When a Stranger Calls (1979 film)

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For the remake of the same title, see When a Stranger Calls (2006 film)

When a Stranger Calls

When a Stranger Calls film poster
Directed by Fred Walton
Produced by Doug Chapin
Steve Feke
Larry Kostroff
Barry Krost
Melvin Simon
Written by Steve Feke
Fred Walton
Starring Charles Durning
Carol Kane
Colleen Dewhurst
Music by Dana Kaproff
Cinematography Donald Peterman
Editing by Sam Vitale
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date(s) 26 October 1979
Running time 97 min.
Language English
Budget $740,000 (USD) (estimated)
Followed by When a Stranger Calls Back
IMDb profile

When a Stranger Calls is a 1979 horror/thriller film starring Carol Kane and Charles Durning, directed by Fred Walton. The original music score is composed by Dana Kaproff.

It is followed by the 1993 made-for-television sequel When a Stranger Calls Back.

Tagline: Every babysitter's nightmare becomes real...

[edit] Plot summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

In this classic thriller, we meet a babysitter named Jill Johnson (Carol Kane) who is babysitting for a doctor and his wife. They live in a large Tudor style home. The children are asleep upstairs; everything is fine. A man starts calling her with questions like "Have you checked the children?". Jill calls the police, as Sergeant Sacher tells her that if he calls again, they will trace the call to its location. Jill gets one final call which ends in her asking "What do you want?". The man replies "Your blood...all over me!" The phone rings again. Jill answers and screams "Leave me alone!" A voice says "Jill, this is Sergeant Sachar. We've traced the call, it's coming from inside the house!" Jill drops the phone and walks to the door. A light turns on, showing the shadow of a man. Jill opens the door and screams at.... The police officer (Charles Durning). They investigate. The children are dead and the man, Curt Duncan (Tony Beckley) is sent to an asylum.

Seven years later, Duncan escapes and flees to the city area. After getting into a barfight, he follows an old woman, Tracy Fuller (Collen Dewhurst), back to her old apartment. He invites himself in, as Tracy threatens to call the police. Duncan leaves, and Tracy locks the door. A few seconds later, The door knob jiggles. Tracy goes to bed. The next day, detective John Clifford (Charles Durning) questions Tracy. He explains all about Duncan, the murder and the babysitter, and he's dangerous. Tracy agrees to lure him back to her apartment so Clifford can catch him. Tracy goes back to the bar again. On her way home, Duncan follows her once again. He captures her at home, Tracy is screaming as loud as she can. Clifford bursts in as Duncan goes out the back door.

Jill is now an adult, married with two young kids. One night, Jill and her husband Stephen go out to dinner in celebration of a promotion. A friend named Sharon babysits her kids. 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 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 call Jill, but gets no signal. Jill and Stephen go to 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 a voice of Curt Duncan. She tries to wake up 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, although he is alive. As Clifford comforts Jill, the last shot is of the house, in view of the frightening eyes of Curt Duncan.

[edit] Cast

[edit] External links

The When a Stranger Calls series
Original Films When a Stranger Calls | When a Stranger Calls Back
Remake/Sequel When a Stranger Calls | When a Stranger Calls 2
Characters Jill Johnson | The Stranger
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