Synopsis:
A serial killer (Rod Steiger) uses a variety of disguises to kill middle-aged women across New York while playing cat-and-mouse with a detective (George Segal) whose overbearing mother (Eileen Heckart) and new girlfriend (Lee Remick) keep him otherwise occupied.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Cat and Mouse
• Detectives and Private Eyes
• George Segal Films
• Lee Remick Films
• Rod Steiger Films
• Serial Killers

Review:
Shortly after his Oscar-winning turn in In the Heat of the Night (1967), Rod Steiger starred in this adaptation of William Goldman’s novel, itself loosely based on an article about the Boston Strangler. The storyline is decidedly formulaic in its — well, formula of repeatedly showing Steiger dressed up in an outlandish costume and sporting a convincing accent while stealthily killing a gullible woman, then calling Segal to brag about his deed. He impersonates an Irish priest:

… a German plumber:

… an effeminate wig seller:

… a police detective (nice nod to Chief Gillespie):

… a cross-dressing woman in a bar:

… and a waiter.

Meanwhile, interspersed between these murders and follow-up phone calls, we see Segal henpecked by his Jewish mother:

… and romancing Remick, who very conveniently falls for him and thus serves as gorgeous eye candy throughout. (Her character is too good to be true.)

There are plenty of cringe-worthy moments throughout the screenplay — including all scenes between Segal and Heckart (though her fans will likely be happy); the appearance of a dwarf (Michael Dunn) who insists he is the killer and takes offense when he’s not believed:

… and Steiger’s caricatures of a gay man and a trans woman (though I suppose those could be explained as his own character’s poor acting choices). While nothing about this storyline is particularly surprising, viewers who enjoy a straightforward whodunit filled with plenty of complex disguises will likely appreciate it. Watch for Barbara Baxley and Doris Roberts as two sisters who manage to escape Steiger’s clutches.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Fine location shooting throughout New York
  
• Jack Priestly’s cinematography
  
  

Must See?
No. Listed as a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Spinning Image Review
• NY Times Original Review
• DVD Savant Review