Child in the Night

Child in the Night is a 1990 American television film broadcast during the 1990 May sweeps. It aired on the CBS Network before a subsequent release to home video and syndication. The psychological thriller stars JoBeth Williams as a child psychologist, Tom Skerritt as a local police chief and introduced Elijah Wood as a troubled witness to a brutal slaying. Darren McGavin co-starred.

Child in the Night
GenreMystery/Thriller/Suspense
Written byMichael Petryni
Directed byMike Robe[1]
StarringJoBeth Williams
Tom Skerritt
Elijah Wood
Darren McGavin
Season Hubley
Theme music composerMark Snow
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producerMike Robe
ProducersIan Martin
John Perrin Flynn (co-producer)
Benjamin A. Weissman (co-producer)
CinematographyGerald Hirschfeld
EditorBenjamin A. Weissman
Running time98 minutes
Production companiesAllied Communications
Jayhawk Productions
Mike Robe Productions
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseMay 1, 1990 (1990-05-01)

It was the final film on-screen role appearance of Rick May, who died 30 years later on April 8, 2020.

Plot

In Seattle, nine-year-old Luke Winfield (Elijah Wood) is the only witness to his father's murder at the hands of a rain-slicker-wearing killer with a cargo hook. However, the boy fantasizes the murderer as Captain Hook, in an escape from the traumatic reality. Detective T. Bass (Tom Skerritt), who is in charge of the investigation enlists child psychologist, Dr. Hollis (JoBeth Williams) whose failed marriage was caused by her inability to have children. While getting closer to Luke she has an affair with Bass. She also discovers some troubling family secrets ensuring she is next to be slain.

Cast

Production

JoBeth Williams chose to perform in the film due to the romance subplot between her character and Tom Kerritt's, as she found filming it fun.[2] Child in the Night also marks Elijah Wood's first role.[3]

Release

Child in the Night aired on CBS on May 1, 1990.[4] The film received a VHS release in the 1990s through Triboro and in 2021 was released as part of a box set of made-for-TV movies entitled Televised Terror: Volume One, through Vinegar Syndrome.[5]

Reception

Critical reception was negative and the Honolulu Advertiser wrote "A condemnation of 1980s greed or an overblown two-hour sitcom without the laugh track? You decide."[6][7] Kay Gardella of the Daily News panned Child in the Night, as she felt that it lacked credibility.[8] A syndicated reviewer for the United Feature Syndicate was similarly dismissive, stating that partway through it "becomes just another whodunit with the standard woman-in-jeopardy climax."[9]

Horror Society reviewed the film as part of the Televised Terror: Volume One box set, stating that it was the weakest of the set but that it was also "a well put together murder mystery."[10]

References
  1. Jerry Roberts (2009). Encyclopedia of Television Film Directors. Scarecrow Press. p. 481.
  2. "JoBeth Williams picked film for lover angle". Press and Sun Bulletin. May 1, 1990.
  3. VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever 1996. Visible Ink Press. 1995. p. 271. ISBN 978-0-7876-0626-8.
  4. "Best Bets". Lexington Herald Leader (Newspapers.com). May 1, 1990.
  5. "Televised Terror Vol. 1". Mondo Digital. Retrieved 2022-02-08.
  6. "Child in the Night (review)". New York Magazine. 7 May 1990.
  7. "Internal reflection dominates week's movie themes". Honolulu Advertiser (Newspapers.com). April 21, 1991.
  8. Gardella, Kay (May 1, 1990). "No Mystery: 'Child' lacks credibility". Daily News (Newspapers.com). Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  9. Burlingame, Jon (May 1, 1990). "'Child' just another whodunit". Hartford Courant.
  10. "Blu Review – Televised Terror Volume One (Vinegar Syndrome)". Horror Society. 2021-07-21. Retrieved 2022-02-08.
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