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When a Stranger Calls

01 / THE STORY

A little about the film.

Jill Johnson (Carol Kane) is babysitting the children of Dr. Mandrakis (Carmen Argenziano) at their home. When the children are asleep, Jill receives a Landline 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 decides to call the police, who promise to trace the caller if Jill keeps him on the telephone line long enough. Jill, frightened to extreme measures, arms herself as she receives one final call from the nefarious stalker. Soon after the conversation Jill receives a call from the police, who inform her that the stalker is calling from inside the house. A light comes on at the top of the staircase, and Jill sees the stalker's shadow. In a panic, she immediately runs to the door, unhooks the chain lock and screams. The scene segues to a close-up of detective John Clifford (Charles Durning), who enters the very same doorstep to investigate shortly afterwards. Patrol officer Charlie Garber (Ron O'Neal) explains that Jill is unharmed, but the children had been murdered by the perpetrator several hours earlier, before Jill's ordeal even started. The killer is identified as an England Merchant shipping named Curt Duncan (Tony Beckley), and is subsequently sent to an asylum.

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