The Longest Night (1972 TV Movie) User Reviews (13)

A 'documentary' feel to this fact-based drama

[DPMay · 6/10 · 8 February 2007]

I remembered seeing this movie on UK television a couple of times when I was very young back in the 1970s and since then it has vanished without trace.

Only in recent years, with the memory of a kidnapped girl being kept in an underground coffin refusing to go away did I search on the internet and manage to identify this film and at last I've got hold of a copy and been able to see it again after all these years.

I was surprised how many well-known actors are in it and the fact that this adventure is based on a real-life incident will always give it that extra 'edge'. However, I found it very pedestrian watching it in 2007. The scenes unfold in a very matter-of-fact manner and yes, there's a certain tension because an innocent girl's life is at stake, but that aside I found it almost uninvolving at times. There's really not much effort made to really get inside any of the characters. We don't get to know any of the chambers family before the kidnap takes place on screen (the very first scene) so the impact of this shattering intrusion on their everyday lives is lessened.

David Janssen goes through a lot of worrying as the father but at no point during the film is he ever seen with his daughter, so its harder for us to see how greatly he's affected by all this - we never witness what his normal routine was like, what kind of a character he normally is, what kind of a change he goes through. Maybe he's always worried? Without much depth to the characters its hard for the actors to make much of their roles - there's a feeling that everybody is just going through the motions.

Nevertheless, the opening scene when Mrs Chambers is tied up and the daughter forcibly taken away is still dramatic and I'm not surprised it stuck in my memory for 30 years.

Overall - it's interesting to watch, but its really a straight re-telling of the facts rather than a carefully-crafted drama. It would be done a lot better nowadays, I'm sure.

Compelling ABC-TV crime-drama from behind the headlines...

[moonspinner55 · 6/10 · 30 August 2015]

Mercenary couple kidnap a young woman--the daughter of a wealthy businessman--from her hotel room and hold her for ransom; while they are awaiting the $500K in cash to arrive, they bury their victim underground in a ventilated 'capsule' with only enough air for seven days. Directed by Jack Smight and written by Merwin Gerard (from a true account, of which Gerard apparently recreated faithfully), "The Longest Night" hasn't a single plot twist or element of surprise--it's a textbook account, which is both pro and con. The filmmakers blessedly steer clear of histrionics (everyone keeps a cool head), but there isn't much action, what with the girl buried alive in a confined space and her father dealing with her abductor over the phone. Much of the film's success is due to the performances, and David Janssen (as the distraught father) and James Farentino (flashing his dimples as the kidnapper) are both solid. Smight mounts the story as a news reporter might; scene by scene is dictated by fact. The incident was revisited in 1990 for another TV-movie, "83 Hours 'Til Dawn".

Oh, that poor girl!

[Coventry · 6/10 · 15 March 2017]

"The Longest Night" is the type of film I feel you really can't write too much about… You can't state that the script is implausible, grotesque or too far-fetched, because it's based on a true story and allegedly sticks very close to the facts. You can't write too much about the production values, neither, as it's a made- for-TV film from the early seventies without much action or spectacle. It's a more than competent effort, especially in terms of acting performances and direction, and mainly thrives on oppressed tension and family drama. Without using excessive violence, a carefully prepared couple abducts the young daughter of a wealthy businessman and leaves the mother tied up and petrified in a motel room. Instead of locking her up in a basement or isolated cabin somewhere, the kidnappers bury Karen in a meticulously constructed hole in the ground that only provides air, supplies and lighting for a period of five days maximum. Their fiendish plan includes that the girl will in case the ransom demands aren't met in time, or in case they are apprehended or shot by the police first. Unquestionably, the whole dramatic and shocking impact of the film (as well as the news bulletins around the original true crime case) emerges from these miserable conditions the poor girl has to survive in for four long days and nights. We witness Karen's honest and understandably terrified reaction when she's brought to her "grave" by her kidnapper, and during several interludes throughout the film we return to this place only to see how she hears ominous noises, suffers from panic attacks and loses her hope to make it out alive. Meanwhile, her father and the authorities move heaven and earth to confront the kidnapper, but this is less interesting to see, as it's more familiar subject matter. "The Longest Night" is effective and successful because you notice yourself constantly repeating things in your head like: "Oh, that poor girl" and you sincerely hope that her father – or anyone else for that matter – finds her in time. Otherwise it's a rather anonymous TV-movie, certainly not on par with some of the other classics that ABC released in that same era, and only worth tracking down in case you're a fan of any of the cast members (David Janssen, James Farentino, Phyllis Thaxter) or – like me – director Jack Smight ("Damnation Alley", "Airport 1975", "The Travelling Executioner"…). Little fun fact, "The Longest Night" is of course a very serious and emotionally heave retelling of the true crime case, but a wildly fictionalized version the same story also got turned into a rancid exploitation flick called "The Candy Snatchers".

