I have seen the film three times before. Today I watched again. It has left me disturbed. It is a very powerful film.

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Yeah, Ted Levine in SOTL was merely an obnoxious and repulsive hick with no real menace to his character. Attenboroughs Christie, however, is indeed one of the creepiest dudes ever to have graced the screen.
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

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I saw this film at the cinema when I was 15 in 1971 and Richard Attenborough's performance and the film haunted me for years. I am surprised it has such a big following on here because I didn't know many other people who saw the film. I agree with your comments

His ordinariness for me made him far more disturbing than a more flamboyant villain. Those poor women had no reason to doubt he was anything but a kind-hearted ex-doctor.

Yes, and I think what makes the performance creepy is that, aoart from his despicable crimes, Christie is presented as someone ordinary, the person you live next door to, work with, etc, someone you'd think 'he's a bit of an odd one' but would never suspect he'd be capable of murder. Attenborough seemed to really disappear into this character.

i couldnt help but feel that we were supposed to feel a bit bad for christie.

It was indeed a very creepy performance. Excellent very well done.