The Boston Strangler (film) and prosecution of De Salvo." The Boston Strangler (film) The Boston Strangler is a 1968 American neo-noir film loosely based on the true story of the Boston Strangler and the book by Gerold Frank. It was directed by Richard Fleischer, and stars Tony Curtis as Albert DeSalvo, the strangler, and Henry Fonda as John S. Bottomly, the chief detective who came to fame for obtaining DeSalvo's confession. Curtis was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his performance. The cast also featured George Kennedy and the film debut of Sally Kellerman. After three murders of elderly women, with all victims
The Boston Strangler (film) pair soon target him as a prime suspect for the Boston Strangler murders. Conventional interrogation is ineffective because the treating physician theorizes that DeSalvo suffers from a split personality: he has two identities that are unaware of each other. His "normal" personality fabricates memories in place of the memories of murder committed by the "strangler" personality. The treating physician theorizes that DeSalvo could be made to confront the facts but that the shock risks putting him in a catatonic state. Bottomly expresses the opinion that it would be the second-best thing to a conviction. Under the condition, imposed by DeSalvo's