IMDb RATING
7.0/10
2.5K
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College volunteer Alan is working alone at the crisis center one evening when he receives a telephone call from suicidal caller Inga Dyson.College volunteer Alan is working alone at the crisis center one evening when he receives a telephone call from suicidal caller Inga Dyson.College volunteer Alan is working alone at the crisis center one evening when he receives a telephone call from suicidal caller Inga Dyson.
- Nominated for 2 Oscars
- 2 wins & 4 nominations total
H.M. Wynant
- Doctor Morris
- (as H.N. Wynant)
Bob Hoy
- Patrolman Steve Peters
- (as Robert Hoy)
- Director
- Writers
- Shana Alexander
- Stirling Silliphant
- David Rayfiel(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis film shows the tedious process in 1965 of what was required in tracing a telephone call on actual central office equipment that was state of the art such as number 5 cross bar and step-by-step electro/mechanical equipment. It was filmed in central offices of the old Northwest Bell Telephone company which as of 2010 is now Century Link. Modern telephone switching equipment can trace a call in less than a minute or even 30 seconds.
- GoofsAfter Inga attempts suicide by drowning herself in the bay, she arrives at hospital with perfectly styled hair.
- Quotes
Mark Dyson: [to Inga] Do you think that not getting caught in a lie is the same as telling the truth?
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Directors: The Films of Sydney Pollack (2000)
Featured review
Anne Bancroft, RIP
I believe that this was Sydney Pollack's directorial debut. If so, then he certainly gave an interesting insight into his future work. Seattle college student Alan Newell (Sidney Poitier) is working at a crisis hotline center when he gets a call from housewife Inge Dyson (Anne Bancroft), who is reaching the breaking point. Because they can't see each other, it gives the movie a real sense of tension, as implied by the title - even if it drags a little bit at times.
A previous reviewer said that Poitier plays his usual role: a morally superior black man in a white-dominated society. That's partly true, but here, he has a job that anyone could have, and his race doesn't really matter (although as the reviewer noted, they could have been subtly talking about race). As for Anne Bancroft, her death six months ago brings her filmography to mind. This may have not been her most famous role, but I would recommend it.
A previous reviewer said that Poitier plays his usual role: a morally superior black man in a white-dominated society. That's partly true, but here, he has a job that anyone could have, and his race doesn't really matter (although as the reviewer noted, they could have been subtly talking about race). As for Anne Bancroft, her death six months ago brings her filmography to mind. This may have not been her most famous role, but I would recommend it.
helpful•191
- lee_eisenberg
- Dec 1, 2005
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Details
- Runtime1 hour 38 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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