In from the Night (2006) (TV)

Director:

Peter Levin

Writers (WGA):

Marsha Recknagle (book)
Susanna Styron (teleplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 April 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

After ten years without contact, Bobby Miller (16) shows up famished, exhausted and nightmare-ridden at would be-author Victoria 'Vicki' Miller's home...

Plot Keywords:

Nephew | Aunt Nephew Relationship | Therapy | Dinner | Medical Examination

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Marcia Gay Harden	...	Vicki Miller
Taylor Handley	...	Bobby
Thomas Gibson	...	Aiden Byrnes
Kate Nelligan	...	Vera Miller
Regina Taylor	...	Dr. A. Gardner
Mackenzie Astin	...	Rob Miller
Roxanne Hart	...	Ruth Miller Hammond
Kevin Kilner	...	Chet Hammond
Mageina Tovah	...	Priscilla Miller
Nicholas Ballas	...	Abe Nolan
Cody McMains	...	Tristan
Miguel Pérez	...	Ned Alvarez
Lauren Tom	...	Dr. Myra Chen
Ryan Donowho	...	Snakeman
Mary Evans	...	Dr. Knapp
Jenny Gabrielle	...	Brett Hammond
William Sterchi	...	Harold Melvin
Esodie Geiger	...	Receptionist
Jane E. Goold	...	Sleep Lab Nurse (as Jane Goold)
Bruce McIntosh	...	Dr. Jeff Edmonds
Jason Menke	...	Computer Instructor
Chris Talley	...	Lawyer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Barela	...	Accident Victim
Mike McKenny	...	Diner Patron (as Mike McKenney)
Arty Nichols	...	Restaurant Customer
Danielle Rees	...	Sophie
Marian Seldes	...	Nora Cantata
Kerry Wynnyk	...	Patient in curlers
Shannon Zeller	...	Gina
Rachel Crow	...	Little Girl in Doctors Office (uncredited)
Roxanne V. Hennig	...	Extra (uncredited)
Albert Fry Jr.	...	College Professor (uncredited)
Tavia Schwartz	...	Patient (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Levin

Writing credits (WGA)
Marsha Recknagle		(book "If Nights Could Talk")
Susanna Styron		(teleplay) &
Bridget Terry		(teleplay)

Produced by
Cameron Johann	....	associate producer
Brent Shields	....	executive producer
Richard Welsh	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Mark McKenzie

Cinematography by
Eric Van Haren Noman

Film Editing by
Tina Hirsch

Casting by
Phyllis Huffman

Production Design by
Doug Kraner

Art Direction by
Guy Barnes

Set Decoration by
Wendy Ozols-Barnes

Costume Design by
Ha Nguyen

Makeup Department
Jessie Brown	....	additional makeup artist
Blair Leonard	....	key makeup artist
Randy Houston Mercer	....	makeup department head
Jolynn Nieto	....	additional hair stylist
Diana Sikes	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Noel Bermudez	....	executive in charge of production
Pam Fitzgerald	....	post-production supervisor
Karen Koch	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dennis Crow	....	second second assistant director
Chemen Ochoa	....	second assistant director (as Chemen A. Ochoa)
Kaaren F. Ochoa	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Jason Davis	....	assistant property master
Marisa Frantz	....	set dresser
Mark Hansen	....	property master
Amy Marsh	....	art department coordinator
Rhonda Paynter	....	on-set dresser
Liv Selinger	....	set dresser
Christopher Windisch	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael Becker	....	boom operator
David Brownlow	....	production sound mixer
Tim Chilton	....	foley artist
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer
Kathryn Madsen	....	adr supervisor
Joseph Melody	....	sound supervisor (as Joe Melody)
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer
Richard D. Rogers	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Richard Rogers)

Special Effects by
Scott Hastings	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Robert D. Bailey	....	visual effects supervisor (as Robert Bailey)

Stunts
Johnny Martin	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Logan R. Berkshire	....	key grip
David Cummings	....	grip
Tammy Fouts	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Hank Herrera	....	best boy grip
Sam Mares	....	camera loader
Stephen Mullen	....	gaffer: rigging
Alejandro Snodgrass	....	grip
Tommy Ray Sullivan	....	gaffer
Marc Yannette	....	second assistant camera

Casting Department
Jo Edna Boldin	....	casting: New Mexico
Darlene Hansen	....	extras casting
Marie A. Kohl	....	casting assistant: New Mexico
Geoffrey Miclat	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Stephen K. Randolph	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Martin C. Heselov	....	assistant editor (as Martin Heselov)
Christine Seino	....	assistant on-line editor

