The Gray Man

Peacock Films

R4 DVD

Albert Fish was probably America’s first serial killer of the 20th century. He preyed on children and sometimes ate them. This film gives an idea of what an evil twisted person he was and the hunt to track him down.

We start with a scene in an orphanage where a young Albert is sadistically beaten while being told what an evil child he is. It must have made a major impression on his psyche because self-flagellation became a “hobby” later in his life. He is also depicted in the film as having a personal ghost, a version of his younger self, who says nothing but reminds him constantly of those earlier days.

Now he is an elderly man. His wife left him years ago and he brought up his family by himself. He has a nasty habit. He keeps trying to pick up children but when their parents refuse to let him take them to the movies or whatever excuse he has dreamed up he turns vicious and writes the parents the most filthy and vitriolic letters. One son and a daughter are aware of this. The son knows there is something really strange about his father but the daughter will hear nothing against him.

As the story starts to move Albert has just been evicted from another rented room after writing his landlady one of his letters – she wouldn’t let him take her son to the movies. A Boy Scout is found slaughtered and with pieces of his flesh missing. The case is given to Homicide. A new detective, Will King, has just joined the Missing Persons department and takes an interest in the case. He is trained in the new techniques of handwriting analysis and fingerprinting so the head of the Department gives him a chance in spite of King’s previous record of never really finishing anything he started. King’s successes have gradually earn him the respect of the rest of Missing Persons.

Fish has befriended a family, the Budds, with a promise of jobs for their boys. He has also befriended their young daughter Grace and one day he invites Grace to accompany him to his niece’s birthday party. Grace is never seen again and Missing Persons is called in. Unfortunately Mrs Budd revels somewhat in the publicity and twice identifies “Mr Howard” incorrectly. The Police must arrest each suspect he has named but her wrong identifications is giving them a bad name. The case languishes for four years. Detective King, who has become obsessed with the case, suffers a minor breakdown. While he is in hospital he is reviewing the files on the case.

Fish cannot break his old habits and he sends a gloating letter to the Budds describing what he did to their daughter. Mrs Budd has had a habit of opening all the mail even though she can’t read, but in the process destroying any useful fingerprints. This time her son grabs the letter in time and takes it to Detective King. It could be the breakthrough he is looking for.

From here the case becomes one of dogged detective work. Tracking down Fish is not easy. He moves around a lot and is so ordinary he doesn’t stand out in a crowd, but the Police must find him before there is another disappearance.

Patrick Bauchau plays Fish perfectly. His gentle manners, his tortured flagellation, even his attempts at convincing his doting daughter that he is innocent are well portrayed. The period look of the film is well done. It has been compared to Hannibal Lecter but they have nothing much in common - Fish was simply a totally deranged man who lived a quiet life but harboured some really strange and evil personality twists. The film doesn’t include much of the blood and gore that could so easily have slipped in. It is simply a good detective story about a dreadful man.

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This review will appear in Volume 3 No. 4 of the digital and print edition of Synergy Magazine.

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