Nightkill (1980)

Please forgive me the rather goofy and bizarre user comment's subject line, as it's a reference towards the typically expressive and often overlong titles that were given to Italian so-called "giallo" movies during the '60s, '70s and early '80s. Due to its plot, character drawings and filming style, Ted Post's "Nightkill" frequently resembles the giallo prototype. Post's main role model and inspiration for this film was obviously Alfred Hitchcock, but more than half of the Italian gialli ever made were also inspired by the works of Hitchcock, so it's logical that I notice similarities everywhere! Short and simple: I liked "Nightkill"! It's a straightforward thriller that contains a few impressive shock- moments and plot twists that you honestly don't see coming. Throughout the largest part of the running time, you don't have the slightest clue of what's going on. On top of the unpredictability factor, there are a handful of genuinely suspenseful sequences (the body-dumping, the car chase between Katherine and an unknown assailant) as well as a thoroughly murky gloomy atmosphere and a downright fantastic damsel-in-distress performance by Jacklyn Smith. She depicts the unhappy wife of robust and arrogant Arizona business tycoon Wendell Atwell. Katherine wants a divorce so that she can start a new life with her lover (and Wendell's business partner) Steve Fulton, but he refuses. Without thinking it through, Steve poisons Wendell and they hide the body in the freezer. But then Steve himself vanishes mysteriously and later it's his murdered body that lies in the freezer! Meanwhile, the increasingly anxious Katherine receives several visits from her obtrusive lawyer Herbert and a cynical private detective named Donner. "Nightkill" is a recommended watch in case you're searching for a tense and compelling whodunit-thriller. Smith's performance perfectly captures the fear and solitude that her character goes through, while Robert Mitchum is given the opportunity again to play a mysterious character like he did in his old film-noir days. Worth mentioning as well: Sybil Danning never looked more beautiful than in this film!

From some of the first terrifying television, I got to view, since I didn't get to enjoy many shows like "Night Gallery" hosted by awesome Rod Serling and others because I was too young.Until the latter nineteen seventies. This is when I started in on 'thrillers'. But as this was for me a differing effect, for one thing I was in 'crush-ville' for Mrs. Smith and so that complicated my feelings for the movie and drew me further in. I know that some have said that they think of the acting, with these characters as not up to par. Some have said that, I think that this was pretty to view and get into, as stories go.I watched her go through a hard time and watched it grow increasingly more twisted. She had me on the edge of my seat and miles away from my comfort zone. But the movie was a semi-complicated and involved plot for the average viewer, I think. Plus, with betrayal from Lt. Donner (Michael Anderson Jr.), who is supposed to be at least an honorable man and naturally you would believe justice would come from his involvement. I remember very well the part with which he deceives her, right in front of her with a telephone call. He 'acts' as if he is calling to help Jacklyn's character and there is no-one on the other end of the line, unbeknown to her. I remember the hair on my neck standing up as he was just finishing with the phone call, as he hung up with that 'mono-tone' 'killer' look in his eyes.Very chilling for me, considering that it was over twenty five years ago. And sometimes things (Movies) don't always age well. Some, age very well, but not all of course.I am looking for this movie on DVD. I recommend it, but watch it late or in the dark without distraction from front to back. It does deliver classic actor/actress suspense and hair raising excitement. Not everyone may agree, but judge for yourself.(****)

Nightkill is set in Phoenix, Arizona. Katherine 'Cathy' Atwell (Jaclyn Smith) is married to an overbearing, mean and often cruel but successful businessman named Wendell (Mike Connors), their marriage is for show and business purposes only. First of all we see Wendell place a briefcase with $1,000,000 in it in an airport locker. Later that night his right-hand man named Steve Fulton (James Franciscus, the IMDb listing for this character is wrong. It's definitely Fulton not Fuller, it's pronounced Fulton throughout the film and I even checked the spelling during the end credits) with whom Cathy is having an affair with slips some poison into Wendell's drink which appears to kill him within minutes. Cathy seems surprised and upset, Steve has acted on his own and has involved Cathy against her wishes. Steve's plan is to alter Wendell's passport with a picture of himself and catch a plane as Wendell to Washington, and then travel back as himself and therefore give the impression Wendell has disappeared in Washington. Then retrieve the briefcase with $1,000,000 in it at the airport and fly off into the sun with Cathy and live happily ever after. Well, that's the plan anyway. Steve sticks Wendell's body into a large freezer and heads off to the airport, leaving Cathy to attend a party in her honour organised by two of her friends Herbert (Fritz Weaver) and his wife Monika Childs (Sybil Danning) to give the impression that things are fine. Steve says he will fly back the next day and contact her. A perfect plan? Not quite. Wendell's secretary Christine (Belinda Mayne) reports him missing and Cathy is spoken to by Lieutenant Donner (Robert Mitchum) about his whereabouts. Steve fails to contact her and Cathy feels she should dispose of the body. Cathy opens the freezer only to find Steve in there dead instead of Wendell. Things turn even worse when it comes to light that Wendell knew about Cathy's affair with Steve and hired a P.I. named Rodriguez who bugged the entire house and recorded the murder of Wendell, and Lt. Donner tells Cathy that Wendell never made the flight to Washington. What's going on? Is Wendell really dead? Who else could it possibly be? Will Cathy be able to solve the mystery before Lt. Donner finds out the truth? Will she be blamed for the murders herself? So many questions, you'll have to watch it to find out the answers! Directed by Ted Post I thought this was a good murder mystery but I have to admit I figured out the twist ending about half way through which was a little disappointing as I was precisely right about how everything turned out. The script by Joan Andre based on a story by John Case isn't really at fault for this, I've probably just seen to many of these things that try and be too clever for it's own good. At least it tries, and it's quite clever and interesting to watch overall. It's a little slow at times with certain scenes and characters seeming like padding especially Herbert and Monika who have no relevance to the final outcome at all, maybe it would have been better as a slightly shorter T.V. programme. The pay-off at the end is reasonably satisfying but goes on for too long, the twist is revealed about 15 minutes before it finishes and I expected another big twist within the final 5 minutes or so, but it never happened. The acting is fine by an experienced cast. Technically the film looks a little bland and it's easy to see that Post is predominantly a director of T.V. shows, he tries to light peoples eyes while keeping the rest of their face in shadow in certain scenes which look out-of-place. Not a bad way to spend an hour and a half I suppose, how much enjoyment you get out of this film will greatly depend on if you figure out the twist ending which I did. Worth a watch if you can catch it on T.V. for free.

Filmed in Arizona by a mostly-foreign crew, "Nightkill" is one of the clumsiest crime dramas I have ever seen. Robert Mitchum (in a cowboy hat) trails recently-widowed Jaclyn Smith around, hoping to figure out if she had a hand in her husband's death. Jaclyn's wardrobe is of the Dale Evans variety and her dog is named "Cowboy"...seems as if somebody sure bought into the American myth that all westerners talk and dress like descendants of John Wayne! Screenplay by Joan Andre and John Case may have worked better if approached as parody; this mystery thriller just plays tame, with director Ted Post asleep at the controls. Don't be drawn in by the video box art of Jaclyn screaming while taking a shower. She does indeed take a shower in this film, but it is not revealing (nor does it further the murky plot one iota). NO STARS from ****