This is the one film that deflects some attention from 'Jack the Ripper' occasionally, within the genre of flicks on serial killers.
It focuses on the murders of John Reginald Halliday Christie at his notorious 'House of Horrors', which has become synonomous with the address in our minds, in 1940's-50's Notting Hill, West London.
A pathetic character , Christie, played by Richard Attenborough, has an air of the respectable neighbourly clerk, when in fact at the start of the film, we can see him burying bodies - the result of his sex-crazed killings, in the back garden.
Yet this story does not end there. Christie takes in married couple, Timothy and Beryl Evans and their 14-month old daughter, Jeraldine (This is actually the way they spelled her name). Both young and naive, they are taken in by Christie's authoritative demeanour. So much so, that when Beryl announces she's pregnant, and she and Tim aren't keen on another baby, Christie informs them both that he's had experience of 'terminations' during his wartime reserve constable status (Of course, he's had no such thing) and beckons to Beryl to let him help her. Tim, although not keen finally relents after being worn down, Christie-style, with his worldwise 'older head' routine.
The world of the then illegal, at least, abortion is the Evans' downfall. Beryl is gassed by Christie's home-made concoction of liquid, tied up to the poisonous mains gas supply (Christie assured his rightly nervous victims it was a necessary compound to work with the liquid). Christie then strangles and rapes her necrophile-style. Christie informs Evans the 'operation' went wrong, talks Evans into covering the whole thing up, never mind his grief, and informs him he knows of a couple who can take the baby for a while, Evans believing he can have Jeraldine back when things may smooth over.
Evans though, to Christie's dismay, confesses to the police he's 'disposed of his wife'. But Evans is the one held responsible for her 'murder' (Not knowing about a new revelation with his daughter though) when Beryl's body and that of Jeraldine are both found by police search in the back washhouse, BOTH strangled. Evans is charged with both murders.
When going to trial, Christie takes the stand against Evans, after the latter's defence lawyer states Christie has blame here or knows more than he lets on. However, the cunning Christie, an ex-special reserve constable, impresses in the witness stand. Evan's past though is unfolding. (Regarding treatment of Beryl, of physical abuse/fights and rows, known to the whole neighbourhood (And according to the book, by Ludovic Kennedy, of the same title) not helped by the lacklustre police investigation, and Evans countlessly retracting his confessions, confused and bumbling, known also to fantasise about himself and his unfounded achievements). He's found guilty by the jury and sentenced to death.
The film follows through to Christie's near-miss with conviction. But is he finished with his wicked ways? No. His urge to kill seems to prompt him to kill his wife, Ethel, to get her out of he way, or it may be because she has finally tumbled him - a line from her after Evans' death, in the film "I know where you should be - you know what I mean." may explain why he did this - there was no evidence of sexual necrophilia in her instance, in the case. We next see him shifting her body, under the floorboards. His murderous spree can now continue, and that's what it becomes.
The near-final scene where some tenants arrive to Christie's now-vacated ground floor flat, and tap on what appears to be a hollow wall, is a very grisly and effective part of the film, as it happened for real.
The tenant peels back some wallpaper covering over an alcove, shines a torch and finds the bodies of three women, trussed-up. Horrified, he informs the police and a manhunt is on for Christie. He's finally caught at Putney Bridge, walking aimlessly and giving himself up to the policeman who's spotted him.
The film captures the austere wartime and postwar image of London, not least the squalid cul-de-sac in 'Rotting Hill' as it was once known (Now the most fashionable and one of the most expensive parts of London). It also focuses on the unlawful world of abortions, and a time when you supposedly COULD trust your neighbour - in those days, women probably wouldn't think anything of going back to a man's house to help cure a chest infection - as one of Christie's victims was drawn in by! It naturally opened up questions that the wrong man, Evans had been hung by mistake. Curiously though, although there's a scene where after Evans flits, Christie is seen walking up the stairs with a tie, then mentioning Evans has 'killed the baby' - Christie never confessed to this killing (Because in the end, he'd confessed to the women's killings) though of course it's more probable he did do it - why didn't he confess to that when he was going to the gallows anyway? Some writers actually believe Evans was guilty of this murder or that of his wife, whatever the posthumous pardon may state, that was given for the murder of his baby.
This debate goes on to today and helped along the abolition of the death penalty in the UK.
A fine, grisly atmospheric film, portrayed well by Richard Attenborough as Christie, John Hurt as Evans, Judy Geeson as Beryl and Pat Heywood as Ethel Christie.
