The Slender Thread (1965)

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

Sadly Over-hyped

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

My late father, Donald J."Bud" Donahue and my sister, Sandy Donahue ( now Bernard) were extras....since my father was part of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce,at 2nd and Columbia streets, where the office scenes were filmed, he asked that we have small walk-on parts...my father was the "coffee cart guy" and my sister was beside him at the file cabinet....I got a role that entailed walking behind the amazing Bancroft as she talked with Kay Doubleday...it was SO much easier said that done....cables, cords and wires were covering the floors....I did succeed...it was So brief. When my sister and I went to the screening at a very small "theatre", we were so amazed at how the story took shape and the importance of mental health crises programs are in real life. I think that due in a large part to my introduction to the mental health issues shown in The Slender Thread, I began my work in day therapy programs for schools and continue working with high schoolers who might be "at risk".Seattle was beautiful, as always, yet the continuity for those of us who grew up in Seattle was a bit of a stretch...trying to determine how the protagonists moved from one neighborhood to another in mere minutes.....it was fun to critique. It was laughable, yet serious.I have since viewed this "dated" movie many times and am returned to a time much simpler..where people showed much empathy and truly cared for the well-being of others...without regard to personal gain...To me THAT is the value of this timeless movie...timeless in regard to social values it demonstrates..those values Never go out of style..for this reason this movie will never be "dated" to me.

There are so many things right with this film. Sidney Pollack's debut is my favourite of his films. The shot selection and direction of actors is held to the highest standard I have seen from him. Sidney Poitier is bang on as the Help Line Volunteer, but Anne Bancroft is what really makes this great, entertaining film a masterpiece.Anne Bancroft had a great career. Even in the mediocre and poor films she was in, she always shined. This is among her top three roles (along with The Graduate and Great Expectations) in no particular order.This film is very entertaining and contains quite a bit of subtext in each shot. It touches on themes of racism, suicide, sexism, mental instability, death, isolation and abandonment, infidelity and heroism. You get the feeling that Newell (Newly Well) empathizes with Dyson (Die-soon) more than he lets on, and it is kept brilliantly under the surface. GREAT JOB POLLACK!

Sidney Poitier, (Alan Newell) plays the role of a college student attending a college in Seattle, Washington who went directly from his classes to a Crises Hotline Center where he serves as a volunteer. Alan expects to spend a quite evening at the center and brings along plenty of his textbooks for studying. Telly Savales, (Dr. Joe Coburn) is the boss at the Center and tells Alan Newell that he is not going to be with him this evening and has a special event to attend, so Alan is going to be on his own during the entire night. It does not take too long before a telephone call comes into his office from a drunken barber who rambles on and on and then a telephone call is called in by Ann Bancroft, (Inga Dyson) who has taken pills in order to commit suicide. As soon as Alan Newell finds out this is a real crises for emergency assistance and it is all up to Alan to use everything in his power to stop Inga from taking her life. This is a rather long drawn out film, but worth the time to view and enjoy.

I haven't seen "The Tender Thread" but am certain it was a knock off of a much earlier TV version. Sidney Poitier was in that one too, but to the best of my recollection, there was only one set, the hotline phone room. The basic plot seems similar to your commentator's impressions of Tender Thread, but in the end, they get hold of the husband and work him over pretty good for getting mad about his wife's deceit and blame him for Moms feeble suicide attempt. I consider the earlier version the beginning of the lunatic notion that a man should be responsible for another's children. Monte Haun