This gripping crime drama charts the killing spree which Donald Neilson – aka the Black Panther – perpetrated across England during the mid-70s, including the murder of three men during robberies of small sub-post offices in 1974 and culminating in the kidnapping and death in a drainage shaft of 17-year old heiress Lesley Whittle in January 1975.
Told with meticulous accuracy and refraining from any measure of sensationalism, this is a fascinating, disturbing film.
Neilson was played by Donald Sumpter and Lesley Whittle by 19-year-old repertory actress Debbie Farrington.
Although subsequently acclaimed for being a mature and responsible reconstruction of events, the film caused such a huge media controversy on its initial release in the UK in 1977 – amid claims that it was a sordid exploitation film – that many local councils banned the film sight unseen and it was pulled from distribution shortly after its release.
Donald Neilson
Donald Sumpter Lesley Whittle
Debbie Farrington Neilson’s Wife
Marjorie Yates Neilson’s Daughter
Sylvia O’Donnell Lesley’s Brother
Andrew Burt Lesley’s Sister-in-Law
Alison Key Lesley’s Mother
Ruth Dunning Det. Chief Superintendent
David Swift
Director
Ian Merrick
Video
You May Also Like
Boys From Brazil, The (1978) The film begins in Paraguay, where a resourceful young American Jew, Barry Kohler (Steve Guttenberg), tracks…
Blacula (1972) 1972 was a big year for Blaxploitation movies (also seeing the release of Superfly and Barry Shear's Across 110th…
Burke & Hare (1972) This lighthearted and bawdy British film recreates a true story about William Burke (Derren Nesbitt) and…
Boston Strangler, The (1968) This is a suspenseful and - faint-hearted viewers take note - often disturbing re-creation of the…
Buster and Billie (1974) Georgia, 1948. Backward Billie (Joan Goodfellow) - who has been constantly abused by young men of…
Bell, Book and Candle (1958) Based on John Van Druten's hit play, this adroit romantic comedy stars Kim Novak as Gil Holroyd…
Big Sleep, The (1978) An ITC/ATV movie directed by Michael Winner and based on the Raymond Chandler novel - but…
Bus Riley's Back in Town (1965) As Bus Riley, Michael Parks shuffles and mumbles his way through this small-town melodrama. He's a…
Told with meticulous accuracy and refraining from any measure of sensationalism, this is a fascinating, disturbing film.
Donald Neilson
