Updated January 18, 2004.

SYNOPSIS This is a dramatized "true life" story about Stephanie Slater (Gina McKee) who was kidnapped and raped by Michael Sams (Sylvester McCoy). Told mostly in flashbacks, the story begins with Slater's boss paying off the ransom. Then Stephanie is returned home. The rest of the story is Stephanie remembering what happened and the police doing what they can to catch Sams.

During the course of the movie, Stephanie recalls how Sams tortured her by keeping her in a box, chained, with threats of boulders dropping on her and electric shocks awaiting her. She also finds that he's killed one other person, a prostitute called Julie Dart. She shows courage in testifying against this man, and he is eventually convicted of kidnapping and murder.

REVIEW I've seen both the Channel 5 version and the extended international version (as shown on Lifetime TV). I prefer the extended version because you get to see more Sylv. Sure, he's playing this horrible man (which is hard to stomach) but it's still fun to watch him act. The movie tries to pull at your heartstrings, which can become cloying, but the flashbacks are done well. Sylv's face isn't seen until 2/3 into the movie when Stephanie gets to see him during his trial.

PRODUCTION INFO Produced by Red Rooster for Channel 5 in 1997.

AVAILABILITY Currently not available.

SOUNDS As with all my wavs, I have compressed and uncompressed versions.

For the regular 11,025 Hz, 16 bit, Mono sounds, click on the button. For the compressed MPEG Layer-3 sounds, click on the button.

"Hope you're not claustrophobic."

"If you pull on that bar, there are boulders above you. And you'll be crushed."

"Can you feel the wire on the bar? If you move, you'll get an electric shock."

"In the morning, I want to see that gag still on you, and the blindfold."

"You can have the gag out now, but remember what I said about keeping quiet."

"I'm going to trust you on this. I've left it in a special way. I'll know if you move."

"What have we got here? Knickers and things... What there is of them."

"They're kinky."

Stephanie: "You're not going to let him kill me, are you Bob?"
Sams: "Why not? Give me a good reason."
Stephanie: "'Cause I don't think you'd let him."

Sams: "I don't go into pubs. That's how you get caught."
Stephanie: "What do you mean?"
Sams: "Drink loosens the tongue."

Sams: "Have you got a boyfriend?"
Stephanie: "Nobody serious."

"Oh no, don't say that."

"Aren't you going to give me a kiss, then?"

Sams' ransom message played on a news program.

"You'll find nothing incriminating on my computer."

"Somebody's been fiddling around with my computer."

Prosecutor: "Did you kill Julie Dart?"
Sams: "I told you, I never met her."

"I didn't put her there."

Prosecutor: "Why are you crying, Mr. Sams?"
Sams: "I don't know."

"I could never hurt a woman."

"That were upsettin'"

"I'll only talk to the D.C.I., nobody else!"

"I never blindfolded Julie. There was no need. She had to die, but she didn't feel anything."

"I put her in the wheely bin, taped it up, and put it in the back of the workshop."

The faceless Bob (Sams).

Sams drives Stephanie home.

Another car shot.

Sams in the dock.

Closeup of Sams.

Sams is a small man.

Sams is cross examined.

Sams testifies.

I could never hurt a woman.

We find the defendant guilty.

Sams is taken to the DCI.

Julie Dart had to die...

I put her in the wheelie bin...

Sams admits all to the DCI.