In 1949 10 Rillington Place is the home of John Christie (Richard Attenborough) and his wife, Ethel (Pat Heywood). They live on the ground floor. John Christie is a serial killer. On the second floor is a man who has been in hospital for some time. The third floor is rented by Tim and Beryl Evans (John Hurt and Judy Geeson), and their infant daughter, Geraldine (Miss Riley). Tim is an uneducated man and is unable to read and write.
Tim and Beryl have fallen on hard times. Beryl is pregnant with their second child. Knowing that they can’t afford to have another baby, Beryl reaches out to her friend Alice (Isobel Black). Beryl takes some pills hoping to miscarry, but the pills don’t work. When Tim finds out about the attempted abortion he isn’t happy, but he realizes that another child would be their downfall. Beryl mentions to Christie about the pregnancy and her attempt to get rid of the baby. He tells her that he was taking medical courses during the war and assisted doctors in various procedures. He then tells her that he can do the abortion for her. She agrees and tells Tim.
The next day Christie sends his wife out on an errand and goes up to the Evans’ apartment on the pretense of giving Beryl an abortion. He strangles her and rapes her. When Tim gets home, he tells him that Beryl died from complications due to the abortion. He then convinces Tim that, should the authorities find out that Beryl is dead, he would be considered an accomplice. Christie tells Tim that he should leave town for a while and tell everyone that Beryl went to see relatives. He also tells Tim that he knows of a family who is childless and will take Geraldine to raise as their own. Tim again reluctantly agrees and goes to stay with his aunt and uncle. Christie strangles Geraldine and hides both bodies in the wash house.
Eventually Tim is so guilt ridden about Beryl that he goes to the local police station and confesses to the botched abortion and that Beryl has been put in the sewer. Tim isn’t aware that Christie has been lying to him all the while and that Christie may get away with two murders by framing him.
“10 Rillington Place” was released in 1971 and was directed by Richard Fleischer. It is a British true crime thriller. The film was based on the book by Ludovic Kennedy which in turn was based on a true-life serial killer, John Christie.
John Reginald Halliday Christie was a serial killer, rapist, and necrophiliac who killed at least 8 people by strangulation in the 40’s and early 50’s. Three of his victims were found in a covered alcove, two in the garden and one, his wife, under the floorboards. Christie eventually confessed to all his crimes except the baby, Geraldine. Timothy Evans was cleared of the murders of his wife and child posthumously.
Over the years the events that occurred at 10 Rillington Place, and its inhabitants, have been scrutinized by journalists and filmmakers. Many misconceptions concerning the murders, Christie, and even Tim Evans have been brought to light. How much is true and how much is not is still up for debate. Questions still go unanswered.