When a Stranger Calls (1979 film)
Encyclopedia
When a Stranger Calls is a 1979 thriller starring Carol Kane
and Charles Durning
, directed by Fred Walton
. The film derives its story from the classic folk legend
of "The Babysitter and the Man Upstairs
". The original music score is composed by television composer Dana Kaproff.
The film ranked #28 on Bravo's "The 100 Scariest Movie Moments". It is followed by the 1993 made-for-television sequel When a Stranger Calls Back
and a theatrical remake
in 2006.
) is babysitting the children of a doctor at their home. When the children are asleep, Jill receives a telephone call from a man who asks her if she has checked the children. At first, Jill dismisses the telephone calls as a practical joke; however, as the calls become more frequent and threatening, Jill becomes frightened and telephones the police, who promise that they would trace the call if Jill would keep him on the telephone line long enough. Jill, frightened to extreme measures, arms herself as she receives one final telephone call from the nefarious caller. Soon after her conversation with him, Jill receives a call from the police, only to find out that the stalker is calling from inside the house. The suspense of this part of the movie climaxes when a light turns on at the top of the staircase, which allows Jill to see the shadow of the stalker. Jill immediately runs to the front door to scream for help.
Officer John Clifford (Charles Durning
) is then shown at the police investigation. At this point, the viewer learns that the children had been murdered by the perp several hours earlier. Also, the murderer is identified; he is an English
merchant seaman named Curt Duncan (Tony Beckley
), and is subsequently sent to an asylum. Seven years later, Duncan escapes from the asylum, still psychopathic. Dr. Mandrakis hires ex-cop
Clifford, now a private investigator, to find Duncan.
Still not knowing Clifford is after him, Duncan is now a homeless, vagrant loner. He gets into a fight and is beaten after disturbing a lonely, middle-aged woman, Tracy (Colleen Dewhurst
), in a tavern, and later follows her to her apartment. Feeling sorry for his disastrous appearance and for the fact that his attempts at a conversation with her started the fight in the first place, Tracy makes light conversation with him. While they are in the doorway talking, Tracy's phone rings forcing her to excuse herself so she can go answer it. While she is on the phone, Duncan lets himself into her apartment. Tracy doesn't tell him to leave her place right away nor explicitly rebuffs his awkward proposal to visit her for coffee the next night, assuming or hoping it will be the last of him she will see.
Meanwhile an increasingly obsessed and vindictive Clifford, having confided to a former partner (Ron O'Neal
) that his intention is to kill Duncan rather than arrest him, follows Duncan's trail right to the tavern where the fight took place, and from there to Tracy's residence—- precisely the same night in which Duncan is likely to arrive for his visit. Clifford goes there and tells her just how dangerous her situation has become. He also tells her that Duncan literally tore and hacked up Mandrakis' children with his bare hands, rendering them virtually unrecognizable, which explains why he was found smeared with blood by the police; this, along with some eerie flashbacks experienced by Duncan later in the movie, is one of the few moments where the carnage at the Mandrakis household is described. Upon hearing this, Tracy reluctantly accepts to be Clifford's bait at the tavern that evening, although Duncan doesn't arrive and she finally decides to return home. Clifford then leaves Tracy's place; Duncan, who was hiding in Tracy's closet, pushes her to the wall and briefly muffles her cries for help. When he frees her, her horrified shrieks alert Clifford, force the intruder to flee the scene and mark the start of a cat-and-mouse chase through the streets of downtown Los Angeles, during which Clifford is outrun during at least two occasions and finally loses Duncan's track.
Jill Johnson is now an adult, married with two young children. One night, Jill and her husband Stephen go out to dinner in celebration of a promotion. A friend named Sharon babysits her children. She references that she saw Jill in the newspaper. Curt Duncan happens to find the same newspaper in the city, and begins to look for Jill once again. While the couple is out, Jill gets a telephone call at the restaurant. She answers, and gets another "Have you checked the children...?" Jill panics and calls Sharon. She says nothing is wrong. The police arrive and escort Jill back home. John Clifford tries to telephone Jill, but gets no signal. Jill and Stephen sleep. Later, Jill goes down for a glass of milk, when the lights go out. She goes back upstairs and gets in bed once again. The closet door opens a little, and she hears the voice of Curt Duncan. She tries to awaken Stephen, who turns around, revealing that Curt is actually in the bed. He rips Jill's nightgown and chases her around the room. Clifford arrives, and kills Curt, shooting him twice. Stephen is revealed to be in the closet, alive but seemingly unconscious. As Clifford comforts Jill, the last view is of the house, in view of the frightening eyes of Curt Duncan.
's feature film debut as director of photography.
, the film ranks a 40% "rotten" score based on 10 reviews. However, the opening 22-23 minutes of the movie are largely considered as the reason for the movie's cult status, as the scene is consistently regarded as one of the scariest scenes in horror cinema. Almost all the criticism made towards the film was due to the lack of suspense and the slowing down of plot development after the opening scene, and the physical frailty of the killer making it difficult to believe he could have committed the murders of the children without the use of a weapon.