Taut kidnap drama telemovie

[Chase_Witherspoon · 7/10 · 14 August 2019]

Great cast and performances headline this virtual biopic, economical at less than 75 mins head to tail which still produces the nail-biting tension the premise promises to deliver. Director Jack Smight made a similar telemovie "The Screaming Woman" around the same time which I'd also recommend. Farentino is the standout here, and his partner in crime played by Skye Aubrey is also pretty convincing as the well-prepared kidnappers attempting to extort half a million from wealthy businessman (Janssen) for the safe return of his adult daughter whose trapped beneath the ground in a purpose built tomb with limited resources to survive. Smight keeps a lid on anything hysterical, a highly process-driven police response led by an ultra-conservative FBI team which includes Mike Farrell as the principal agent, whilst John Kerr and Jason Bernard (uncredited) are prominent and equally stony-faced in support. Overall this was an engaging and taut telemovie, no-nonsense with a very solid cast and safe-hands approach, worthy of a viewing.

good tv film

[petersjoelen · 7/10 · 10 February 2024]

Very exciting story. The kidnap story is designed and completed without unnecessary talk. Annoying phone conversations. Shaping the box. Everything is great! Some money was even thrown in for a helicopter. The girl is only shown briefly each time so that the film does not become too intense (or ridiculous as in Kill Bill or Buried).

Good movie, well made suspense.

83 hours till dawnwas sort of theme, not sure if that might be a remake of this film.

What I found most striking was the announcement of the sentence at the end, where he received a life sentence and his girlfriend only had to serve 3 years, so she got away with it very well in my opinion.

The effect of film on small children

[katya-39 · 10/10 · 10 March 2010]

I must have watched this film in 1972 on an old box TV, I would have been almost 7 and to this day I can still remember the room where we were sat and certain scenes from this film. The blanket of autumn leaves covering the buried chamber where the kidnapped girl lay, the way the interior of her chamber was shot, the pipes for breathing and for water. From this summer in 1972, I have always had a fear of small enclosed spaces and being kidnapped!! Where my dear parents were that night, allowing such a small child to watch such a film, I do not know! But I am living proof that effective, subtle films can affect children deeply and in this easily accessible media age, parents really do have to be careful. Perhaps if I saw this film again, my phobias would fade. A remake would be great!

Very good - and accurate - movie!

[Legal_Beagle · 10/10 · 14 May 2006]

This movie not only has some of the greatest stars before they were famous - David Janssen, Mike Ferrell, James Farentino, Sharon Gless, Phyllis Thaxter, Richard Andersen - but it is 98% accurate to the true story. The later "authorized" movie 83 Hours Til Dawn was focused more on the kidnapper than the victims, and was poorly done. Sallie Shockley did an excellent and believable job as the victim, and did not whine one bit. A great movie, and I hope it comes out on DVD at some point - I have only been able to find it on eBay as a recorded copy from television when it was first aired. Availability might be impaired by the copyright lawsuit filed and won by Gene Miller when it aired as an infringement of his book.

Candy Snatchers PG

[BandSAboutMovies · 5/10 · 28 December 2021]

Based on the 1968 Barbara Mackle kidnapping by Gary Steven Krist, this was the ABC Movie of the Week, airing on September 12, 1972.

Karen Chambers has been kidnapped and placed in an underground coffin with an air supply and water while the criminals try and get the money. Karen is played by Sallie Shockley, which is kind of interesting because The Candy Snatchers is pretty much the same movie -- well, this is made for TV and doesn't get quite so rough -- and the female protagonist of that movie was played by another alliteratively named actress, Susan Sennett.

