Night of Terror (1972)

Simply A Masterpiece

Powerful

A Masterpiece!

Blistering performances.

In NIGHT OF TERROR, a teacher named Linda Daniel (Donna Mills- PLAY MISTY FOR ME) and her friend Celeste (Catherine Burns) are giving their usual, children's art class in Linda's apartment. Outside her door, a scuffle draws her attention, so she takes a look, witnessing a man being brutalized in the hallway. When the man is killed for something he supposedly has, Linda's life changes forever. Believing she's been given whatever it is, a group of mob-types, led by Brian Dipaulo (Chuck Connors- TV's HORROR AT 37,000 FEET, SOYLENT GREEN), begin following and terrorizing Linda and Celeste. These guys mean business! While fleeing from Dipaulo, the women are involved in a tragic automobile accident, resulting in Linda's lengthy hospitalization. With Celeste gone, and Linda's legs out of commission, she fears she'll have to face the relentless, maniacal Dipaulo on her own. Enter Captain Caleb Sark (Martin Balsam- PSYCHO, CAPE FEAR), who agrees to help Linda, even taking over her rehab therapy. Taken to an undisclosed location, Linda and Sark hunker down. Meanwhile, Dipaulo and his fellow thugs close in. What is it they want? Why is it worth killing for? Tense and perfectly-paced, this made-for-TV suspense thriller is a great example of the care put into these 1970's productions. Mills and Balsam are fantastic, as is Connors in his eeevil role. EXTRA CREDIT FOR: Agnes Moorehead (THE BAT, HUSH... HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE) as Linda's strict physical therapist, Bronsky. Highly recommended...

This is a 1972 ABC movie of the week and whilst not startlingly original is fairly diverting. Most interesting for the excellent performance of Eddie Egan as an ex-cop, when, of course, he was the ex-cop that inspired The French Connection, in which he also had a small part. Similarly convincing is the ever menacing Chuck Connors as chief bad man who spends the whole film trying to get at the heroine, played by Donna MIlls. Donna is excellent here in a difficult role, mostly performed in a wheelchair, and yes we do get a sequence of her travelling up one of those sinister little one man internal lifts. She would later perform equally effectively with Clint Eastwood in Play Misty For Me.

The mob is after something and due to an unfortunate set of circumstances they believe that a school teacher by the name of "Lindy Daniels" (Donna Mills) may have it. And they will stop at nothing to get what they are after. In one specific scene Lindy Daniels is seriously injured trying to get away and this makes her plight even more difficult for her in the days ahead. Now, since I don't want to spoil this movie by giving out too many details, I will just say that this is a "made for television" film that has a couple of tense moments and Donna Mills looks as beautiful as always. Martin Balsam also gives a decent performance as a retired policeman-turned-private investigator named "Captain Caleb Sark". On the other hand, I was underwhelmed by the one-dimensional performance of Chuck Connors who played the hit man "Brian DiPaulo" and I suspect that some of this film was left on the cutting room floor. Be that as it may, this film doesn't have any graphic violence, sex or profanity that one would find in a typical movie today and because of that it may appear tame to some. In any case, it's worth a look for anyone who is interested in a good crime-drama from the early 70's.

Good movie from the early 70's..An ABC "movie of the week". I watched this in reruns several times. A good Donna MIlls flick. Without spoiling the story, Donna Mills plays a school teacher who;s friend and roommate has something that a drug dealer wants.Donna Mills and her roommate get in a car crash, the friend gets killed and Donna Mills character is rendered a paraplegic who is stalked by this killer (Chuck Conners)..The rest of the movie is a cat-and-mouse series of sequences whereas Donna Mills is staying in this police officers large home alone, when this killer finds her and chases her around the house until the cavalry finally arrives....A good movie for its time.