MovieChat Forums > The Lodger (1944) Discussion > 'What have I done??'

'What have I done??'

posted 15 years ago by Mr_McLaurel
3 replies | jump to latest

There's a scene in this movie where Mr. Slade finds a note left for him inviting him to the theater by Kitty. He picks it up and reads it, and for a moment I thought maybe he was going to have some sort of change of heart. Turns out he's waaaay too insane for that - but it made me wonder: Has there ever been a case of a serial killer taking 2 or 3 victims, having a crisis of conscience, and then stopping? I suppose most of them are too compulsive for this to really happen, but this movie made me wonder.

What's the Spanish for drunken bum?

[–] bravehome 15 years ago

Interestingly, some research done on one of the suspects (a Dr. Robert D'Onston Stephenson) for the Ripper killings has the doctor accumulating materials for magical incantations from these poor women, then do a 180 5 years later and become a Christian (converted it is said by a former prostitute).

See http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/ripper/red_19.html

for a different take on the Ripper murders, using the geography of the victims' locations as key evidence in support of this theory.

[–] TheManInOil 12 years ago

That's a preposterous theory. When you look at the escalating savagery of the killings and what he actually did to his final victim, it's impossible to escape the conclusion that either he moved elsewhere, died, or was in some manner incapacitated. Psychotic killers don't suffer pangs of conscience.

"I'll book you. I'll book you on something. I'll find something in the book to book you on."

[–] franzkabuki 8 years ago

"Has there ever been a case of a serial killer taking 2 or 3 victims, having a crisis of confidence, and then stopping?"

There have been a few who have gone dormant for long periods of time or perhaps even for good as far as is known, but you can bet your ass it's got nothing to do with any conscience. Usually, it's the other way around though - the more they kill, the more they crave to repeat the pleasureable experience which, combined with overconfidence having evaded the law enforcement for so long, often leads to excessive recklessness and capture. They're very rarely psychotic though and usually very adept at pretending to be normal, even nice and charming people - unlike Credar's character here who gave off creepy vibes from a mile away.

"facts are stupid things" Ronald Reagan