This was directed by Jack Smight, whose resume includes The Illustrated Man, Damnation Alley, The Traveling Executioner, No Way to Treat a Lady and Airport 1975, which is the very definition of an eclectic resume. He's working from a script by Merwin Gerard, whose TV movie credits are The Screaming Woman, The Victim, She Cried Murder and The Invasion of Carol Enders. He also created the series One Step Beyond.

The cast is great. There's David Janssen as the father, Phyllis Thaxter (Ma Kent from the Superman movies) as the mother, James Farentino as the lead kidnapper, Skye Aubrey as his partner and Mike Farrell as an FBI agent.

Beyond being referenced in the aforementioned The Candy Snatchers, this was also filmed in 1990 as 83 Hours 'Til Dawn. There's also an episode of Quincy M. E., "Tissue of Truth," that is ripped from these headlines. This movie only aired once, as there were issues with who owned the rights to the story.

This plot to this film was 'borrowed' by "Quincy" just a few years later!

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 4 November 2016]

In an episode of "Quincy" a kidnapper buries his victim under ground with only a limited supply of oxygen. However, the kidnapper gets accidentally killed and Dr. Quincy is called in to piece together the clues in order to help the police figure out where that missing person is buried. Well, after seeing "The Longest Night", it became obvious that the writer of that "Quincy" episode 'borrowed' the idea from this earlier TV movie. Additionally, years later the Dutch film "The Vanishing" also has some similarities...though not nearly enough to assume the writer 'borrowed' from "The Longest Night". As for the story, the film acknowledges that the story is based on an actual kidnapping and it is conceivable that the writer for "Quincy" got the idea from the actual case and not the movie.

When this "ABC Movie of the Week" installment begins, a kidnapper is moving his female victim to a buried room not much bigger than a coffin. She'll stay there with oxygen and light for several days in this claustrophobia-inducing hole until after the ransom is paid and the clever criminal is sure he's in the clear. And, unlike in "Quincy" the guy isn't killed but there still is a huge hurry to get to the victim in time as there just isn't much air in this space...and the kidnapper doesn't seem to mind too much if she isn't found in time.

This is one of the more exciting and suspenseful movies from this series. Additionally, watching the policework going into the case was interesting as well. Combined with some nice acting, this film is well worth seeing and better than the "Quincy" episode.

Keep that fast forward button handy. You'll need it.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 10 February 2022]

With a wealthy young girl buried underground, I found it impossible to deal with those scenes because it brought to life real horrors that one can't imagine having to go through. I've seen this on other TV shows, most often on "Days of Our Lives" (several times), and it brings to light how someone could be so cruel to deprive someone of necessary functions that one can't do in a cramped space. David Janssen and Phyllis Thaxter are the parents of the poor girl. Sallie Shockley, and I could imagine the therapy that she would need for months, possibly years after getting through this situation, if she survives it. James Farentino and Skye Aubrey are the wretched couple responsible for this heinous crime, and I can imagine it upsetting viewers when it was first air, causing them to turn it off or change the channel.

If one is strong enough to make it through the film, they will find it an intense drama that becomes a Race against time, which they are told they only have about a week before Shockley would run out of oxygen. Mike Farrell, Joel Fabiani and Richard Anderson co-star, but it's the parents, Jansen and Thaxter (a veteran leading lady of the 40's and 50's unfortunately forgotten outside of classic obscure movie fans), who get the best material. This is certainly not a movie to watch before going to bed because it is definitely a nightmare waiting to happen.

Bites Dirty Harry

[saint_brett · 8/10 · 26 September 2022]

The movie starts out with a frantic narration that practically begs the viewer to believe that this really happened.

So, home invasions weren't a product of the 80's as led to believe as a shotgun wielding policeman, and a ninja, bust into a mother/daughter's residence where they automatically list a chain of commands for them to obey.

It's obviously an inside job as they're on a first name basis with captee Karen, but have no time for Mrs. Chambers, the mother, who's in the way of their smooth operation.

With no resistance shown, Karen's abducted and confused about the whole ordeal, while her mother is knocked out by the ninja with ACME sleeping potion.

Not complying now, Karen's inoculated with "happy juice," which doesn't have much of an effect on her, as she continues to test the baddies patience with curious annoying questions.

Placed in a ditch, a photo's taken of Karen with a crude man-made placard which reads kidnapped. She's made to repeat this stage of the abduction as she closed her eyes and also failed to smile the first time.

