Frenzy (1972)

A serial murderer is strangling women with a necktie. The London police have a suspect, but he is the wrong man.

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

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

Stars:

Jon Finch, Barry Foster, Alec McCowen

Nominated for 4 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jon Finch	...	Richard Blaney
Alec McCowen	...	Chief Inspector Oxford
Barry Foster	...	Robert Rusk
Billie Whitelaw	...	Hetty Porter
Anna Massey	...	Babs Milligan
Barbara Leigh-Hunt	...	Brenda 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:

rape | serial killer | police | penknife | united kingdom | 

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Taglines:

A deadly new twist from the original Hitchcock.

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Genres:

Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 June 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

Frenesí

Filming Locations:

Coburg Hotel, 129 Bayswater Road, 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 film and its source book ("Goodbye Piccadilly, Farewell Leicester Square") were inspired by the real-life unsolved crimes of the serial killer known as "Jack the Stripper". Unlike in the story, the real killings (which terrified London in the early 1960s) mirrored elements of "Jack the Ripper", in that the killer attacked prostitutes and that the killings mysteriously stopped.

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Goofs

When examining the murder scene at the marriage bureau a police officer brings the victim's handbag out to inspector Oxford, who correctly holds it with a handkerchief to keep his fingerprints from contaminating the evidence. He then he sticks his un-gloved hand inside and feels around, thus contaminating it with his own fingerprints.

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Quotes

[to his wife]
Chief Inspector Oxford: No, discretion is not traditionally the strong suit of the psychopath, dear. Believe me, that's what we're dealing with. You ought to read his wife's divorce petition.

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Crazy Credits

The Universal Pictures logo does not appear on this film.

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Connections

Featured in Hitchcocked! (2006)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

Great, but not Hitchcock's best

Some of Hitchcock's final films weren't great; some went so far as to call them really bad. True, they are not the masterpieces that Vertigo and Psycho are, but I don't think they are all as bad as some claim. I finally got a chance to see Frenzy, and I must say that it's a great piece of typical Hitchcock thriller. The story is about a killer who strangles women with a necktie, after raping them. After a bunch of unfortunate(but not unlikely) situations the police suspect the wrong man, and we follow his actions as he tries to evade the police. Like all the Hitchcock greats, it features great characterizations, dialog and situations. Not to mention those little details that lift him above the level that most other directors are at. The plot is very good, and well-paced. The acting is very good; I was particularly impressed at how 'British' they managed to be, considering how many of the actors are Americans. I suspect Hitchcock played a big part in making the film so authentic and true to life. The characters are well-written, credible and interesting. The suspense and tension is extreme at points of the movie, and Hitchcock (once again) proves his perfect understanding of the film-making elements and his ability to put them to good use. I found it interesting to see so much nudity, in a Hitchcock film. Of course, it wasn't just graphic and pointless, like it is in most films(not just from that period); it's there for a purpose. The famous "continuous" shot looked great, though it was obvious where the cut was. Hitchcock is known for his innovative shots, angles and pans, and this is no exception to the greatness of his cinematography. I doubt that we have seen a much more innovative or intelligent film-maker since him. It's nice to be able to see that even such a short time before his death(about 8 years, I suppose), Hitchcock delivered something so great. Much better than the dime-a-dozen flicks that most films released consist of today. A great film for any fan of Hitchcock, or even of thrillers in general. I recommend this film to any fan of thrillers or Hitchcock. Great film. 8/10