The Longest Night

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.