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 | Courtroom | Fetish | Place Name In Title | Gay Bar

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 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

Special 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)

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)
• Fox Films (1968) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1973) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• FS Film Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Hispano Foxfilms S.A.E. (Spain)
• Key Video (199?) (worldwide) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)

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) | 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:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Film debut of Edward Winter.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the film it is assumed DeSalvo was guilty, and it portrays him as suffering from multiple personality disorder and committing the murders while in a psychotic state. DeSalvo was never diagnosed with, or even suspected of having that disorder.

Quotes:

Albert DeSalvo: [inside sanitarium] But... I don't belong here.... I-I guess everybody says that, don't they?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Mind Blowers (1969)

Soundtrack:

There Will Never Be Another You

They say its overrated,but Tony Curtis' performance is electrifying to watch

After all the movies that he has done this one shown his acting chops and basically established himself as one of the most distinguish actors in Hollywood,but if you want to see Tony Curtis in a stunning performance as a serial killer,this is the movie to see and not to be missed.

Tony Curtis showed them off brilliantly with his chilling portrayal of confessed 1960's serial killer,Albert DeSalvo who killed and strangled 13 women in the streets of Boston. Curtis is frighteningly good at depicting the schizophrenic life of a seemingly normal family man who hides his sexual compulsions. Here also you have Henry Fonda as the detective out to stopped him and George Kennedy in a co-starring role. Director Richard Fleischer(of "Fantastic Voyage",and "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" fame)uses a split screen technique show DeSalvo crimes along with the painstaking police investigation that finally nabbed him in 1964. Shocking as it was back in 1968,and still shocking today in one of Tony Curtis' most gripping roles and exhilarating performance.