This is the horrifying true account of John Reginald Christie, whose crimes and subsequent trial summarily ended capital punishment in Britain. After savagely murdering a woman and her newborn baby, Christie was able to convince a jury that the woman's husband was the actual perpetrator. Years later, Christie admitted his guilt and a shocked nation learned an innocent man had been put to death.

London, 1944. John Reginald Christie (Richard Attenborough) is digging in his backyard when he comes across a woman's leg. Unfazed, he covers up the leg and continues to bury the woman he just strangled in his kitchen. Three years later, Timothy Evans (John Hurt), along with his wife, Beryl Evans (Judy Geeson), and their baby, rents an apartment in the same decrepit building--10 RILLINGTON PLACE. The young couple struggles to live on Timothy's minuscule pay while Christie insidiously inserts himself into their lives. He manipulates the pregnant Beryl and the illiterate Timothy until they believe he will perform an abortion on Beryl. However, Christie has other plans...

This chilling account of the notorious Timothy Evans case is the fourth in director Richard Fleischer's series of movies based on real-life murder cases, following THE GIRL IN THE RED VELVET SWING, COMPULSION, and THE BOSTON STRANGLER. Fleischer makes potent use of his unnerving, off-kilter camera set-ups in the cramped interiors of 10 RILLINGTON PLACE. Hurt gives a fine performance as the simple Timothy, and Attenborough is riveting as the unctuous and manipulative Christie.