A CRY FOR HELP (END OF THE LINE)

US, 1975, 74 minutes, Colour.
Robert Culp, Elagne Heilveil, Ken Swofford, Chuck Mc Cann.
Directed by Daryl Duke.

A Cry For Help (End of the Line) is a very effective telemovie. It takes the old story of the cynical disc jockey interested in his ratings, who stumbles into a real-life harrowing situation and has to cope. The portrait of the suicidal girl who needs help is effectively done but Robert Culp stands out as the disc jockey. The film also comments on many of society's institutions and their ability and inability to help those in need. The film was directed by Daryl Duke, director of such interesting films and telemovies as Payday, Griffin and Phoenix, The Silent Partner.

1. The focus of the title, its tone? Its place in the story? The alternate title and its reference to suicide and the phone link? The impact for the home audience?

2. The qualities of the film as a telemovie - a piece of Americana, the role of radio, the coast, cafes, hotels, beaches, the police, the church, big business and advertising? The atmosphere of the crisis situation and the disc jockey trying to cope?

3. The pace of the film, the importance of the editing? The structure: Harry's waking up, the suicidal girl, the establishing of the day for each of them, the interplay of their days and connections? The incidental characters and their ordinary day - and the final relevance of what they were doing to the plight of the girl and helping Harry? The importance of the radio station bosses, the sponsors and their decisions about the situation?

4. The plausibility of the plot? Radio and its contemporary role? Radio personalities and their careers, types? Putting on a show and getting ratings? The ego trip for the disc jockey? Down and out and in need of professional help? Capitalising on crises? The human issues consequent on this kind of show? The range of listeners - seeing them wake up, interested in the radio programme. characters in trouble? The growing involvement of the characters? The girl ringing in and the number of other people ringing in? The contact with the disc jockey and his importance in people's lives at the beginning of the day? The short space of time covered? The range of reactions to the crisis situation? The need for checking the truth., inviting people to co-operate, making contacts? The possibility of one human being saving another?

5. The interaction of the two principle characters: Harry and his waking up, driving to work, his life style? The contrast with Ingrid and her wandering around the cafe? The range of people who had contact with Ingrid - her parents and the phone call, the man behind the counter in the bar. the board for the radio station. the driver and his making advances, the police and the attack on them by Harry, the lady with the poetry quotation, the doctor, the man in the hotel and his seeing Ingrid on the beach. the old man and his dog, the seminarian and the parish priest. Ingrid's landlady and her son? The point being made about ordinary people in their daily lives, noticing others. the possibility of helping to save someone?

6. Harry and his style - how real did he seem. his arrogant manner on the radio, his way of answering people's questions, rudeness and people enjoying it? The reaction of his assistant? The bosses and the points about commercials? Their helping him to a career? Cutting him out at the climax of helping Ingrid? The importance of his career and its slump? The nature of his rudeness - part of his character? His cynical reaction to Ingrid? The urge to replay the tape? His trying to judge reactions? The importance of the tape being replaced so often? The contact with the doctor and his identifying the trouble? Ringing the police and the attack on them? His reaction and gradual involvement? His growing anxiety, response to clues, urging people to ring in? The sequences when he was not on the air and the insight into his character? His final saying he didn't care? The phone call? Giving Ingrid the phone number - which he would not do otherwise? A future for him for having intervened in someone's life? A rounded portrait of a cynical disc jockey with a chance to be better than he normally was?

7. The portrait of Ingrid - wandering, the cup of coffee, the pills, telephoning her mother and not talking, listening to the radio, ringing in and criticising Harry? Her continuing to wander, the lift and the driver's advances, her growing desperation? The visit to the church and the discussion with the seminarian, confession? Wandering the beach? Her being found in time? The comments on her being a loser? Harry's final phone call and the possibility of her making something of her life?

8. The average policeman and his reaction, inability to do much, worrying, going out to search for clues, following the clues, being ready for the rescue?

9. The portrait of the sponsors and advertisers? The motives for people listening in?

10. The sketches and authenticity of the range of people seen: the man in the bar and his customers, the driver and his work in the garage and attitude towards marriage and sex, the lady librarian looking up the poetry, the man in the hotel and his demands on management yet his ringing in, the boy and his fondness for Ingrid and discovering that she had left the home, his mother? The old man and the dog? The seminarian and the parish priest? The child and his mother finding Ingrid?

11. Themes of care, communication, concern? Life and death? Pressures in contemporary society? The possibilities of people being challenged to be saviours?