The Boston Strangler (1968)

Fox has finally released this old classic on DVD and it is about time this was introduced to a new generation of movie lovers. The Boston Strangler shows Tony Curtis in what is probably his most powerful dramatic performance as the key person in the mystery that surrounded the deaths of a dozen women.

The movie was controversial for the time and took a great deal of fortitude on the part of Fox and the movie makers - producer Richard F. Zanuck and director Richard Fleischer - to make without compromising their original vision. When the movie was screened for the censors prior to its theatrical release, they applauded it as a well done portrayal of what had often been considered unfilmable, and passed it even though there were controversial attitudes expressed towards sexual behavior and homosexuals.

Richard Fleischer (1916 - 2006), of course, was a superior director with a string of hits to his credit; movies like The Narrow Margin, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and The Vikings preceded The Boston Strangler and many more hits followed.

Tony Curtis, on the other hand, typically used as a light romantic comedian after the manner of Cary Grant, was considered too light weight to do such a serious role and the resistance against Fleischer's casting choice was stiff. But Curtis, who had performed strongly in dramatic roles before (The Sweet Smell of Success, Spartacus) built the bridge of his nose up with putty and sent a photo to Richard Zanuck who failed to recognize him under the makeup. After that, opposition to Curtis melted.

The movie does keep your attention but there are a few problems with it that limit its appeal today in the early 21st Century. First, Fleischer chose to use a split screen technique in certain areas of the movie with variable numbers of smaller scenes juxtaposed on the 2.35:1 frame, from two up to ten or a dozen. This technique was trendy for a year or two and was quickly abandoned but it hopelessly dates The Boston Strangler. The various elements of a scene are split out and shown in separate panels; The killer stalking and the victim going about her business oblivious, etc. At the time this was thought to give a shorthand view and make storytelling more rounded but it is a flop, nearly anyone who sees it will agree.

Secondly, it gives Tony Curtis a true star performance. This heightens his impact, but we are left waiting until more than half the film has elapsed before we meet Curtis's character - Albert DeSalvo. The opening half establishes the killings and the rather ineffectual police manhunt to catch the Strangler. These proceedings are led by Henry Fonda and George Kennedy and are extremely well done but plod. Other familiar faces include Hurd Hatfield, Sally Kellerman, George Voskovec, Mike Kellin, and Murray Hamilton.

Henry Fonda plays a state's attorney who is put on the case to combine efforts from all the small police departments around Boston and to forestall criticism that the state is not interested. Part of the reason for the draggy pace is the murders can only be shown elliptically, without a lot of graphic shots of bodies or violence. This would change in only a year or two but the censors were still a power to reckon with in 1967, as they had been since the 1930s.

Third, the story was fictionalized. The most powerful part of the movie is Fonda's interview at a mental institution with Curtis who, over an extended period of time, comes to acknowledge his role as the Strangler. The trouble is this never happened. It makes good sense from a dramatic standpoint but it is a typical Hollywood tactic to throw out the truth when a plausible lie would look better. Albert DeSalvo was never diagnosed with a split personality, as shown in the movie. The viewer is left with a sigh of relief that the killer has been apprehended and safely locked away. But has he?

The Fox DVD presents the movie in color, in 2.35:1 Cinemascope format, and running 116 minutes. The video and audio are nicely preserved and there are some extra features, including an AMC "Backstory" Episode on the "Making of" The Boston Strangler. Tony Curtis appears as a vocal advocate of his performance and sounds bitter he was not recognized or even nominated for an Oscar.

The movie is unwatchable on full frame VHS because of the split screen technique - don't even try it.

The Boston Strangler is an interesting movie in terms of film history, and contains one of Tony Curtis's finest performances but is quite dated by today's standards. Only recommended for fans.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV