - Austria, West Germany
"A bostoni fojtogató" - Hungary (imdb display title)
"Boston canavari" - Turkey (Turkish title)
"Boston kvæleren" - Denmark
"Boston-strypare" - Finland (Swedish title)
"Bostonin kuristaja" - Finland
"Bostonski davitelj" - Yugoslavia (Serbian title) (literal title)
"Bostonstryparen" - Sweden
"Dusiciel z Bostonu" - Poland (imdb display title)
"El estrangulador de Boston" - Spain
"Kveleren fra Boston" - Norway
"L'étrangleur de Boston" - France
"Lo strangolatore di Boston" - Italy
"O Estrangulador de Boston" - Portugal (imdb display title)
"O Homem Que Odiava as Mulheres" - Brazil
"O strangalistis tis Vostonis" - Greece (transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title)

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Norway:11 (DVD rating) (2006) | Canada:18A (video rating) | West Germany:16 (f) | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:U (re-release) | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (original rating) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R (re-rating) | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Chandler Street, South End, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Tony Curtis does not appear until one hour into the film.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: A shot of Tony Curtis, in a doorway, includes a 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado in the background, at a time (in the story) which is supposedly 1963-64 (shortly after JFK's funeral).

Quotes:

Capt. Ed Willis:Everybody's banging everybody. It's a horny world.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In: Episode #2.22" (1969)

Soundtrack:

Semper Fidelis

Good, well-done thriller

Fictional account of the Boston Strangler--a maniac who killed about 12 women in the Boston area from 1962-1964. Most of the main actors just walk through their roles--Henry Fonda and George Kennedy especially. But Tony Curtis (who doesn't appear until an hour into the film) is surprisingly good as the strangler. Most people don't think of him as a good actor but as this and "Sweet Smell of Success" proved, he COULD give out a good performance. This was a very tricky role but he pulled it off. The last half hour especially--it's basically one long confession but he's excellent.

The film is exceptionally well-directed--the split screen is a bit disorienting at times but, ultimately, it helps the film. It keeps you on edge. It's also very interesting to see what Boston looked like in 1968. The only sour spot is there is some homophobia in the movie...but this does take place in '62-'64 and they did think the strangler was a gay man.

From what I've heard this film was not a big hit when released which probably explains why it took so long to get out on DVD. It's probably one of the best serial killer movies ever made and the multiple screens look great on DVD.

Well worth seeing if just for Curtis' performance.