Hotline

Brianne (Lynda Carter) tends bar at a local tavern. An unsettling incident leads her to a side job involving the phone service of the title. Of course, we know from a grim, opening sequence that Brianne's life is about to take a turn.

Let the creepy phone calls begin.

First off, fans of Ms. Carter should love this movie, since she's in almost every scene! She's also very good in her sleuthing role. The movie itself is decent, with some mystery and suspense. Not a bad made-for-TV thriller, though there are some odd things about the finale that seem a bit too convenient. Still, worth watching all the way through...

Where was this movie filmed. I can't find anything on this question.

Wonder Woman Lynda Carter swaps her hotpants for a hotline in this unintentionally hilarious made-for-TV hokum about a Samaritans style crisis helpline gal attracting the unwanted attentions of the fabulously monickered serial killer, The Barber (so-called because of his penchant for hacking off his victims locks), who delights in feeding her cryptic nursery rhyme style riddles when planning his next murder. Predictably, the too-clever-by-half loon makes the mistake of targeting Ms Carter as that next corpse-to-be and the result is seldom in doubt thereafter.

Chesty California art student Brianne O'Neill (Lynda Carter) accumulates multiple admirers from her night-time job tending bar. They range from creeps to charming eccentrics. Dr.Justin Price (Granville Van Dusen), a psychiatrist who runs a distress centre falls somewhat in to the latter category. He hires her to answer distress calls at his centre during the day.

In to this attractive young widow's life a stalker enters and aggressively pursues her invading her home. Possibly the same depraved individual is behind multiple murders of young women in the area. Probably the same sicko is continually calling Brianne at the distress centre speaking in riddles and taunting her.

Price downplays the seriousness of the phone calls as do co-workers. A lot of cranks call in to the centre and they are used to it. But the raspy-voiced creep continues to call the centre and asks for her. Brianne continues to accept the calls and play along trying to guess the riddles he keeps leaving her with even as he calls her at home and then the bar.

Brianne doesn't scare easily. That is one of the first things we find out about her. Because of this aspect of her character she can indulge her curiosity sorting through the variety of weirdos she meets with seemingly lesser regard to her own life and limb than most might have. But given that a number of the same weirdos are within her social circle that might be another reason.

The surprise resolution to the mystery is mildly jarring to the viewer but considerably more so to the heroine/potential next victim.

Though less than brilliant this goofy but fun CBS TV movie has real appeal not merely for its distinguished cast but also for the fact that it tells us a story rather than giving us a lecture. Far too many made-for-TV movies produced at that time and since featured a serious social issue plot and 'Based on a true story' pedigrees. An old-fashioned movie with a fictionalized narrative was becoming rare in made-for-TV cinema.

The script for this production could have been made into a low-budget feature. Because it was on television it offered the viewer a movie night without leaving the comfort of home or incurring the expense and hassle of going to the cinema.

This film opens with a stunning bartender named "Brianne O'Neill" (Lynda Carter) serving drinks to a few customers when one of them becomes rude and starts demanding sexual favors from her. Although she politely declines, he gets angry but eventually leaves. Later that night, just after a quick shower, a man named "Justin Price" (Granville Van Dusen) knocks on her door and asks if she is okay. Puzzled by this question and without opening the door, she responds that she is fine, only to be surprised to see him standing in her house near the sliding glass door. Although he tries to reassure her that someone else had apparently broken into her home through his door, recognizing how alarmed she is, Justin calmly stands by while she calls the police. That being said, it isn't until after the police arrive and conduct a quick investigation that she realizes he is on the level and, feeling somewhat grateful for his concern, she agrees to help out at a crisis call center he operates a few miles away. Unfortunately, not long after working there, she begins to receive calls from a man who claims to be a serial killer--and he has taken a personal interest in her. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an okay made-for-television movie which relied more on drama and mystery than actual horror. Similarly, although also advertised as a thriller, the suspense could have been more pronounced. Nevertheless, while it is certainly not a great film by any means, it was sufficient for passing the time, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.