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 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 | rape | strangulation | murder of a nude woman | on the run | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK USA

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:

$16,000,000, 31 January 1989

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures,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

Several of the cast were unhappy with the lack of authenticity and Britishness of some of the dialogue. Jon Finch used to send notes to Alfred Hitchcock's secretary with suggested improvements. Hitchcock was not always pleased at this: "Jon, I said you could make alterations. I didn't say you could rewrite the whole script." However, many of Finch's script amendments were indeed used in the final film.

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Goofs

The (hanging) camera tracks backward, turning 180 degrees as it goes down a staircase, before going out through the front door. As it passes through an internal doorway within Rusk's house, the door frame can be seen sliding back into place after (presumably) sliding out of the way to let the camera pass through it.

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Quotes

Richard Blaney: [entering hotel room with Babs] The "Cupid Room", I think she called it.
Hotel Porter: Mmm, love's little arrows have struck quite a few hearts in there, sir, I can tell you.
Richard Blaney: Oh yeah?
Hotel Porter: [confidentially] Can I get you anything from the pharmacy, sir?
Richard Blaney: No thank you.

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Crazy Credits

The Universal Pictures logo does not appear on this film.

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Connections

Spoofed in High Anxiety (1977)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

His Type of Woman

In London, a serial-killer is raping women and then strangling them with a neck tie. When the reckless and low-class with bad temper bartender Richard Blaney (Jon Finch) is fired from the pub Global Public House by the manager Felix Forsythe (Bernard Cribbins), he decides to visit his ex-wife Brenda (Barbara Leigh-Hunt), who owns a successful marriage agency. Her secretary Miss Barling (Jean Marsh) overhears an argument of the couple, and Brenda invites Richard to have dinner with her in a fancy restaurant. Then she put some money in his overcoat and does not tell him to avoid his embarrassment with the situation. Meanwhile Richard's friend Bob Rusk (Barry Foster) visits Brenda in her office, rapes her and kills her with his neck tie. When Richard finds the money in his pocket, he visits Brenda but finds the agency closed; then he goes with his girlfriend Babs Milligan (Anna Massey) to an expensive hotel. Miss Barling sees Richard leaving the building and finds her boss strangled; she calls the New Scotland Yard and Richard becomes the prime suspect. When Bob kills Babs, he frames Richard that is arrested and sentenced to life. But the Chief Inspector Oxford (Alec McCowen) that was in charge of the investigation is not absolutely sure that Richard is the serial-killer.

"Frenzy" is a dark thriller of Alfred Hitchcock about an impotent man that strangles women after raping them. There are powerful moments, like for example the rape of Breda, blended with funny sequences, like the dinners of Inspector Oxford with his wife, who is intuitive and aspirant chef, or the speech of a politician in the very beginning, or Bob in trouble with the corpse in the truck transporting potatoes. The acting is excellent and the camera work is wonderful, with long shots, like for example when Babs enter in Bob's apartment, associated to a disturbing silence. This time, the cameo of Alfred Hitchcock is in the crowd twice in the beginning of the film wearing a hat. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Frenesi" ("Frenzy")