Fans of Arrested Development will be familiar with J. Walter Weatherman, a character used to scare the crap out of children while teaching them valuable lessons (such as “And that’s why you always leave a note”). In the 1977 TV movie Night Terror (also known as Night Drive), Valerie Harper is our J. Walter Weatherman. The lesson? “And that’s why you always check your fuel gauge.”
Not once but twice does Harper’s Carol Turner, a doting wife and mother of two young children, neglect to keep her tank filled, and for that she nearly pays with her life. However, I would argue that her husband, Walter (Michael Tolan), is the real jinx who brought this curse upon her the second he smugly told her sister Vera (Beatrice Manley), “Your sister survives because I’m organized.”
He says that in response to Vera’s remark “I don’t know how she survives. Picking up every two years, moving an entire household from one city to another.” They’re discussing the family’s impending move from Phoenix to Denver. The plan is for Vera to go ahead with the children, Buddy (Damon Raskin) and Nancy (Quinn Cummings). Carol and Walter will arrive together later after enjoying a brief second honeymoon.
The wheels swiftly fall off that scheme: Walter’s detained at work and Carol is compelled to race to Denver in their station wagon after Buddy takes ill. (Buddy’s an annoying little son of a gun who dispenses lines like “Eggs every morning give you cholesterol” and “I have enlarged tear ducts.”) Veteran TV director E.W. Swackhamer wastes little time ratcheting up the tension as Carol encounters a series of frustrating obstacles while trying to find a working gas station.
Along the way she witnesses a murder committed by a character billed as The Killer (Richard Romanus). (There’s also a character, played by John Quade, called The Derelict; it’s that kind of movie.) The Killer has deep scars on his throat and uses an electrolarynx to communicate. Even then, he’s a man of few words. He prefers unsavory actions, like menacing a diner waitress by pouring coffee all over the counter and paying his bill by literally spitting cash at her.
With a trim running time of only 73 minutes, Night Terror is mostly dark roads and suspenseful music. The screenplay lacks the thrills of Duel but builds to a surprisingly satisfying conclusion in which a desperate Carol finds a resourceful use for her scarf (never show up underdressed to a marathon fight for your life) and wields a gun in a clumsy, unorthodox manner that feels rather Rhoda-esque. And look out for Nicholas Pryor in a small but satisfying role as the merry drunken motorist Carol gets stuck behind during a downpour. He would’ve made a better Walter than Tolan.
Streaming and DVD availability
Night Terror is available on both DVD and Blu-ray as part of a partnership between Kino Lorber, Scorpion Releasing and MGM. Special features include an audio commentary by film historian Amanda Reyes and Daniel Budnik, an author and podcaster.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
… But wait, there’s more!
This is my second review of a Valerie Harper made-for-TV movie. The first was for Strange Voices, in which she plays the mother of a schizophrenic Nancy McKeon. One of these days I’ll get around to 2000’s tragically awful Mary and Rhoda.
Cranky Lesbian is a disgruntled homosexual with too much time on her hands. Click for film reviews or to follow on Instagram.
Lisa
OMG…I just watched this film, again, after 30 plus years of seeing it as a TV movie of the week when I was a kid. It’s the voicebox thing with Richard Romanus! This was like the B or C grade version of “Duel” You can watch the whole thing via YouTube. I think we were separated at birth. Bravo on this one.
Cranky Lesbian
Thanks, Lisa. It’s scary to think there’s more than one of us running amok!