The Boston Strangler

R

1968

1 hr. 56 min.

Crime

Drama

List

88%

17 Reviews

Tomatometer

74%

250+ Ratings

Audience Score

When a string of women in Boston start turning up dead, the police launch an investigation headed by John Bottomly (Henry Fonda). Through chance, Bottomly gets the evidence he needs to arrest Albert DeSalvo (Tony Curtis). Though DeSalvo denies having any connection to the murders at first, the police use hypnosis, pressured interrogation, and interviews with the only surviving victim (Sally Kellerman) to coax him into confessing. Still, whether he is truly guilty remains a mystery to many.

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Aldo G

Meticulously directed by Richard Fleischer and a must-see for fans of psychological crime dramas. Yes, it's loosely based on the actual suspected serial killer and some have derided the film as being exploitative. I don't see it that way. The film concludes with a message that is, sadly, as true today as it was then.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/18/24

Full Review

Liam D

One of Director Richard Fleischer (See No Evil, Mandingo) best movies, a disquieting thriller with an master work performance by Tony Curtis (Trapeze, Winchester '73)

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

isla s

This is an interesting film as it's based on a true story and it shows the women as not being entirely scared and shrieky for once. Some of the plot details intrigued me - the situation of potential criminals and how the police came to the conclusions they did. Obviously, they didn't have DNA back in those days (the 1960's). It's interesting in a more of a psychological way, I'd say. There isn't too much in the way of gory violence visually depicted, although you do hear the shrieks of a number of victims. It does feature what could be construed as elements of homophobia from the police perhaps but of course, its a film of its time and that should always be considered. I also thought it 'interesting' that in one scene, a police officer hits back at someone trying to leave the room and the officers colleague tells him that it counts as police brutality, which is something that doesn't go on any more. Some people may well beg to differ on that particular point!. I thought the camerawork was reasonably clever at times and it does ok at creating a sense of the media frenzy that there must have been at the time its set in. It did feel slightly sensationalist towards the very end but overall, I thought it was a good film of its time, so I'd recommend it on that basis.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The Boston Strangler tells the story about ethics and madness that occurred in the Boston area of the 1960s. A story about a psychopath who hunts women in their homes. While the film is tarnished by the numerous historical inaccuracies presented in the film, The Boston Strangler should still be considered acceptably and reasonably decent. Simply because of the film's complex and dark nature as well as a tremendous performance from Tony Curtis as the unstable maniac Albert DeSalvo. While The Boston Strangler is not your typical true crime film with the numerous inaccuracies, the film is still pretty decent and intense.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The greatest 01 hour: and 56 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

Full Review

william d

I had a bit of a mixed reaction to this one. On the one hand the film uses split screen to an annoying degree. On the other hand the story is very good. On the one hand the events immediately preceding and subsequent to DeSalvo's arrest are fictional, even relying on the old "split personality" movie trope. On the other hand Fonda and especially Curtis are excellent. Ultimately, I give it a recommendation.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Richard Fleischer

Director

Tony Curtis

Albert DeSalvo

Henry Fonda

John S. Bottomly

George Kennedy

Phil DiNatale

Mike Kellin

Julian Soshnick

Hurd Hatfield

Terence Huntley

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Renata Adler

New York Times

To be avoided as surely as a stranger who appears at your door and identifies himself as a plumber whom you have not called.

May 9, 2005

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

The Boston Strangler requires a judgment not only on the quality of the film (very good), but also on its moral and ethical implications.

Rated: 3/4

Oct 23, 2004

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

The first -- and, surprisingly, more interesting -- section focuses on the efforts of the law (represented mainly by Henry Fonda’s straight arrow) to find this madman.

Rated: 3/4

May 9, 2023

Full Review

Robin Holabird

Robin Holabird

Ruskin provides a plausible scenario in a well-mounted period piece that holds attention without causing much excitement.

Apr 3, 2023

Full Review

Michael J. Casey

Boulder Weekly

Formally exciting with its use of split screen, narrow framings, impressionistic editing and performances.

Rated: 4.5/5

Mar 23, 2023

Full Review

Sean Burns

WBUR’s Arts & Culture

A shockingly hopeless look at institutional incompetence in the face of an unfathomable threat.

Mar 16, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

When a string of women in Boston start turning up dead, the police launch an investigation headed by John Bottomly (Henry Fonda). Through chance, Bottomly gets the evidence he needs to arrest Albert DeSalvo (Tony Curtis). Though DeSalvo denies having any connection to the murders at first, the police use hypnosis, pressured interrogation, and interviews with the only surviving victim (Sally Kellerman) to coax him into confessing. Still, whether he is truly guilty remains a mystery to many.

Director: Richard Fleischer
Screenwriter: Edward Anhalt
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 18, 2012

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