John Vernon was one of those character actors who was incredibly familiar on 60s and 70s TV. Apart from starring as Dean Wormer in "Animal House", he appeared as villains on practically every show of the era, including "Hawaii Five-O", "Cannon", "Mission: Impossible" and many others. He was simply wonderful as nasty, sociopatic jerks!
When "Journey Into Night" begins, a boy and his foster parents are at a hospital. The boy is sent out to the car while the doctor issues his grave prognosis...the boy has Leukemia and, perhaps, only a few months to live. But before they can begin treating the guy, the boy's father meets him and shoves him into his car. While it probably isn't technically kidnapping, the father (Vernon) is an escaped prisoner and on the run from the law. And, he plans on taking his boy with him.
This is a tough episode to describe in only a few words. Sure, I enjoyed it and Vernon was good...as was the kid playing his son. But there was an escape in the film that was incredibly sloppy...and it's VERY obvious it's not Vernon but some stuntman! Additionally, at the end of the show, the FBI miraculously finds the pair just before some angry folks kill him...though you can't help but wonder HOW the FBI found them?! This ending just didn't make a lot of sense and should have been worked out better. Overall, a real mixed bag.
When "Journey Into Night" begins, a boy and his foster parents are at a hospital. The boy is sent out to the car while the doctor issues his grave prognosis...the boy has Leukemia and, perhaps, only a few months to live. But before they can begin treating the guy, the boy's father meets him and shoves him into his car. While it probably isn't technically kidnapping, the father (Vernon) is an escaped prisoner and on the run from the law. And, he plans on taking his boy with him.
This is a tough episode to describe in only a few words. Sure, I enjoyed it and Vernon was good...as was the kid playing his son. But there was an escape in the film that was incredibly sloppy...and it's VERY obvious it's not Vernon but some stuntman! Additionally, at the end of the show, the FBI miraculously finds the pair just before some angry folks kill him...though you can't help but wonder HOW the FBI found them?! This ending just didn't make a lot of sense and should have been worked out better. Overall, a real mixed bag.