''Nightmare in Chicago'' is a 1964 suspense thriller crime television film produced and directed by

Robert Altman Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was a five-time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Director and is considered an enduring figure from the New H ...

, based on the novel ''Death on the Turnpike'' by William P. McGivern. It was originally filmed as an episode of the NBC series '' Kraft Suspense Theatre'' titled "Once Upon a Savage Night" before being expanded into the TV movie.

Plot

The film takes place over the course of a single winter's day and night some time before Christmas. Police in

Rockford, Illinois Rockford is a city in Winnebago County, Illinois, located in the far northern part of the state. Situated on the banks of the Rock River, Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County (a small portion of the city is located in Ogle County). ...

are concerned about a serial killer dubbed "Georgie Porgie" who preys on blondes and recently killed his fifth victim in Pinhook, Indiana. He strikes again, strangling a woman in a strip club in the middle of Chicago, and the police find his car abandoned on the road near an Illinois Tollway oasis. "Georgie Porgie" kills a man outside the oasis and steals his car. A waitress remembers that he was wearing sunglasses and a doctor theorizes that this could be necessitated by a form of

mydriasis Mydriasis is the dilation of the pupil, usually having a non-physiological cause, or sometimes a physiological pupillary response. Non-physiological causes of mydriasis include disease, trauma, or the use of certain types of drugs. Normally, as ...

. The police set up blocks along the maze of toll roads in Chicago to trap the killer, shining a flashlight in the eyes of all drivers who pass through, but a nuclear missile convoy codenamed "Long John" moving through the Chicago area also needs to get through at the same time, greatly complicating matters. "Georgie Porgie" parks his car sideways in the middle of the road, causing multiple crashes until he is picked up by a good Samaritan, whom he kills in order to steal his car. Concerned about the convoy, Harry Brockman suggests stopping it at the Hinsdale oasis but Commissioner Lombardo rejects the idea. "Georgie Porgie" returns to the oasis where he saw a blonde waitress who intrigued him but instead kidnaps her brunette coworker Bernadette as she is leaving. When she pleads with him not to kill a man he is strangling, he listens and lets the man live, locking him up before stealing his Illinois Tollway maintenance truck. He merges with the convoy, pretending that he needs to remain with it until it passes through the checkpoints. The police note that the maintenance truck is not authorized to be part of the convoy and stop it at the next checkpoint. When a policeman shines a flashlight in his eyes, "Georgie Porgie" screams in pain and leaps out of the car but is caught by policemen with flashlights surrounding him on all sides. As he is put in the police car he continuously cries out for his dead sister. Bernadette takes his sunglasses from the floor of the truck and the policemen plan out the rest of their morning as the sun rises. Commissioner Lombardo plans on playing

handball Handball (also known as team handball, European handball or Olympic handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of throwing it into the g ...

while Brockman and McVea head back to the office to file reports.

Cast

* Charles McGraw as Harry Brockman * Robert Ridgely as Dan McVea * Ted Knight as Carl Lombardo * Philip Abbott as Myron Ellis aka "Georgie Porgie" * Barbara Turner as Bernadette *

Charlene Lee Charlene may refer to: People and fictional characters * Charlene (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name Charlene or Charleen * Charlene (singer), American singer Charlene D'Angelo (born 1950) Music ...

as Wynnette * Douglas A. Alleman as Ralph *

Arlene Kieta Arlene may refer to: * Arleen, a feminine name, also spelled Arlene * "Arlene" (song), the 1985 debut single by American country music artist Marty Stuart * Arlene, a Beanie Baby cat produced by Ty, Inc. * Hurricane Arlene, the name of several tro ...

as The Blond *

John A. Alonzo John A. Alonzo, ASC (June 12, 1934 – March 13, 2001) was an American cinematographer, television director, and actor known for his diverse body of work in both film and television. Alonzo pioneered handheld work, lighting techniques and high ...

as Officer Miller * Robert H. Harris as Officer Newman (as Robert Harris) * Mary Frann as Annette * Jan Marsh as Dancer

Production

''Nightmare in Chicago'' was originally filmed as an episode of the NBC series '' Kraft Suspense Theatre'' titled "Once Upon a Savage Night" before being expanded into the TV movie. "Once Upon a Savage Night" was filmed on location in Chicago, Illinois, with high-speed 35mm positive color stock. During filming, Barbara Turner met her second husband, producer and director

Reza Badiyi Reza Sayed Badiyi (also known as Reza Badiei; Persian: رضا بدیعی; April 17, 1930 – August 20, 2011) was an Iranian-born American film and television director. His credits also include developing the opening montages for '' Mission ...

. The Associate Producer was Robert Eggenweiler, who worked as an Associate Producer with Altman on several other films such as ''Brewster McCloud'', ''McCabe and Mrs. Miller'', ''Nashville'', and ''Buffalo Bill and the Indians''.

References

External links

* * ('' Kraft Suspense Theatre'' episode) {{Robert Altman 1964 television films 1964 films 1964 American television episodes 1960s serial killer films American serial killer films Crime television films American drama television films Films about police officers Films directed by Robert Altman Films scored by John Williams Films set in Chicago Films set in Illinois Films set in Indiana Films shot in Chicago American thriller television films 1960s American films