Carol Kane
Carolyn Laurie "Carol" Kane is an American actress. Kane has worked on the stage, on the screen and in television. She appeared on the television series Taxi in the early 1980s, as the wife of the character played by Andy Kaufman. She received two Emmy Awards for her work...
and Charles Durning
Charles Durning
Charles Durning is an American actor. With appearances in over 100 films, Durning's memorable roles include police officers in the Oscar-winning The Sting and crime drama Dog Day Afternoon , along with the comedies Tootsie, To Be Or Not To Be and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, the last two...
, directed by Fred Walton
Fred Walton
Fred Walton is an American film director. Among his films are When a Stranger Calls, April Fool's Day, and The Rosary Murders.- External links :...
. The film derives its story from the classic folk legend
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
of "The Babysitter and the Man Upstairs
The Babysitter and the Man Upstairs
The Babysitter and the Man Upstairs is an urban legend that dates back to at least the 1960s about a teenage girl babysitting children while being telephoned by a mysterious man who continually asks her to "check the children"...
". The original music score is composed by television composer Dana Kaproff.
The film ranked #28 on Bravo's "The 100 Scariest Movie Moments". It is followed by the 1993 made-for-television sequel When a Stranger Calls Back
When a Stranger Calls Back
When a Stranger Calls Back is a 1993 made-for-television horror/thriller film directed by Fred Walton. The original music score is composed by Dana Kaproff.It is the sequel to the 1979 classic When a Stranger Calls.- Plot summary :...
and a theatrical remake
When a Stranger Calls (2006 film)
When a Stranger Calls is a 2006 American horror film and a remake of the 1979 horror film of the same name based on the urban legend "The Babysitter and the Man Upstairs"...
in 2006.
Plot
Jill Johnson (Carol KaneCarol Kane
Carolyn Laurie "Carol" Kane is an American actress. Kane has worked on the stage, on the screen and in television. She appeared on the television series Taxi in the early 1980s, as the wife of the character played by Andy Kaufman. She received two Emmy Awards for her work...
) is babysitting the children of a doctor at their home. When the children are asleep, Jill receives a telephone call from a man who asks her if she has checked the children. At first, Jill dismisses the telephone calls as a practical joke; however, as the calls become more frequent and threatening, Jill becomes frightened and telephones the police, who promise that they would trace the call if Jill would keep him on the telephone line long enough. Jill, frightened to extreme measures, arms herself as she receives one final telephone call from the nefarious caller. Soon after her conversation with him, Jill receives a call from the police, only to find out that the stalker is calling from inside the house. The suspense of this part of the movie climaxes when a light turns on at the top of the staircase, which allows Jill to see the shadow of the stalker. Jill immediately runs to the front door to scream for help.
Officer John Clifford (Charles Durning
Charles Durning
Charles Durning is an American actor. With appearances in over 100 films, Durning's memorable roles include police officers in the Oscar-winning The Sting and crime drama Dog Day Afternoon , along with the comedies Tootsie, To Be Or Not To Be and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, the last two...
) is then shown at the police investigation. At this point, the viewer learns that the children had been murdered by the perp several hours earlier. Also, the murderer is identified; he is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
merchant seaman named Curt Duncan (Tony Beckley
Tony Beckley
Tony Beckley was an English character actor. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Beckley went onto carve out a career on film and television throughout the 1960s and 1970s often playing villainous roles, as well as being a veteran of numerous stage productions.-Film career:He made his...
), and is subsequently sent to an asylum. Seven years later, Duncan escapes from the asylum, still psychopathic. Dr. Mandrakis hires ex-cop
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
Clifford, now a private investigator, to find Duncan.
Still not knowing Clifford is after him, Duncan is now a homeless, vagrant loner. He gets into a fight and is beaten after disturbing a lonely, middle-aged woman, Tracy (Colleen Dewhurst
Colleen Dewhurst
Colleen Rose Dewhurst was a Canadian-American actress known for a while as "the Queen of Off-Broadway." In her autobiography, Dewhurst wrote: "I had moved so quickly from one Off-Broadway production to the next that I was known, at one point, as the 'Queen of Off-Broadway'...
), in a tavern, and later follows her to her apartment. Feeling sorry for his disastrous appearance and for the fact that his attempts at a conversation with her started the fight in the first place, Tracy makes light conversation with him. While they are in the doorway talking, Tracy's phone rings forcing her to excuse herself so she can go answer it. While she is on the phone, Duncan lets himself into her apartment. Tracy doesn't tell him to leave her place right away nor explicitly rebuffs his awkward proposal to visit her for coffee the next night, assuming or hoping it will be the last of him she will see.
Meanwhile an increasingly obsessed and vindictive Clifford, having confided to a former partner (Ron O'Neal
Ron O'Neal
Ron O'Neal was an American actor, director and screenwriter...
