To All a Goodnight

To All a Goodnight

Year: 1980

Runtime: 87 mins

Language: English

Director: David Hess

ThrillerMysteryHorrorHorror the undead and monster classicsGory gruesome and slasher horror

You’ll Scream ’til Dawn A group of teenagers at a party find themselves being stalked by a maniacal killer in a Santa Claus costume.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen To All a Goodnight yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – To All a Goodnight (1980)

Trace every key event in To All a Goodnight (1980) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Two years earlier: prank gone wrong

During Christmas vacation two years earlier, a student is killed when accidentally pushed over a balcony during a prank at Calvin Finishing School For Girls. The accident is hushed up, leaving a haunting memory that fuels Mrs Jensen's later vendetta.

Two years ago Calvin Finishing School For Girls, balcony area
2

Friday before Christmas: plans and murder

On the Friday before Christmas, Nancy, Melody, Leia, Trisha and Sam decide to stay behind for a weekend with their boyfriends. During dinner, their classmate Cynthia and her boyfriend are murdered outside the school by a masked assailant in a Santa disguise.

That Friday night Calvin Finishing School For Girls, dining room and exterior
3

Drugging the housemother

The girls coerce Nancy to slip sedatives into Mrs Jensen's milk, making the housemother fall asleep. The aim is to keep Mrs Jensen out of the way while the weekend unfolds.

That night house, Mrs Jensen's living area
4

Reunion with the boyfriends

The remaining girls meet their boyfriends at the airstrip, reuniting with the private plane travelers as a tense mood settles over the house. The night carries an ominous sense that danger is near.

That night airstrip
5

Trisha's murder in the kitchen

Trisha goes to the kitchen to retrieve beer and is confronted by the Santa killer who slits her throat. The others realize something is terribly wrong as the ominous killer closes in on the house.

That night school kitchen
6

Tom's pursuit turns fatal

Tom goes to find Trisha, only to be chased outside by the killer who smashes his head with a rock. The killer then buries Tom's body in the garden, joining the earlier victim in the earth.

That night outside the house, garden
7

Sam and Blake fall to the killer

In the parlor, Sam and Blake share a moment, but the killer in armor shoots Blake with a crossbow and decapitates Sam with an axe. The rampage makes the danger inside the house unmistakably real.

That night parlor
8

Ralph's warning and Melody's seduction

Nancy encounters Ralph, the groundskeeper, who ominously warns that something evil is about to happen. Meanwhile Melody seduces Alex in his room as the night pulses with fear and desire.

That night the school grounds and Alex's room
9

Morning discoveries and investigation

The next morning, Nancy finds Ralph's corpse in the woods. Detective Polansky arrives to investigate and hints that the missing could be victims or possibly perpetrators, deepening the mystery.

Morning woods; outside the school
10

Jim and Dan: a deadly night unfolds

That night, Jim, a police officer stationed outside, is murdered with an axe. Inside, Leia seduces Dan before heading to the bathroom, where she discovers Sam's severed head and Dan is stabbed as he enters.

That night outside the school; bathroom inside
11

Leia's breakdown

Nancy and Alex encounter Leia, who has suffered a psychotic break and now dances and hums on the balcony, unable to speak as the danger closes in around them.

That night inside the school, balcony
12

Reveal and reckoning at the airstrip

The killer is revealed to be Mrs Jensen, seeking revenge for her daughter's death. Polansky is revealed to be her husband. Melody and T. J. are killed at the airstrip when the Santa costume starts the plane, slicing them with the propeller.

That night the school; airstrip
13

Escape and aftermath

Alex shoots Polansky with a crossbow as Nancy and Alex flee the school together, leaving Leia behind, dancing on the balcony in a macabre farewell.

That night the school

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:52

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To All a Goodnight Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in To All a Goodnight

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