Music Department
Chris Ledesma	....	music editor

Transportation Department
William 'Fleet' Eakland	....	transportation coordinator (as William Eakland)
Patrick A. Reynolds Jr.	....	captain
Eric Rivera	....	driver

Other crew
Tim Carlson	....	stand-in
Rob Corlew	....	production secretary
Brian DeNike	....	office production assistant
Brooke Fair	....	production staff
Linda R. Gore	....	production assistant
Anne Johns	....	production coordinator
Joanna Kennedy	....	script supervisor
Lise Landeau	....	assistant to director
Robbie Mueller	....	assistant location manager
Robbie Mueller	....	location scout
Wendy Price	....	production accountant
Rachel Srigley	....	production office coordinator
Hunter Standen	....	production assistant
Alan Swain	....	location manager
Stan Torres	....	location assistant
John N. Ward	....	payroll accountant
Betty Weaver	....	assistant coordinator
Evan Adrian	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Guin Dill	....	animal trainer (uncredited)
Jarin Rossiter	....	development associate (uncredited)

Production Companies

• McGee Street Productions
• Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (2006) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions (2006) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Inter Video  24 frame video services
• Intrada  score album released by (limited edition)

Also Known As:

"Hallmark Hall of Fame: In from the Night (#55.3)" - USA (anthology series)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Company:

McGee Street Productions

Quotes:

Vicki Miller:I always loved you, Bobby.
Bobby:Yeah. That's why I came to you.

Movie Connections:

Edited into "Hallmark Hall of Fame" (1951)

Inspiring

While talking on the phone about the novel she is writing, Vicki Miller must answer the door. She sees her nephew Bobby, who has run away from home and looks dirty and frightened. Bobby eats like he hasn't seen food for days, and he flinches quite easily when touched. When he sleeps, he has nightmares and tosses and turns, and he has a difficult time waking up during the day. Vicki's mother Vera calls, frantic that Bobby is missing.

In flashbacks, we learn how Vicki, her parents, and her sister Ruth picked up Bobby as a baby from his parents Rob and Priscilla, who didn't want him and don't seem capable of caring for a child. In fact, Rob and Priscilla met in a mental hospital.

Vicki visits lawyer Ned Alvarez to find out what options to take. She explains that Rob fought for custody after his domineering father died, and Bobby went back to his disturbed parents for 10 years. Temporarily, Bobby moves in with Ruth and her husband Chet (Kevin Kilner), but that doesn't work out. Bobby trusts Vicki and is determined to live with her. Vicki finds a solution for Bobby and tries to make up for all the abuse he has suffered.

Meanwhile, Vicki attends an event related to her novel (her first, by the way) and meets Aiden. She also has an awkward moment with Nora Cantata (Marian Seldes in a brief but memorable performance), a member of a selection committee. Vicki has two dogs, Nick and Nora, who were named for the "Thin Man" characters.

Helping Bobby proves to be a challenge, but Vicki is determined. One obstacle: Bobby is happy to have friends, even if they do look like punk rockers. But they are not really friends. People who look like that (unless they are just changing their look to rebel) tend to take advantage of others.

Marcia Gay Harden does a capable job here, and Taylor Handley is outstanding in a role with more obvious challenges. I was disappointed not to see more of Thomas Gibson (I guess the movie was promoted with the idea people would want to see a star from a popular show, but he wasn't that important in reality). In some scenes I noticed he had an Irish accent, which was distracting to me. I don't know if he had the accent in all his scenes.

Other fine performances came from Lauren Tom and Regina Taylor as therapists who discovered exactly what was wrong with Bobby and came up with ideas for solving his problems.

The movie's one big weakness, in my opinion, was the fact we saw little of Priscilla, though Mageina Tovah succeeded in a mere five seconds (in the present) in making her appear quite demented. She was shown more in flashbacks looking spaced-out as Bobby was taken from her, and behaving wildly later (as Bobby hid). Mackenzie Astin did an okay job as Rob in a later scene from the present where he appeared under control, but not really able to cope with a child. It may be just as well that we saw so little of the abuse, because we certainly saw its results.

Another weakness: we hear at one point that Vicki is a teacher, but we see very little evidence of this. I suppose one of the scenes was taking place in her school, but it was hard to tell.

Overall, this was worthy of the Hallmark Hall of Fame.