When Michael Calls

TV Movie
1972
1h 13m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Michael Douglas in When Michael Calls (1972)

A woman begins to receive ominous phone calls from her nephew, who died 15 years earlier. With each phone call, a family member dies. Will she be the next in line?A woman begins to receive ominous phone calls from her nephew, who died 15 years earlier. With each phone call, a family member dies. Will she be the next in line?A woman begins to receive ominous phone calls from her nephew, who died 15 years earlier. With each phone call, a family member dies. Will she be the next in line?

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.0/10

1.1K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination total

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Top cast15

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Ben Gazzara

Doremus Connelly

Elizabeth Ashley

Helen Connelly

Michael Douglas

Craig

Al Waxman

Sheriff Hap Washbrook
(as Albert S. Waxman)

Larry Reynolds

'Doc' Britton

Marian Waldman

Elsa Britton

Karen Pearson

Peggy Connelly

Chris Pellett

Peter
(as Christopher Pellett)

Alan McRae

Harry Randall

Steve Weston

Enoch Mills

Robert Warner

Michèle Chicoine

Amy
(as Michele Chicoine)

John Bethune

Mr. Quinlin

William Osler

Prof. Swen
(uncredited)

Daniel Selby

Boy at School
(uncredited)

Director
- Philip Leacock
Writers
- James Bridges
- John Farris
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Opens with the Robert Drasnin theme from Daughter of the Mind (1969).

Goofs
The sheriff goes into Doc's place while Doremus steals chloroform from the cop car. Doremus and Helen run off and a mic is seen on the left side over the cop car.

Connections
Referenced in Doomed: The Untold Story of Roger Corman's the Fantastic Four (2015)

User reviews30

Review

Featured review

8/10

Creepy thriller from 1970s TV

"When Michael Calls" is an ABC Movie of the Week from 1972 that belongs to that special group of made-for-TV chillers that everyone who saw still remembers as terrifying the life out of them. I'm pleased to report it still works even today.

A young divorced mother named Helen suddenly starts receiving prank phone calls that claim to be from her nephew Michael, crying and asking for help. Trouble is that Michael has been dead for years. As the calls continue, people around Helen start to get murdered.

Although the movie as a whole is fairly low key, the first 30 minutes or so are really effective. The calls from "Michael" are genuinely creepy, and on first viewing, there really does seem to be no rational explanation for them. This sets up a great sense of unease for the characters and viewer alike. Elizabeth Ashley does a great job in the lead role as Helen, in fact all of the acting is good, including her young daughter. Gradually the mystery is explained, but you won't hear a spoiler from me, so I recommend seeking out a copy of this. The opening premise is so good and so spooky, that it will certainly make you curious to watch it to the end.