When a Stranger Calls (1979)

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Jill Johnson	Carol Kane	½
John Clifford	Charles Durning
Curt Duncan	Tony Beckley
Tracy	Colleen Dewhurst	½
Dr. Mandrakis	Carmen Argenziano
Mrs. Mandrakis	Rutanya Alda
Lt. Charlie Garber	Ron O'Neal

Review

Based on an urban legend from the 1960s, this film about a babysitter who receives a disturbing phone call from a man telling her to "check the children" starts off well with Fred Walton directing the 20-minute opening scene with classic 1970s horror aptness, but then quickly runs out of material. The remaining hour or so consists of little more than Walton following his antagonist around in more or less unconvincing situations that are all far too obvious fillers pending an inevitable, and therefore quite predictable finale. It doesn't help much either that the performance by Tony Beckley, who plays the killer, is utterly unremarkable. Nor is it a good sign that the most interesting character (Colleen Dewhurst's) is a bit-part with no real relevance for the plot.