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.
Direction
The market chase — pure Hitchcock economy.
Acting
Barry Foster's grotesque charm; you almost root for him.
Writing
Mrs. Oxford's dinner monologues — domestic horror comedy.
Director
Alfred Hitchcock
Jon Finch
Richard Ian "Dick" Blaney
Barry Foster
Robert "Bob" Rusk
Barbara Leigh-Hunt
Brenda Margaret Blaney
Anna Massey
Barbara Jane "Babs" Milligan
Alec McCowen
DCI Tim Oxford
Vivien Merchant
Mrs Oxford
Billie Whitelaw
Hetty Porter
Clive Swift
Johnny Porter
Bernard Cribbins
Felix Forsythe
Michael Bates
DS Spearman
Jean Marsh
Monica Barling
George Tovey
Neville Salt
Elsie Randolph
Gladys
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was Hitchcock's second-to-last film and his first 'R' rating — he deliberately pushed boundaries after decades of censorship battles.
The Covent Garden location wasn't nostalgic; Hitchcock's father was a greengrocer there, making this his most personal London film.
GB
