Unspeakable Evil: The True Story of "The Gray Man" Albert Fish
The 2007 film 'The Gray Man' depicts the twisted life and horrific crimes of sadistic serial killer and cannibal Albert Fish. Join us as we compare Hollywood with history
*Warning: This Article Contains Sensitive Subject Matter*
Background
In 2007, The Gray Man brought moviegoers face to face with a monster so evil, it seems unbelievable that one person could ever be capable of such heinous acts, and yet the film is not a work of fiction.
Albert Fish, also known as “The Boogeyman,” “The Brooklyn Vampire,” “The Werewolf of Wysteria,” and “The Gray Man,” among other names, was a real-life walking nightmare. The true horror of who Albert Fish was and what he did cannot be fully captured on screen.
This is the story of the movie that tried, and the man whose abhorrent actions made even the darkest fiction look tame in comparison.
Film Overview
The Gray Man, directed by Scott Flynn, hit cinemas in late August 2007. The film follows the twisted life of Albert Fish as he devolves into the horrific monster he is known for today.
Rather than capitalize on shock value, gore, or any number of other horror movie tropes, The Gray Man leans heavily into suspense and uses a heavy, oppressive tone. The movie is best categorized as a psychological thriller, giving audiences a window into the deeply disturbed psyche of Albert Fish.
The film is set in New York during the 1920s. Audiences watch in horror as Fish, relying on his unassuming appearance and grandfatherly façade, stalks and abducts children. The primary plot of the movie centers around Fish’s abduction of 10-year-old Grace Budd, as well as detective William King’s relentless pursuit of the perpetrator.
The Gray Man avoids delving into graphic depictions of what happened to Fish’s victims, though it does not shy away from deeply disturbing content.
After convincing Grace’s family to allow her to leave with him under the pretense of attending the birthday party of Fish’s niece, Fish takes Grace away, never to be seen again. Though years have passed since Grace vanished, Detective King has not abandoned hope; in fact, King has fallen into an all-consuming obsession with finding Grace and her kidnapper.
The film presents the chilling duality of Fish’s true nature and the façade he presents to others. Throughout the movie, the horrific elements of Fish’s depravity are gradually revealed, as the audience grows increasingly disturbed.
Finally, Detective King’s perseverance pays off in part when Fish is at last apprehended. The trial is brief, and Fish is sentenced to death by electric chair. One of the most memorable quotes from the movie comes from Fish’s statement pending his execution: “It will be the biggest thrill of my life.”
The film makes use of suspenseful elements- a dark hallway, an oppressive silence that lingers just a bit longer than what is comfortable, and Fish’s own eerily calm demeanor. The movie is much like Fish himself: quiet, methodical, and deeply disturbing.
Albert Fish
Albert Fish was born as Hamilton Howard Fish in Washington, D.C. in 1870. His early years were marked by immense hardship. After his father’s death in 1875, his mother was unable to financially provide for him, and so young Albert Fish was sent to an orphanage. At Saint John’s orphanage, Fish was frequently punished with physical abuse and often beaten.
Five years later, when Fish was ten, his mother had found work and was able to bring him home; unfortunately, those five years had left a scar on Albert that would never heal. At age 12, Fish was introduced to strange and disturbing habits by another adolescent, which included visiting public baths to watch young boys undress.
The culmination of these traumatic events, coupled with the deep history of mental illness that ran in Fish’s family, had created a broken psyche that was only beginning to devolve into unthinkable darkness.
In 1890, 20-year-old Fish relocated to New York City. Here, his depravity became immediately evident. Fish escalated rapidly from his prior voyeuristic tendencies, now engaging in inappropriate sexual contact with boys six and under.
Double Life
Eight years later, Fish’s mother arranged for him to marry Anna Mary Hoffman, and the couple would go on to have six children together. Although Fish was a married man, father, and later a grandfather, he was leading an unimaginably depraved double life.
In January 1917, Anna left Fish and their children to run away with a man who had been boarding with the family. During this time, Fish began to self-harm. The things Fish did to himself were beyond graphic, including hitting himself with a nail-studded paddle, inserting needles into his stomach and groin, and inserting things into his body and lighting them on fire.
Fish also reportedly suffered from severe hallucinations, both auditory and visual. He began to involve his children and their friends in his self-mutilation, asking them to paddle him with his torture implements on multiple occasions.
Beginning in 1919 and continuing for over ten years, Albert Fish increasingly escalated his atrocities and violence. During this period, Fish remarried, more than once, always keeping his secret life hidden from his wives and stepchildren.
“The Boogeyman”
Fish selectively targeted black and disabled children as his primary victims; he felt that these children were safer options, as authorities would not investigate as thoroughly. Unfortunately, this was a correct assumption.
During his criminal career, Fish was frequently observed by members of the local community, often while leading a child away from a group. Despite this, Fish managed to evade detection and capture for decades; most witnesses presumed Fish to be a relative, as his appearance and demeanor did not raise alarm.