To be avoided as surely as a stranger who appears at your door and identifies himself as a plumber whom you have not called.

The Boston Strangler requires a judgment not only on the quality of the film (very good), but also on its moral and ethical implications.

Cinematographer Kline and editor Rothman use split screens and transitions to keep the first half of the film moving. Curtis gets the back half and, while he's compelling, the film slows down greatly.

The first -- and, surprisingly, more interesting -- section focuses on the efforts of the law (represented mainly by Henry Fonda’s straight arrow) to find this madman.