It focuses on the murders of John Reginald Halliday Christie at his notorious 'House of Horrors', which has become synonomous with the address in our minds, in 1940's-50's Notting Hill, West London.
A pathetic character , Christie, played by Richard Attenborough, has an air of the respectable neighbourly clerk, when in fact at the start of the film, we can see him burying bodies - the result of his sex-crazed killings, in the back garden.
Yet this story does not end there. Christie takes in married couple, Timothy and Beryl Evans and their 14-month old daughter, Jeraldine (This is actually the way they spelled her name). Both young and naive, they are taken in by Christie's authoritative demeanour. So much so, that when Beryl announces she's pregnant, and she and Tim aren't keen on another baby, Christie informs them both that he's had experience of 'terminations' during his wartime reserve constable status (Of course, he's had no such thing) and beckons to Beryl to let him help her. Tim, although not keen finally relents after being worn down, Christie-style, with his worldwise 'older head' routine.
The world of the then illegal, at least, abortion is the Evans' downfall. Beryl is gassed by Christie's home-made concoction of liquid, tied up to the poisonous mains gas supply (Christie assured his rightly nervous victims it was a necessary compound to work with the liquid). Christie then strangles and rapes her necrophile-style. Christie informs Evans the 'operation' went wrong, talks Evans into covering the whole thing up, never mind his grief, and informs him he knows of a couple who can take the baby for a while, Evans believing he can have Jeraldine back when things may smooth over.
Evans though, to Christie's dismay, confesses to the police he's 'disposed of his wife'. But Evans is the one held responsible for her 'murder' (Not knowing about a new revelation with his daughter though) when Beryl's body and that of Jeraldine are both found by police search in the back washhouse, BOTH strangled. Evans is charged with both murders.
When going to trial, Christie takes the stand against Evans, after the latter's defence lawyer states Christie has blame here or knows more than he lets on. However, the cunning Christie, an ex-special reserve constable, impresses in the witness stand. Evan's past though is unfolding. (Regarding treatment of Beryl, of physical abuse/fights and rows, known to the whole neighbourhood (And according to the book, by Ludovic Kennedy, of the same title) not helped by the lacklustre police investigation, and Evans countlessly retracting his confessions, confused and bumbling, known also to fantasise about himself and his unfounded achievements). He's found guilty by the jury and sentenced to death.
The film follows through to Christie's near-miss with conviction. But is he finished with his wicked ways? No. His urge to kill seems to prompt him to kill his wife, Ethel, to get her out of he way, or it may be because she has finally tumbled him - a line from her after Evans' death, in the film "I know where you should be - you know what I mean." may explain why he did this - there was no evidence of sexual necrophilia in her instance, in the case. We next see him shifting her body, under the floorboards. His murderous spree can now continue, and that's what it becomes.
The near-final scene where some tenants arrive to Christie's now-vacated ground floor flat, and tap on what appears to be a hollow wall, is a very grisly and effective part of the film, as it happened for real.
The tenant peels back some wallpaper covering over an alcove, shines a torch and finds the bodies of three women, trussed-up. Horrified, he informs the police and a manhunt is on for Christie. He's finally caught at Putney Bridge, walking aimlessly and giving himself up to the policeman who's spotted him.
The film captures the austere wartime and postwar image of London, not least the squalid cul-de-sac in 'Rotting Hill' as it was once known (Now the most fashionable and one of the most expensive parts of London). It also focuses on the unlawful world of abortions, and a time when you supposedly COULD trust your neighbour - in those days, women probably wouldn't think anything of going back to a man's house to help cure a chest infection - as one of Christie's victims was drawn in by! It naturally opened up questions that the wrong man, Evans had been hung by mistake. Curiously though, although there's a scene where after Evans flits, Christie is seen walking up the stairs with a tie, then mentioning Evans has 'killed the baby' - Christie never confessed to this killing (Because in the end, he'd confessed to the women's killings) though of course it's more probable he did do it - why didn't he confess to that when he was going to the gallows anyway? Some writers actually believe Evans was guilty of this murder or that of his wife, whatever the posthumous pardon may state, that was given for the murder of his baby.
This debate goes on to today and helped along the abolition of the death penalty in the UK.
A fine, grisly atmospheric film, portrayed well by Richard Attenborough as Christie, John Hurt as Evans, Judy Geeson as Beryl and Pat Heywood as Ethel Christie.