True Crime Movies

[Captain Hook]

Hello Jeff,

If I remember correctly, the Richelieu played by Vincent Price in the Gene Kelly - Lana Turner The Three Musketeers was not a Cardinal. I think there was pressure from the Church to make the character a civilian, as it were.

Best,
Hook

[Mayerling]

Hi Hook,

I did not notice that when I saw the film...besides historically Richelieu was first a Bishop, then a Cardinal.

The George Arliss performance in CARDINAL RICHELIEU is based on the old play by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, which was a chestnut role for stage stars in the 19th Century (Edwin Booth appeared in it). It's big moment, which is in the film (I'm glad to say) was "the curse of Rome" scene, where a briefly trounced Richelieu (Arliss) warns his enemies (the mother of the King and her second son Gaston) not to touch him or face the wrath of the Holy See. It's one of the few times that type of 19th Century highpoint appeared in modern films. The plot, by the way, combined the Affaire of Ste. Mars. in 1642 with the "day of the Dupes" in 1630 (I think).

Here are a few others:

Death of a Soldier (James Coburn) - the Melbourne Darkout Murders of 1942 leading to the execution of Private Eddie Leonowski (I think that's his name).

Mania - (Peter Cushing, George Rose, Donald Pleasance) - a fairly good retelling of the West Port Murders of 1828. Cushing is Dr. Knox (naturally),
Rose is Burke and Pleasance is Hare.

Lizzie Borden (Elizabeth Montgomery, Fritz Weaver) - a television film about the Fall River tragedy (Weaver was Andrew Jackson Borden).

All The King's Men (Broderick Crawford, Mercedes Macambridge, John Ireland, John Derek; Robert Rossen, Director)
A Lion is in the Streets (James Cagney)
The Life and Death of "the Kingfish" (Ed Asner)
There was a fourth television film with John Goodman - all of these, of course, dealing with the career (fictionalized or not) of Governor/Senator Huey Pierce Long, up to his assassination (or accidental shooting).

Jeff

[Rob Clack]

Mania - (Peter Cushing, George Rose, Donald Pleasance) - a fairly good retelling of the West Port Murders of 1828. Cushing is Dr. Knox (naturally),
Rose is Burke and Pleasance is Hare.

This films original title was 'The Flesh and the Fiends' and was released a few years back on DVD by Image in a very impressive widescreen version which included the original UK cut of the film plus a the European version which had added scenes of nudity and violence.
Timothy Dalton appeared in 'The Doctor and the Devils' based on the same events.

Another true crime movie I like is 'The Siege of Sidney Street' based on the Houndsditch Murders and the Siege of Sidney Street from 1910 and 1911 and the Tottenham Outrage from 1909 is also thrown in for good measure.

Rob

[sdreid]

I forget the exact number but I think there were 6 or 7 films based on Burke and Hare. A while back, I listed them but I believe the crash sent them to an alternate universe.

I have them around here somewhere in my personal archives.

[sdreid]

I wonder why the Radcliffe Highway Murders haven't been covered in a movie or have they? It would seem an interesting topic.

I've read and enjoyed The Maul and the Pear Tree.

[sdreid]

I watched the new Son of Sam last night, not that I expected much. It's hard to believe that a worse production about the case could be made than Summer of Sam but mission accomplished.

[sdreid]

Top 25:

25-Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986-U.S.-2:17) Loosely based on murderers Lucas/Toole

24-The Legend of Lizzie Borden (1975-U.S.-1:40) Murders of Mr. and Mrs. Borden

23-The Elegant Criminal [L' Elegant Criminel] (1990-Fr.-2:05) Murders by Pierre Lacenaire

22-The Case of Charles Peace (1949-U.K.-1:20) Case of the English killer in black and white

21-Cause Celebre (1987-U.K.-1:49) The Rattenbury murder case

No sign of any Ripper movies anywhere near.

[sdreid]

The film, The Strangers, says at the beginning that it's inspired by true events. Most I've read says that those events were the Cabin 28 murders but a few have likened it to Manson. At any rate, I recommend it. As the director says in the DVD extra, it's more of a suspense than a horror movie although there are some horror elements in it.

[RJM]

A film I quite enjoyed is Der Totmacher (1995), about 1920s German serial killer Fritz Haarmann. Götz George's performance really got under my skin.

Robert

[sdreid]

I see there's a film in the works entitled The Monster of Florence. Tom Cruise is supposedly in negotiations for the lead in this movie about the Italian case. It's due out in 2011 so make your plans.

[sdreid]

Top 30:

30-Bonnie and Clyde (1967-U.S.-1:52) Murders and robberies of the Parker/Barrow gang

29-Zodiac (2007-U.S.-2:38) California's Zodiac Killer

28-Heavenly Creatures (1994-U.K.-1:48) N.Z. murder by Parker and Hume

27-Citizen X (1995-U.S.-1:45) Serial killer Andrei Chikatilo

26-Mobsters (1991-U.S.-1:44) Murders and rise of Luciano, Lansky, Costello and Siegel

[sdreid]

Thrilling 35:

35-Ed Gein (2001-U.S.-1:28) The same said Wisconsin serial killer

34-The Black Panther (1977-U.K.-1:30) British arch-criminal Donald Neilson

33-Swoon (1991-U.S.-1:35) Black and white rendition of Leopold and Loeb

32-The Deadly Tower (1975-U.S.-1:33) Charles Whitman's murder spree

31-In Broad Daylight (1991-U.S.-1:30) Unsolved murder of town bully Ken Rex McElroy

Second Ed Gein movie already but still no JtR

[sdreid]

Fantastic 40:

40-The Zodiac (2005-U.S.-1:37) Another version on California's Zodiac Killer

39-Pandora's Box [Die Buchse der Pandora] (1928-Gr.-1:50) Silent, black & white JtR

38-The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976-U.S.-1:30) Texarkana Phantom Killer

37-M (1931-Gr.-1:20) Supposedly inspired by Peter Kurten in black and white

36-Fool's Gold (1992-U.K.-1:37) Murder and the Brink's-Mat robbery

Finally a Ripper flick!

[sdreid]

Fabulous 45:

45-The Executioner's Song (1982-U.S.-2:37) Gary Gilmore's murders and aftermath

44-Monster (2003-U.S.-1:51) Killer Aileen Wuornos

43-Kalifornia (1993-U.S.-1:57) Supposedly inspired by Starkweather and Fugate

42-Double Indemnity (1944-U.S.-1:47) Reportedly inspired by killers Ruth Snyder and Judd Gray in black and white

41-The Doctor and the Devils (1985-U.K.-1:33) Killers Burke and Hare

Unless otherwise noted, all films are English language and in color with sound.

[Paddy Goose]

34-The Black Panther (1977-U.K.-1:30)

I thought it was Pink.