I'm really torn about this one, folks. There are a lot of really nice things about it, but also quite a few that don't work. In the end I'm coming down positive because I think the good far outweighs the bad, and also, I believe that the director really did a stand-up job of turning a slightly questionable script into a really chilling, sometimes even atmospheric thriller.Can I just say that I think the reviewers who say the middle of this film is weak are close to the mark, but not quite there? In brief: everything featuring Kurt Duncan is awesome; everything featuring ex-cop John Clifford is not. Clifford is bull-headed, obnoxious and not much of a hero. Somehow, things that would work for a Lou Archer or Sam Spade just don't work for this guy. Charles Durning has all the right grizzled, hard-bitten attitude and checks all the right boxes, but I'm not convinced. Scenes like him getting a pep talk from his former colleague on the force just send everything to a grinding halt. I don't care about this guy. I care about Kurt Duncan, and i want to know what's happening with him. I enjoy classic detective novels, so it's not as though I'm opposed to the form; I just don't much like it here.Of course, I'm not saying Tony Beckley's Kurt Duncan is a hero. he's a monster, if an unfortunate one, and although the film manages to convey sympathy for him, that's down to performance and direction, I think, more than script, and besides, in the end you have no choice but to root for the ex-cop turned PI. Now, about this Tony Beckley. This guy should have been going places after this film. Simply put, his performance is really something to behold: both menacing and tragic and awkward and, well, when it comes down to it, completely insane. He's guaranteed to give you the chills on at least three occasions, and I'm not even talking about that oh-so-influential opening scene where he's just a voice on the phone. Now, I admit this wasn't my first exposure to Tony Beckley; in fact I know him better as mad botanist from hell harrison Chase in Doctor Who and the Seeds of Doom, made three-or-so years before this movie, where he delivered a brilliant, over-the-top and still scary performance that has to be seen to be believed. So, I already knew what he could do. This is a rather different performance though; much quieter and, well, less "camp", if that's even the right word, but pitch-perfect in every way. His death shortly after this film was made is a real tragedy because if all had been right with the world, his star would have been on the ascendent due to his performance as the crazed child killer Kurt Duncan. It was just not to be.So, as everyone knows who has read this review page (or seen the film, or even heard about it from elsewhere), the opening scene is a fantastic piece of suspense that could have made a great short film in its own right. It's just the prologue, really, and the closing scenes with Carol Kane's Jill are the coda that wraps everything round to the beginning again. It's a nice piece of writing, for sure. But Kurt trying to make his way in the world and slowly descending into madness is, to me, just as good, though I would rather have seen more of it and less of John Clifford, sorry to say. The scene in the bar with the middle-aged lady, who seems so very nice despite everything, is really, really good -- tense because you don't know if Kurt's bloodlust will kick in, but awkward because he's trying, trying to establish some kind of connection, and you're not totally sure if there are malevolent gears churning in his head, but you think there might be. For a moment, Kurt almost seems like a lost soul adrift in a ruthless world, and yes, you really, really hope the nice lady is going to be ok, but you can't help but imagine a path where Kurt calms down, makes a friend and gets away to start a better life elsewhere.I also did appreciate Carol Kane's performance in this movie, though really, she isn't in it much. She and the director pull off a real feat with the opening 20 minutes in the Doctor's house. Her tension is very evident and believable, and although her first call to the police is utterly useless and shows a lack of considered thinking, I sure as hell can't blame her. Then, the older Jill, living her storybook life, suddenly falls to pieces when she hears that voice on the phone again after all those years: "Have you checked teh children?"...a terrible echo from the past. Carol here pulls off a very convincing total panic attack and breakdown, and I felt she was really living this part. Nice job.Now, I'm not done criticising this movie yet, unfortunately. Although I have more good to say than not, I feel like someone, maybe a producer or some studio exec or something, might have tried hard to make this a more "acceptable" picture, and today I think we can say this was to the film's detriment. Although I think the director really believed in this material, on the whole it seems to lack a certain something. Maybe it's conviction? This was the 1970s, a fantastic era for horror films, but the 80s were so close you could smell them, and it's really just the excellent direction and Tony Beckley's performance that save When a Stranger Calls from being, perhaps, just a bit too sanitised. I've seen loads of 70s films; it's probably my favourite decade for genre films and I know just far they could go sometimes in showing the depths of human psychopathy and derangement. This film, tragically, seems to be pulling back, or maybe, someone is pushing in the wrong direction. the John Clifford character is an obvious nod to the need to have a hero to court the acceptance of the public. He's a really cliché character, and I'm glad that at least the crew had the good sense to end the film when it did, rather than give him a pat closing redemption scene or something. Jill's storybook life is a bit too convenient, although one could argue, this all the better to have it punctured by the return of Kurt the Demon. There are some small holes that could have been closed in the script, for instance, how did Kurt know Jill would be at the restaurant? if he was found insane at his trial, I'm surprised the subject of extradition to England never came up. And finally, the music, while effective in some places, often comes off as too bombastic and "Hollywood". Imagine if this film had been scored by les Baxter or something. I think that would have been great!

It´s been said, the opening and climax are great. I personally would add that Carol Kane is awesome. The middle part just hasn´t dated well. It can feel at times like trying to stretch a shorter concept but it adds to the psycho´s sociopathy and the cop´s motivation. That does bolster the climax, not as quotable as the opening but kind of scarier. It wouldn´t work as well without that "middle part" even if it should ideally be a bit shorter. After knowing what we learned about the characters, the suspense and the film itself have grown all the way up. I genuinely got the chills at the very end and that is worth more than all the jump scares in the book. It´s flawed, but a solid classic nonetheless. You´ll probably sleep with the lights on and isn´t that what horror films are about?

