Frenzy (1972)

A serial killer is murdering London women with a necktie. The police have a suspect... but he's the wrong man.

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Arthur La Bern (novel), Anthony Shaffer (screenplay)

Stars:

Jon Finch, Alec McCowen, Barry Foster

Nominated for 4 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jon Finch	...	Richard Ian Blaney
Alec McCowen	...	Chief Inspector Oxford
Barry Foster	...	Robert Rusk
Billie Whitelaw	...	Hetty Porter
Anna Massey	...	Babs Milligan
Barbara Leigh-Hunt	...	Brenda Margaret Blaney
Bernard Cribbins	...	Felix Forsythe
Vivien Merchant	...	Mrs. Oxford
Michael Bates	...	Sergeant Spearman
Jean Marsh	...	Monica Barling
Clive Swift	...	Johnny Porter
Madge Ryan	...	Mrs. Davison
Elsie Randolph	...	Gladys
Gerald Sim	...	Mr. Usher - Solicitor in Pub
John Boxer	...	Sir George

Storyline

London is terrorised by a vicious sex killer known as the neck tie murderer. Following the brutal slaying of his ex-wife, down-on-his-luck Richard Blaney is suspected by the police of being the killer. He goes on the run, determined to prove his innocence.

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Plot Keywords:

serial killer | suspect | police | necktie | secretary | 

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Taglines:

From the Master of Shock... A Shocking Masterpiece!

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Genres:

Crime | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 June 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

Frenesí

Filming Locations:

Leicester Square, Soho, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

SEK 2,348,248 (Sweden)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Story of 'Frenzy' documentary is featured on the DVD for Frenzy.

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Goofs

When Rusk takes Babs to his home, he tells her he lives on the second floor. No British person would say this. From the stairway tracking shot that follows, we see that Rusk lives on the floor above street level, which in Britain is called the first floor.

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Quotes

Bob Rusk: Got a place to stay?

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Crazy Credits

The Universal Pictures logo does not appear on this film.

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Connections

Referenced in Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's (1997)

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Soundtracks

"Poem"
(uncredited)
Music by Zdenek Fibich
Arranged by Ron Goodwin

User Reviews

Hitch back in London

After 30 years in the USA and after the disappointments of "Torn Curtain" (1966) and "Topaz" (1969), Alfred Hitchcock came back to his native Britain for this film -written by Anthony Shaffer from a novel by Arthur La Bern.

"Frenzy" is his penultimate movie, certainly the best one of his last period. The way the Master films is very classic -deliberately old fashioned; at the same time all the charachters are very modern -they belong to a more and more decadent and neurotic London.

Almost from the beginning we know who the criminal is, and Hitchcock enjoys himself in showing how the man tries to escape and how he betrays people. Director's trademarks are also back in force: suspense (a lot!) and humour -more sarcastic and sharper than ever.

For "Frenzy" the Master doesn't get movie stars, instead he chooses local stage actors. In my opinion he does this because, first, he wants the film to be very English. Furthermore, he wants this time more ordinary faces for making the story more shocking (with famous actors in the main roles, the plot -in a certain way- could be identified mostly with them and loose strength, instead Hitchcock avoids that "paradox"...).

Maybe "Frenzy" is not an unforgettable masterpiece like "Psycho", "Vertigo", "Birds" or many other works. But it is a great movie indeed.