Child in the Night

*Child in the Night*
Child in the Night
Genre	Mystery; Thriller;
Written by	Michael Petryni
Directed by	Mike Robe
Starring	JoBeth Williams; Tom Skerritt; Elijah Wood; Darren McGavin; Season Hubley;
Theme music composer	Mark Snow
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producer	Mike Robe
Producer	Ian Martin
Cinematography	Gerald Hirschfeld
Editor	Benjamin A. Weissman
Running time	98 minutes
Production companies	Allied Communications; Jayhawk Productions; Mike Robe Productions;
Original release
Network	CBS
Release	May 1, 1990

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.

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

JoBeth Williams as Dr. Hollis
Elijah Wood as Luke
Tom Skerritt as Bass
Season Hubley as Valerie
Tim Choate as Curt
Darren McGavin as Os Winfield
Stephen Godwin as Scott Winfield
Karen Trumbo as Julia Fiori
John Aylward as Dr. Wendt
Laura Langwell as Sharon O'Bannon
Don Hohenstein as Jackie's Date
J.R. Knotts as Ivan Decker
John Procaccino as Detective
Philip Jacquez as Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Rick May as Captain Hook

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

^ Jerry Roberts (2009). Encyclopedia of Television Film Directors. Scarecrow Press. p. 481.
^ "JoBeth Williams picked film for lover angle". Press and Sun Bulletin. May 1, 1990. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
^ VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever 1996. Visible Ink Press. 1995. p. 271. ISBN 978-0-7876-0626-8.
^ "Best Bets". Lexington Herald Leader (Newspapers.com). May 1, 1990. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
^ "Televised Terror Vol. 1". Mondo Digital. Archived from the original on 2021-10-18. Retrieved 2022-02-08.
^ "Child in the Night (review)". New York Magazine. 7 May 1990.
^ "Internal reflection dominates week's movie themes". Honolulu Advertiser (Newspapers.com). April 21, 1991. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
^ Gardella, Kay (May 1, 1990). "No Mystery: 'Child' lacks credibility". Daily News (Newspapers.com). Retrieved 8 February 2022.
^ Burlingame, Jon (May 1, 1990). "'Child' just another whodunit". Hartford Courant.
^ "Blu Review – Televised Terror Volume One (Vinegar Syndrome)". Horror Society. 2021-07-21. Archived from the original on 2022-02-08. Retrieved 2022-02-08.