The Stranger Within (1990 film)
Encyclopedia
The Stranger Within is a 1990
made-for-tv thriller film directed by Tom Holland
, and starring Rick Schroder
and Kate Jackson
.
) 3-year-old son Luke (Ross Swanson) is kidnapped by an unknown woman when she shortly loses supervision in the small town's supermarket. Mare blames herself for the kidnapping and has difficulty processing the loss. Sixteen years later, Mare is now in a happy long-distance relationship with Dan (Chris Sarandon
) - a California man who moved to Minneapolis after the suicide of his son - when Mark (Rick Schroder
) shows up, claiming to be her son. Mare is reluctant to take him in, fearing that he is playing a cruel joke, until he shares memories from the past and shows a scar from a stove burn that matches with Luke's. He explains that he was raised in Idaho, and is now on a rest stop in Minnesota before turning to New York. Mare is excited to catch in sixteen years with her son, but Dan continues to doubt Mark's credibility.
One day, Mare takes Mark to the supermarket where the kidnapping took place, but faints. In the hospital, Mark finds out that Mare is pregnant and is surprised that she does not want him to tell Dan. Dan continues to collect prove that Mark is actually Luke, despite Mare's confession that she does not want to know either if his story proves to be false. At the police station, he finds out that the city in Idaho where Mark claims to have grown up, does not exist. Upset with Mark, Dan reluctantly saves his life when he almost falls off the roof. Mark then claims that Emerald City was a lie told to cover up his much worse past, and assures Dan his credibility by showing him a birth mole that Luke also had. Shortly after, Mare rejects a marriage proposal from Dan - who has just found out through Mark about her pregnancy.
During an ice fishing
trip, Dan confronts Mark yet again with lies about his past. Feeling trapped, Mark pushes him in the water and lets him drown to death. He then cuts the phone wire, and electricity cable, as well as destroying the car motor, assuring that Mare has no other place to go. Mare is unaware of his responsibility in all these occurrences, though, and is further manipulated by Mark's claim that Dan fell in the water due to his fight with her over their marriage views. A visit from a police officer changes her views on Mark, upon finding out that he did not inform the officer about Dan's death. Mark turns the confrontation by insisting that she has been a horrible mother to him. The police officer, meanwhile, finds out that there are flaws to Mark's claims.
As both realize that Mark is a sociopathic killer, they unsuccessfully try to get away. Mark first kills the officer with a hammer, and then turns to Mare. She attempts to throw him out, but he easily overpowers her; knocking her head through a mirror before cuffing her. Later, he releases her and gives her another chance "to be a good mother", only to attack her when she claims to love him. When she admits that she is a bad mother, Mark responses that she should die for it. Mare, who does not believe that Mark is her own son anymore, attempts to shoot him to death, but runs out of bullets. She is then pushed into the basement and awakes next to the police officer's body. While Mark is digging a hole to bury the officer, Mare takes his gun. Mark, meanwhile, admits that he is not her son, before starting to bury her alive. To save her life, Mare shoots him. Mark survives to shooting and is about to kill her with a hammer, when suddenly the police offer's colleague saves her by shooting him to death. Mare awakes in the hospital, by her mother's side.
called The Stranger Within "a frightening, well-done, made-for-TV thriller with a fine performance by Rick Schroder. [..] Schroder shows remarkable range in this change-of-pace performance where he plays an unsympathetic and unappealing character with great energy and intelligence. The Stranger Within is a fine, frightening psychological thriller."
1990 in film
The year 1990 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* CGI technique is expanded with motion capture for CGI characters, used in Total Recall .* The first digitally-manipulated matte painting is used, in Die Hard 2....
made-for-tv thriller film directed by Tom Holland
Tom Holland (director)
-Early life:Holland was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, the son of Lee and Tom Holland. He graduated from Worcester Academy in 1962. He is the uncle of Dexter Holland, the singer and guitarist for the American punk rock band, The Offspring, and father of American actor Josh Holland.-Dead Rabbit...
, and starring Rick Schroder
Rick Schroder
Richard Bartlett "Rick" Schroder, Jr. is an American actor and film director.He debuted in the 1979 hit film The Champ, going on to become a child star on the sitcom Silver Spoons...
and Kate Jackson
Kate Jackson
Kate Jackson is an American actress, director, and producer, perhaps best known for her role as Sabrina Duncan in the popular 1970s television series Charlie's Angels...
.
Plot
In October 1974 rural Grove's Mill, Minnesota, widow Mare Blackburn's (Kate JacksonKate Jackson
Kate Jackson is an American actress, director, and producer, perhaps best known for her role as Sabrina Duncan in the popular 1970s television series Charlie's Angels...