) that his intention is to kill Duncan rather than arrest him, follows Duncan's trail right to the tavern where the fight took place, and from there to Tracy's residence—- precisely the same night in which Duncan is likely to arrive for his visit. Clifford goes there and tells her just how dangerous her situation has become. He also tells her that Duncan literally tore and hacked up Mandrakis' children with his bare hands, rendering them virtually unrecognizable, which explains why he was found smeared with blood by the police; this, along with some eerie flashbacks experienced by Duncan later in the movie, is one of the few moments where the carnage at the Mandrakis household is described. Upon hearing this, Tracy reluctantly accepts to be Clifford's bait at the tavern that evening, although Duncan doesn't arrive and she finally decides to return home. Clifford then leaves Tracy's place; Duncan, who was hiding in Tracy's closet, pushes her to the wall and briefly muffles her cries for help. When he frees her, her horrified shrieks alert Clifford, force the intruder to flee the scene and mark the start of a cat-and-mouse chase through the streets of downtown Los Angeles, during which Clifford is outrun during at least two occasions and finally loses Duncan's track.
Jill Johnson is now an adult, married with two young children. One night, Jill and her husband Stephen go out to dinner in celebration of a promotion. A friend named Sharon babysits her children. She references that she saw Jill in the newspaper. Curt Duncan happens to find the same newspaper in the city, and begins to look for Jill once again. While the couple is out, Jill gets a telephone call at the restaurant. She answers, and gets another "Have you checked the children...?" Jill panics and calls Sharon. She says nothing is wrong. The police arrive and escort Jill back home. John Clifford tries to telephone Jill, but gets no signal. Jill and Stephen sleep. Later, Jill goes down for a glass of milk, when the lights go out. She goes back upstairs and gets in bed once again. The closet door opens a little, and she hears the voice of Curt Duncan. She tries to awaken Stephen, who turns around, revealing that Curt is actually in the bed. He rips Jill's nightgown and chases her around the room. Clifford arrives, and kills Curt, shooting him twice. Stephen is revealed to be in the closet, alive but seemingly unconscious. As Clifford comforts Jill, the last view is of the house, in view of the frightening eyes of Curt Duncan.
Cast (In order of appearance)
- Carol KaneCarol KaneCarolyn Laurie "Carol" Kane is an American actress. Kane has worked on the stage, on the screen and in television. She appeared on the television series Taxi in the early 1980s, as the wife of the character played by Andy Kaufman. She received two Emmy Awards for her work...
as Jill Johnson - Carmen ArgenzianoCarmen ArgenzianoCarmen Antimo Argenziano is an American actor who has appeared in over 50 movies and around 100 television movies or episodes....
as Dr Mandrakis - Rutanya AldaRutanya Alda-Life:Rutanya Alda was born as Rutanya Alda Skrastiņa in Riga, Latvia, the daughter of Vera , a businesswoman, and Jānis Skrastiņš, a poet...
as Mrs Mandrakis - Kirsten Larkin as Nancy
- William BoyettWilliam BoyettWilliam Boyett was an American actor best known for his work as the low-key but authoritative Sergeant William 'Mac' MacDonald on the police drama Adam-12...
as Sgt Sacker (Credited as Bill Boyett) - Charles DurningCharles DurningCharles Durning is an American actor. With appearances in over 100 films, Durning's memorable roles include police officers in the Oscar-winning The Sting and crime drama Dog Day Afternoon , along with the comedies Tootsie, To Be Or Not To Be and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, the last two...
as John Clifford - Ron O'NealRon O'NealRon O'Neal was an American actor, director and screenwriter...
as Lt. Charlie Garber - Rachel RobertsRachel Roberts (British actress)Rachel Roberts was a Welsh actress noted for her fervour and passion; Roberts is best remembered for her forthright screen performances in two key films of the 1960s, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and This Sporting Life, in both of which she played the older mistress of the central male...
as Dr. Monk - Tony BeckleyTony BeckleyTony Beckley was an English character actor. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Beckley went onto carve out a career on film and television throughout the 1960s and 1970s often playing villainous roles, as well as being a veteran of numerous stage productions.-Film career:He made his...
as Curt Duncan - Michael Champion as Bill
- Colleen DewhurstColleen DewhurstColleen Rose Dewhurst was a Canadian-American actress known for a while as "the Queen of Off-Broadway." In her autobiography, Dewhurst wrote: "I had moved so quickly from one Off-Broadway production to the next that I was known, at one point, as the 'Queen of Off-Broadway'...
as Tracy Fuller - Lenora May as Sharon (The Babysitter)
- Steven Anderson as Stephen Lockart
Production
The film marked Academy Award nominated cinematographer Donald PetermanDonald Peterman
Donald "Don" William Peterman was an American Academy Award-nominated cinematographer whose numerous feature film credits included Flashdance, Men in Black, Cocoon and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home...
's feature film debut as director of photography.
Reception
The film received generally mixed reviews from contemporary critics. According to the review aggregator site Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, the film ranks a 40% "rotten" score based on 10 reviews. However, the opening 22-23 minutes of the movie are largely considered as the reason for the movie's cult status, as the scene is consistently regarded as one of the scariest scenes in horror cinema. Almost all the criticism made towards the film was due to the lack of suspense and the slowing down of plot development after the opening scene, and the physical frailty of the killer making it difficult to believe he could have committed the murders of the children without the use of a weapon.