You’ve probably seen the headlines. A woman goes on a cheesy 1970s game show, picks a guy, and then finds out he’s actually one of the most prolific serial killers in American history. It sounds like a script a writer would get laughed out of a room for pitching because it’s too "on the nose." But the Netflix film Woman of the Hour is based on the terrifying reality of Rodney Alcala and Cheryl Bradshaw.
Now, when you watch Anna Kendrick (who also directed the film) play Sheryl, you can’t help but wonder: did this actually happen? How much is Hollywood flair, and how much is cold, hard fact? Honestly, the truth is actually creepier than the movie in some ways, and way less "cinematic" in others.
The Dating Game: Fact vs. Fiction
The core of the movie—Rodney Alcala appearing on The Dating Game in 1978—is 100% real. It’s the kind of systemic failure that makes your skin crawl. At the time of filming, Alcala was already a convicted child molester and had likely murdered at least five women. Yet, he slipped through the "vetting" process because, well, there basically wasn't one.
In the film, Kendrick’s character, Sheryl, is a struggling actress who gets fed up with the mindless questions provided by the producers. She starts firing back with her own sharp, intelligent queries to test the men. It makes for a great "girl power" moment.
But the reality was a bit different. The real Cheryl Bradshaw was a drama teacher, not necessarily a struggling Hollywood starlet. And while the movie shows her being a rebel on stage, the real footage from the 1978 episode shows her mostly sticking to the script. The real "rebellion" happened behind the scenes.
That Creepy "Banana" Quote
If you thought the dialogue in the movie was weird, the real life version was worse. One of the real questions Cheryl asked was: "I'm serving you for dinner. What are you called and what do you look like?"
The real Rodney Alcala responded: "I’m called the banana and I look good."
He then told her to "Peel me."
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It’s gross. It’s lewd. And unlike the movie, where he plays a sort of "progressive gentleman" to win her over, the real Alcala was openly "off" from the start.
Did they actually go on a date?
This is where the movie takes its biggest creative liberty. In Woman of the Hour, we see Sheryl and Rodney go for a drink at a bar after the show. It’s a high-tension scene where she realizes something is deeply wrong, leading to a terrifying confrontation in a parking lot.
In real life? That date never happened.
Cheryl Bradshaw’s gut instinct saved her life before they ever left the studio. After the taping, she went to the show's contestant coordinator, Ellen Metzger, and said she couldn't go out with him. Her exact words, according to various interviews with the producers, were: "Ellen, I can’t go out with this guy. There’s weird vibes that are coming off of him. He’s very strange. I am not comfortable."
The producers listened. They canceled the date (which was supposed to be a trip to Magic Mountain and tennis lessons, not a fancy getaway to Carmel). Cheryl walked away and effectively disappeared from the public eye to lead a private life.
The Mystery of the Audience Member
One of the most heart-wrenching parts of the film involves a character named Laura. She’s an audience member who recognizes Rodney as the man who killed her friend. She desperately tries to tell the security guards, the producers, and the police, but nobody believes her.
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It’s a powerful metaphor for how women’s voices were (and often still are) dismissed. But as far as historical records go, Laura did not exist. There was no woman in the audience that day who tried to blow the whistle. Anna Kendrick has been pretty open about the fact that Laura is a composite character. She represents the many people who did try to report Alcala over the years—including the parents of his victims—only to be ignored by a system that wasn't designed to protect them.
The Runaway: The True Story of "Amy"
The movie ends with a harrowing sequence involving a runaway named Amy. She’s lured into the desert by Rodney under the guise of a photoshoot, but she manages to outsmart him by feigning a connection and convincing him to let his guard down.
This is largely based on the true story of Monique Hoyt.
In 1979, Alcala picked up 15-year-old Monique while she was hitchhiking. He took her to a remote area, raped her, and nearly strangled her. Monique realized that fighting him wasn't working, so she switched tactics. She acted as if she enjoyed the encounter and convinced him she wanted to stay with him. When he stopped at a gas station, she managed to escape and call the police.
While the movie shows his arrest happening shortly after this, the reality was more frustrating. Alcala was actually released on bail after that incident. It wasn't until later in 1979 that he was finally caught for good after murdering 12-year-old Robin Samsoe.
What Rodney Alcala Was Really Like
Daniel Zovatto plays Rodney with a quiet, simmering menace. It’s a great performance. However, people who knew the real Alcala often described him as having a strange "mystique." He was a high-IQ individual who had studied film under Roman Polanski at NYU (this is actually true and mentioned in the film).
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He used his "photographer" persona to lure victims, and he actually worked as a typesetter for the Los Angeles Times. The movie shifts this slightly to make him a photographer for the paper, likely to streamline the narrative of how he gained trust.
Why the Accuracy Matters
You might wonder why it’s okay for a "true story" to change so much. Kendrick’s goal wasn't just to make a documentary; it was to explore the "lived experience" of being a woman in a world that often ignores red flags.
The movie focuses on the "vibe" of the era—the casual sexism, the way men touched women without asking, and the exhaustion of having to "manage" male egos just to stay safe. Even if the bar scene didn't happen, the feeling of that scene is something many women recognize.
Quick Reality Check:
- The Prize: In the movie, it's a trip to Carmel. In real life, it was tennis lessons and Magic Mountain.
- Bachelor Number: In the movie, Rodney is Bachelor #3. In real life, he was Bachelor #1.
- The Name: The movie uses "Sheryl" with an S. The real woman was Cheryl with a C.
- The Host: The movie features a host named Ed Burke (Tony Hale). The real host of The Dating Game was Jim Lange.
If you're looking for a 1:1 recreation of the Rodney Alcala case, this movie isn't it. It’s a thematic exploration of a specific moment in time. But the most important fact remains: a serial killer really did win a dating show, and a woman’s intuition really was the only thing that kept her off his list of victims.
To dig deeper into the actual case, your next step should be looking into the Robin Samsoe trial, which was the legal turning point that finally put Alcala away, or researching the 1,000+ photos police found in Alcala's storage locker—many of which remain unidentified to this day.