The Slender Thread

Psychology student Alan Newell rushes to the Crisis Clinic in Seattle after a day's study. He prepares for an uneventful evening manning the phones, with only minor calls, including a rambling drunk, filling the initial hours. The scene sets the atmosphere of calm before the main crisis unfolds.

Alan receives a distressing call from a woman claiming she has ingested large amounts of barbiturates to kill herself. Recognizing her seriousness, he pretends to get coffee, then calls the police to trace her call. This marks the start of the main unfolding crisis.

Alan contacts the phone company to trace the woman's call, hoping to alert the police. Dr. Coburn returns and joins the call using speakerphone, while Marian helps coordinate the response. They monitor the woman’s situation closely as the tension rises.

Off-duty Detective Ridley joins the police effort to locate the woman, whose name is revealed to be Inga. Police begin searching for her, connecting her reckless driving at the start with the woman on the call, as they piece together her whereabouts.

Using flashbacks, Inga recounts her recent struggles, including her husband's discovery that he is not her child’s biological father and her emotional turmoil. These revelations deepen the understanding of her desperate state.

Following her painful revelations, Inga attempts to take her own life in a night of despair. Her actions demonstrate the depth of her emotional pain and her desire to escape her troubled life.

Police find Inga’s abandoned car near the airport, intensifying their efforts to find her. This physical clue helps direct the police search to her possible current location.

The police track the traced call to a hotel close to the airport and conduct a frantic search. Their goal is to find Inga before any tragedy can occur, heightening the suspense of the rescue effort.

Police enter the hotel room just as Inga is found alive, providing relief to Alan and the team at the clinic. Her survival signifies the climax of the tense rescue operation.

Mark, Inga’s husband, arrives at the hospital after her rescue. He thanks Alan for his help, and the police take him to join Inga, bringing closure to her emotional crisis.

Dr. Coburn and the medical technician escort Inga to the hospital, leaving Alan and Marian at the clinic. This marks the end of the immediate crisis and the beginning of her recovery.

Relieved and emotionally exhausted, Alan lets out a cheer as he continues his shift, reflecting on the intense night and the successful rescue. The scene signifies a return to normalcy after a harrowing crisis.