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, Barbara Leigh-Hunt

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

Cast

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

Storyline

London is terrorized by a vicious sex killer known as The Necktie 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.

---

Plot Keywords:

rape | strangulation | murder of a nude woman | on the run | dead woman with eyes open | 

---

Taglines:

Just an ordinary necktie used with a deadly new twist. [Australia Theatrical]

---

Genres:

Thriller

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 June 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy

Filming Locations:

Coburg Hotel, 129 Bayswater Road, London, England. UK

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$4,121

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) (uncredited)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie 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 Ripper". 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. In the case of "Jack the Ripper", however, six months after the killings stopped in London, identical murders started happening in New York City. In the archives of "The New York Times", newspapers dated roughly six months after the murders stopped in London, reported on prostitute murders happening in the city, with the headline, "Jack the Ripper in New York". In those days, six months was roughly the time it took for a boat to go from England to New York harbor. All of this was covered on The History Channel documentary series, 'American Ripper'

---

Goofs

At the start of the movie Blaney is seen finishing the knot on his tie. In the next shot (of him coming down the staircase into the bar), he has the same tie but the colored stripes are different in the knot.

---

Quotes

Babs Milligan: If Brenda gave you money at dinner, why'd you sleep in the duff house? You could've afforded a hotel!
Richard Blaney: I didn't realize I had it! She slipped it into the pocket of my raincoat.
Babs Milligan: Oh, go on, Dick! Why don't you pull the other one? It's got bells on it!

---

Crazy Credits

The Universal Pictures logo does not appear on this film.

---

Alternate Versions

The main titles were completely redone for the 2012 Blu-Ray release. This includes a completely different font, and quite a few typos were accidentally left in.

---

Connections

Featured in The Men Who Made the Movies: Alfred Hitchcock (1973)

---

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