IMDb RATING
7.0/10
2.6K
YOUR RATING
A crafty serial killer plays a game of cat-and-mouse with a harried police detective trying to track him down.A crafty serial killer plays a game of cat-and-mouse with a harried police detective trying to track him down.A crafty serial killer plays a game of cat-and-mouse with a harried police detective trying to track him down.
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 1 win & 1 nomination total
Tom Ahearne
- Father O'Brien
- (uncredited)
Louis Basile
- Customer
- (uncredited)
R. Bernard
- Indignant Man
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe morning after the first murder, Steiger checks the newspapers for coverage. The back page of the New York Daily News reveals that the Philadelphia Phillies edged the New York Mets 6 to 5 and that the Kansas City Athletics shut out the New York Yankees 2 to 0. The edition of the paper Steiger is reading is therefore from Thursday, June 29, 1967.
- GoofsWhen reading about his first crime, Gill picks up a copy of the New York Times. In subsequent shots, the paper has changed to the Daily News.
- Quotes
Mrs. Brummel: I am sickened at heart when my own son goes looking at dead women's naked bodies. I tell you Morris, it is no way to treat a lady.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 74th Annual Academy Awards (2002)
Featured review
Predator And Prey
Watching serial killer Christopher Gill (Rod Steiger) trying to enlist the trust of his prospective victims is what makes this film really interesting. Once these babes in the Manhattan woods let down their guard, then ... pounce. And like some deep-sea predator that changes its color or its shape to suit the needs of its prey, Gill changes his disguise from Irish priest to plumber to eccentric hair stylist to waiter, to suit the needs and desires of his selected middle aged female targets.
Gill is a loner, but he still needs human contact. So, between killings, he engages in a phone dialogue with detective Morris Brummel (played well by George Segal). Gill also checks the newspapers frequently, to verify that his killings get noticed by the police and by society in general. The film is thus a character study of a fictional psychopath. But the characterization is consistent with expert profiling of the generalized needs and motivations of real life serial killers.
Indeed, some researchers have speculated that the infamous Zodiac killer "may" have studied this film. In some ways, Gill's modus operandi is similar to that of the Zodiac who was known to be a movie buff. Further, the killings in the San Francisco Bay Area premiered just a couple of years after this film came out.
Quite aside from its possible historical significance, the film is very well made. It conveys a well-written script, good cinematography, attention to detail in costumes and production design, effective pacing and editing. The background music at the film's beginning and end is beautifully haunting, and lends a tone of sadness, and therefore emotional depth, to the story. And, of course, Steiger's performance is so good that it alone makes the film worth watching. The only downside is Morris Brummel's nagging mother who quickly becomes grating and irritating.
That this film has been largely forgotten is unfortunate. But it is available on DVD, and therefore can be seen by anyone who appreciates good movies.
Gill is a loner, but he still needs human contact. So, between killings, he engages in a phone dialogue with detective Morris Brummel (played well by George Segal). Gill also checks the newspapers frequently, to verify that his killings get noticed by the police and by society in general. The film is thus a character study of a fictional psychopath. But the characterization is consistent with expert profiling of the generalized needs and motivations of real life serial killers.
Indeed, some researchers have speculated that the infamous Zodiac killer "may" have studied this film. In some ways, Gill's modus operandi is similar to that of the Zodiac who was known to be a movie buff. Further, the killings in the San Francisco Bay Area premiered just a couple of years after this film came out.
Quite aside from its possible historical significance, the film is very well made. It conveys a well-written script, good cinematography, attention to detail in costumes and production design, effective pacing and editing. The background music at the film's beginning and end is beautifully haunting, and lends a tone of sadness, and therefore emotional depth, to the story. And, of course, Steiger's performance is so good that it alone makes the film worth watching. The only downside is Morris Brummel's nagging mother who quickly becomes grating and irritating.
That this film has been largely forgotten is unfortunate. But it is available on DVD, and therefore can be seen by anyone who appreciates good movies.
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- Lechuguilla
- Nov 19, 2005
- How long is No Way to Treat a Lady?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Ne zlostavljajte damu
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 48 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1(original ratio)
- 1.85 : 1
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Top Gap
By what name was No Way to Treat a Lady (1968) officially released in India in English?
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