) 3-year-old son Luke (Ross Swanson) is kidnapped by an unknown woman when she shortly loses supervision in the small town's supermarket. Mare blames herself for the kidnapping and has difficulty processing the loss. Sixteen years later, Mare is now in a happy long-distance relationship with Dan (Chris Sarandon
Chris Sarandon
Chris Sarandon is an American actor who was married to actress Susan Sarandon between 1968 and 1979. He is best known for playing Prince Humperdinck in the film The Princess Bride, the vampire Jerry Dandridge in Fright Night and Detective Mike Norris in the first entry of the Child's Play series,...
) - a California man who moved to Minneapolis after the suicide of his son - when Mark (Rick Schroder
Rick Schroder
Richard Bartlett "Rick" Schroder, Jr. is an American actor and film director.He debuted in the 1979 hit film The Champ, going on to become a child star on the sitcom Silver Spoons...
) shows up, claiming to be her son. Mare is reluctant to take him in, fearing that he is playing a cruel joke, until he shares memories from the past and shows a scar from a stove burn that matches with Luke's. He explains that he was raised in Idaho, and is now on a rest stop in Minnesota before turning to New York. Mare is excited to catch in sixteen years with her son, but Dan continues to doubt Mark's credibility.
One day, Mare takes Mark to the supermarket where the kidnapping took place, but faints. In the hospital, Mark finds out that Mare is pregnant and is surprised that she does not want him to tell Dan. Dan continues to collect prove that Mark is actually Luke, despite Mare's confession that she does not want to know either if his story proves to be false. At the police station, he finds out that the city in Idaho where Mark claims to have grown up, does not exist. Upset with Mark, Dan reluctantly saves his life when he almost falls off the roof. Mark then claims that Emerald City was a lie told to cover up his much worse past, and assures Dan his credibility by showing him a birth mole that Luke also had. Shortly after, Mare rejects a marriage proposal from Dan - who has just found out through Mark about her pregnancy.
During an ice fishing
Ice fishing
Ice fishing is the practice of catching fish with lines and fish hooks or spears through an opening in the ice on a frozen body of water. Ice anglers may sit on the stool in the open on a frozen lake, or in a heated cabin on the ice, some with bunks and amenities.-Locations:It is a popular pastime...
trip, Dan confronts Mark yet again with lies about his past. Feeling trapped, Mark pushes him in the water and lets him drown to death. He then cuts the phone wire, and electricity cable, as well as destroying the car motor, assuring that Mare has no other place to go. Mare is unaware of his responsibility in all these occurrences, though, and is further manipulated by Mark's claim that Dan fell in the water due to his fight with her over their marriage views. A visit from a police officer changes her views on Mark, upon finding out that he did not inform the officer about Dan's death. Mark turns the confrontation by insisting that she has been a horrible mother to him. The police officer, meanwhile, finds out that there are flaws to Mark's claims.
As both realize that Mark is a sociopathic killer, they unsuccessfully try to get away. Mark first kills the officer with a hammer, and then turns to Mare. She attempts to throw him out, but he easily overpowers her; knocking her head through a mirror before cuffing her. Later, he releases her and gives her another chance "to be a good mother", only to attack her when she claims to love him. When she admits that she is a bad mother, Mark responses that she should die for it. Mare, who does not believe that Mark is her own son anymore, attempts to shoot him to death, but runs out of bullets. She is then pushed into the basement and awakes next to the police officer's body. While Mark is digging a hole to bury the officer, Mare takes his gun. Mark, meanwhile, admits that he is not her son, before starting to bury her alive. To save her life, Mare shoots him. Mark survives to shooting and is about to kill her with a hammer, when suddenly the police offer's colleague saves her by shooting him to death. Mare awakes in the hospital, by her mother's side.
Cast
- Rick SchroderRick SchroderRichard Bartlett "Rick" Schroder, Jr. is an American actor and film director.He debuted in the 1979 hit film The Champ, going on to become a child star on the sitcom Silver Spoons...
as Mark - Kate JacksonKate JacksonKate Jackson is an American actress, director, and producer, perhaps best known for her role as Sabrina Duncan in the popular 1970s television series Charlie's Angels...
as Mare Blackburn - Chris SarandonChris SarandonChris Sarandon is an American actor who was married to actress Susan Sarandon between 1968 and 1979. He is best known for playing Prince Humperdinck in the film The Princess Bride, the vampire Jerry Dandridge in Fright Night and Detective Mike Norris in the first entry of the Child's Play series,...
as Dan - Clark Sandford as Captain Bender
- Peter Breitmayer as Phil Bender
- Pamela Danser as Emma
- Ross Swanson as Luke Blackburn
- Dale Dunham as Milo
- Oliver Osterberg as Joe
- Kelsey Rose as Jill
- Zachary Hunke as Jason
- Suzanne Egli as Policewoman
- James Harris as Doctor
Reception
The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called The Stranger Within "a frightening, well-done, made-for-TV thriller with a fine performance by Rick Schroder. [..] Schroder shows remarkable range in this change-of-pace performance where he plays an unsympathetic and unappealing character with great energy and intelligence. The Stranger Within is a fine, frightening psychological thriller."