Jill Johnson, late night babysitter for the Mandrakis family, appears frazzled but surprisingly smart for her sitter duties could be unpredictable, when on her unrestrained best behaviour an unknown caller shatters the quietness of the Mandrakis residence.Jill politely deflects calls but they become progressively threatening and she uses police assistance when directed to a non emergency complaints officer who provides best advice. He tells her not to panic as the caller does not have reasonable access to her or the children but invites her to call back if for any reason she is provoked further.After more intimidating calls she does call the officer back and is told police are now responding. After the next strange call is over the police call in to tell her the call is from another number located somewhere else in the home and to immediately get away with no delay. An upstairs door slides open, a shadow of a man is illuminated across the upper level floor. Jill scrambles against a locked front entrance to advance her escape. When the front door opens she screams in terror at the face of Officer John Clifford staring at her.Jill is shown sobbing in the Mandrakis living room surrounded by numerous emergency workers. The upstairs stranger, discovered to be a recent visitor from England, has irreversibly mutilated and murdered the Mandrakis children using his two bare hands.Seven years later Curt Duncan escapes state mental asylum and privately active John Clifford is summoned by Dr. Mandrakis to apprehend Duncan. Clifford describes this as an old police case that is a non priority and agrees to accept it as a private hire.Dr. Monk, authority at state mental hospital and responsible for six years of sometimes forceful continuous therapy where drugs such as tranquilizers, depressants and lithium are utilized to treat Duncan, and electric shocks 38 different times to him is a standard treatment. The special opinion: he is no longer a danger, but what they know of the human mind is also limited.Tracy Fuller is an older lady who life has not been good to. She is a habitual customer at a local late night tavern. Duncan materializes and during two encounters delivers an incredibly close attempt at her friendship in an effort to get the best of her, but Tracy's intuition tells her she is better than Duncan and she rebuffs him on both of those occasions.Part of the reason for her refusals and the ejection of Duncan could be that a sense of family has previously developed inside the tavern and this family is capable of dealing with abuse issues of strangers.True lady Tracy is consoling to Duncan in light of his treatment when he tries to gain her friendship a second time later that night. Duncan is actually an experienced friend finder 'heavy hitter' personality and is gifted at reaching someone's bottom line. In spite of this fact, Fate does not move his way and he is sent away perhaps for being a little too pushy. After his elevator call rings out a gentle twist of her doorknob indicates Duncan's deeply knowing attitudes after Tracy has locked up behind her.There next morning making street level inquiries Clifford knocks on Tracy's apartment door. After all previous events are revealed Tracy agrees to assist the investigation manned by Clifford who afterwards in preparation confesses to his former partner Lt. Garber that he intends to murder Duncan in an act of 'good conscience' using lock picks, to the reply of 'Do it good!'.Careful Tracy is back at the tavern and slides home in an attempt to draw Duncan. She is met at her apartment elevator level by Clifford who assures Tracy he will be actively nearby. Tracy enters her apartment and makes herself comfortable. Suddenly Duncan grabs her and silences her against an inner wall. She screams loudly at the next interval and Duncan flees the apartment using the rear escape as Clifford forces a front door entry.Clifford meets a street informant by chance and proceeds to a homeless shelter where Duncan is admitted.Duncan anticipates Clifford's approach and a cat and mouse sequence unfolds as Duncan evades Clifford's lethal intentions successfully and is given a second original cameo role as a haunted and hunted escaped lunatic.Jill is now a mother of two and living the American dream. Tonight she is prepared for a late dining out as Mrs. Lockart, a party to her rich mates published promotion, she hires a late night babysitter. She reminds the sitter to use the emergency numbers as provided.When dining she is informed of a courtesy phone call by a server, taking the receiver it is the voice of Duncan. Mr. Lockart calls home to discover everything is fine, according to the babysitter. Babysitter Sharon knows nothing about a strange man, having checked the children 45 minutes prior, she is asked to check them again as the situation quickly deteriorates. Police are summoned to the residence and arrive amid sounds of concerned confusion.Clifford is contacted by phone later that night by his former police partner Lt. Garber who gives him a tip on latest irregular events of the Duncan case involving the Lockart family.Jill is settling down at home with family and investigating mysterious occurrences inside the home.Clifford calls the Lockart home to find a busy signal and questions the telephone operator.At home Jill is having trouble sleeping and tries her phone to call out from her bedroom. She finds her line is dead and hears a stranger whispering violently to her. She calls out to Stephen.Duncan hisses out at her from under her blankets and moves against her life but is shot dead when hero Clifford enters the bedroom.Stephen is mumbling semi-conscious in the bedroom closet. "Your husband is okay" is the finale.

What's amazing about When a Stranger Calls is how much of a tone the first twenty minutes sets for the rest of the movie. The initial babysitter scene performed by Carol Kane as Jill Johnson is actually terrifying. In my opinion When a Stranger Calls, along with Suspiria, have the most attention grabbing introduction, prolific to the horror genre and truly suspenseful. The phone calls in the beginning are terrific and have some chilling lines. After the babysitting scene the film spins into a different direction becoming a cat and mouse chase between a detective and the killer. It's not that the middle section of the film was bad but it really didn't seem to flow that well with the beginning. Tony Beckley, as Curt Duncan, portrayed a great menacing, but at the same time sympathetic villain. There are scenes towards the end in the city that do drag a bit but the payoff is there at the end of the film. When a Stranger calls is definitely an underrated horror film that for me has replay value and nostalgia.