Trapped against her will, and stripped of all liberties, poor Karen's buried underground in a coffin-sized box which comes with basic light and ventilation shaft and minimal resources for a week's survival.

Sound familiar? Yeah, we're right back where Sandra Bullock and Kiefer Sutherland found themselves buried alive in that 90's movie 'The Vanishing.' If you're claustrophobic, this movie will suffocate you.

What does poor Karen do if she has to relieve herself?

A ransom demand for Karen comes to a grand total of half a million dollars and they want it all in twenty-dollar bills.

'Dirty Harry' was released in '71. 'The Longest Hour' was released a year later in 1972. There's similar music in this that reminds me of 'Dirty Harry.' Remember that scene when the girl's pulled from the drain by The Bay? There's similar music here in 'The Longest Night.'

There's also a similar scenario which sees the baddy using a payphone to give directions and runs everyone around from place to place to deliver the ransom.

Our bagman, the father, who's pushing 70 years of age, drops the half a million dollars off with ease but I think five-hundred thousand dollars, all in twenty-dollar bills, would take the strength of Hercules to lug around and I doubt it would all fit in that suitcase?

Everything runs smoothly until two beat cops come along and bungle the drop-off operation which compromises poor Karen's life. The night's a bust.

But a priest persuades the baddy to give it a second try. The dice is rolled again and the second operation runs smoothly, due to religious intervention, and the 55 pounds of twenty-dollar notes swap hands successfully this time.

Meanwhile, the lights run dim in Karen's burial chamber, but keeping his word, the baddy gives correct coordinates for its location as he's a man of his word, and the police go in search of her. Talk about a needle in a haystack.

Escaping in his 'Miami Vice' power boat, minus his ninja partner in crime, the baddy lets greed get the better of him and he takes off solo and heads South.

The 'Miami Vice' power speeder is the baddies undoing as he pays twelve-thousand dollars for it upfront, all in twenty-dollar notes, which makes the salesman suspicious, so he tips the Feds off and they come sniffing around.

At last, the FBI are on the trail of their man. It soon becomes a foot race and the baddy is apprehended like how the Night Stalker was. But, not with the public acting like a lynch mob.

From hell, and up into the light, Karen resurfaces to safety in the company of law officers, unlike Diane in 'The Vanishing,' or the unknown girl in 'Dirty Harry.' She's in pretty good health, and spirits, but probably needs to take a shower ASAP?

'The Longest Night' is a mature watch for sensible people. It's refreshing and doesn't rely on today's phony CGI imagery, or green screen-laced fakery. Wish more modern-day entertainment would take it back to simpler times and not rely on computers so much.

In Deep...

[azathothpwiggins · 23 August 2022]

Based on the true story, THE LONGEST NIGHT stars David Janssen as the wealthy Alan Chambers, whose daughter Karen (Sallie Shockley) has been kidnapped. This is no ordinary abduction, with Karen being buried alive in a coffin, complete with a battery-powered light and ventilation system.

The kidnappers (James Farentino and Skye Aubrey) give Alan meticulous instructions as to what to do. Karen has one week's worth of battery life and supplies.

The clock is ticking.

This is a tense, claustrophobic, made-for-TV thriller. Janssen must play his role without his usual coolness and strength. He's a worried father first and foremost. Ms. Shockley is very convincing in her confined condition. It's terrifying to think that this actually happened!

Mr. Farentino is icily maniacal as the psychopathic John Danbury. His soulless demeanor is genuinely unnerving. Mike Farrell is the head FBI agent on the case, and Richard Andersen is a family friend. Also watch for Sharon Gless as a switchboard operator.

Watch this one right now...

Exciting seventies TV yarn

[searchanddestroy-1 · 14 September 2023]

I will never get bored watching American TV movies from the seventies. Plus, this one is directed by Jack Smight, the maker of HARPER. It is inspired from actual events. It is shocking, creepy, even today, in 2023, so imagine in 1972. And in the mean time, we have seen so many stories like this, for big and Tv industry - OXYGEN (1999) for instance among many others: a kidnapper "hides" his or her victim underground before asking for ransom. It is tense, gritty, riveting, excellent, and David Janssen - in the seventies he was at his very best, the over the top of actors for the TV industry - is leading the whole show. I highly recommend it.