While the Children Sleep (TV 2007)

A prosperous couple find the perfect live-in nanny, but soon discover she intends to do her job to deadly perfection... See full synopsis »

Director:

Russell Mulcahy

Writer:

Stephen Niver

Stars:

Gail O'Grady, William R. Moses, Mariana Klaveno

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gail O'Grady	...	Meghan Eastman
William R. Moses	...	Carter Eastman
Mariana Klaveno	...	Abby Reed
Madison Davenport	...	Casey Eastman
Tristan Lake Leabu	...	Max Eastman
Stacy Haiduk	...	Shawna Pierson
Joanne Baron	...	Mel Olson
Alan Blumenfeld	...	Del Olson
Thomas Curtis	...	Tom Olson
Jon Lindstrom	...	Tate Walker
Andrew Masset	...	Stan Gable (as Andrew Hyatt Masset)
Monique Daniels	...	Laura Berry (as Moe Daniels)
Kristi Clainos	...	Tina Douglas
Kim Delgado	...	Detective Jordan
Nancy Bell	...	Social Worker

Storyline

A prosperous couple find the perfect live-in nanny, but soon discover she intends to do her job to deadly perfection... See full synopsis »

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Plot Keywords:

falling down stairs | murder disguised as an accident | murder | electrocuted in bathtub | murdered with a shovel | 

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Official Sites:

Lifetime TV

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 September 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Sitter

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Larry Levinson Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Carter's cell phone at the end of the movie (when ringing in the car) is not the same one he had in the beginning.

User Reviews

Haven't we been here before?

Here's an amusingly derivative psycho-thriller that acts as if all the other psychological thrillers in this genre don't exist. The template for this one, surprise surprise, is THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE, but it doesn't even manage to be the first film about a psychotic babysitter – THE SITTER was already made at the beginning of the sub-genre, back in 1991, and Alicia Silverstone had a stab as a babysitter/temptress later in that decade.

This turns out to be completely predictable and routine, although it is more watchable than some dogs the genre throws up. Russell Mulcahy, once one of Hollywood's hottest directors after HIGHLANDER, invests this with a little more style than the usual journeyman types and the pacing is pretty much spot on. Horror fans are advised to ignore the routine script and enjoy the silly murder sequences, which are quite strong for a television movie. Garden murders, bathtub murders, a staircase set-piece inspired by THE OMEN and a decent wheelchair stunt; it's all present here, as well as the over-the-top climax complete with pulled-out phone cords, duct-taped victims, carving knives and the like.

None of the characters elicit much sympathy, particularly in the case of Gail O'Grady who comes across as a bit of a bimbo as the mother. It's incredible how nobody ever suspects the angelic babysitter and becomes a bit irritating. William Moses, once the young upstanding hero of PERRY MASON, is bland as the nice-guy father. The sitter herself, Mariana Klaveno, is hopeless when she tries to do menacing, so the filmmakers wisely focus on her sexuality instead and I found her fairly effective as the teenage temptress. Still, this definitely falls into the so-bad-it's-good category, so only fans of bad movies need bother applying.