Introduction
‘The Deliberate Stranger’ is a movie that tells the story of the serial killer Ted Bundy, who is known for committing over thirty murders in seven states across the US and avoiding being caught for years. Some speculate that the actual number of crimes is even higher. This essay will analyze the representation of Ted Bundy in the movie with an accent on the plot development, the depiction of Bundy, and the legal issues raised by the Bundy case.
The general plot of the movie
The movie opens and closes with the narration of the journalist Richard Larson who tells the story of Bundy’s investigation. The character is an important part of the movie, as, with time, the journalist’s perception of Bundy changes from disbelief in his bad deeds to acceptance of Bundy’s crimes. During the film, Bundy murders young women in the states of Washington, Utah, Colorado, and Florida, often kidnapping his victims after pretending to be injured and luring them to his car. Once the women are inside the vehicle, Bundy uses handcuffs to secure them and a crowbar to kill them. Both items subsequently are found in his car and used as evidence at his trial, with the protagonist explaining that he has once used the handcuffs to immobilize a thief before the police arrival. Upon killing the women, Bundy buries their bodies, ensuring no traces remain.
Bundy’s arrest
While several women escape Bundy, Susan Delgato plays a major role in Bundy’s arrest, since she identifies him in a lineup. The woman is picked up by Bundy pretending to be a police officer, who later tries to stop her from leaving his car by using handcuffs and a gun. Once Delgato escapes, the killer is frustrated by his failure. Subsequently, Bundy is caught by the police three times while driving; the first time, he is arrested for trying to escape the police, the second time – for driving under the influence, and the third time – for stealing a car. After each arrest, the criminal remains calm and in control, insisting that he is innocent and challenging the authorities. Moreover, Bundy manages to escape the custody twice by jumping out of a window and climbing through an opening in his cell’s ceiling. When arrested for the last time, the protagonist tells the police officer “I wish you’d killed me” (The Deliberate Stranger), realizing that he will be sentenced to death for his crimes.
Depiction of Bundy as a sociopath
Bundy is diagnosed with Anti-Social Personality Disorder and behaves accordingly. On the surface, he appears well-adjusted, charismatic, and likable, yet it is later revealed that he enjoys inflicting pain and has no conscience. According to the movie, Bundy is affected by complicated relationships in his family, but it remains unmentioned that his grandfather, Samuel Cowell, was a violent man who frequently beat his wife and tortured animals. Young Bundy was likely to learn from his grandfather to treat others with no concern for their wellbeing. In his later years, the criminal married Carole Ann Boone and presumably had a daughter, Rose Bundy, although he did not participate in her upbringing. Both his wife and his daughter had to change their surnames to avoid the association with the serial killer.
The legal side of the Bundy case
The movie raises such legal issues as cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the use of circumstantial evidence. The Bundy’s case was investigated by the local police of each state who did not wish to cooperate with each other due to the perceived lack of connection between various murders. Thus, the investigation was significantly delayed, causing unnecessary deaths. Today, the agencies can cooperate with each other when it is required. Similarly, some changes have been made to the interpretation of forensic evidence. In the movie, the court’s decision is primarily based on hair samples found in Bundy’s vacuum cleaner, while some of his victims are identified through their dental records. Nowadays, the legal system acknowledges that such evidence might be inaccurate and favors the combined use of circumstantial and direct evidence.
Conclusion
Due to the censorship restrictions, many violent scenes are omitted from the movie. While the film somehow obscures the nature of Bundy’s crimes, it brings attention to the psychological peculiarities of his character. Overall, the movie provides a gripping and accurate depiction of Bundy as a sociopath.
Work Cited
The Deliberate Stranger. Directed by Marvin J. Chomsky, performances by Mark Harmon, Frederic Forrest, George Grizzard, and Ben Masters, Warner Bros., 1986.