Forget "Marcus Welby"! When I think of James Brolin, I instantly recall a host of movies he made consecutively between 1972-1973: "Skyjacked", "Westworld", the TV-film "Short Walk To Daylight", and this compact thriller, another movie-of-the-week. After being mugged and knocked unconscious by teenagers in a department store men's room, Brolin wakes to find he's locked in alone after closing time. This might sound like a shop-a-holic's dream come true, but Brolin has to fight off vicious guard dogs all night, sometimes in clever ways. James Brolin was the perfect TV substitute for Charlton Heston: stalwart and determined, with a firm jaw and a survivor's instinct. The film doesn't amount to much--the viewer and Brolin are in much the same spot, biding time until the store reopens--but the general scenario is a good one.
14 Reviews
Good Luck, Chuck! ... You'll need it!
Coventry21 January 2008
The set-up for this early 70's made-for-TV thriller is simplistic but efficient and much more frightening than any horror movie revolving on zombies, vampires or immoral ax-wielding psychopaths could ever be. The situation where the male protagonist finds himself trapped in may not be likely to happen any time soon, but it's definitely not unthinkable. Being the victim of a robbery, Chuck Banner is left behind in the restroom of a big shopping complex. When he regains consciousness, the store is closed down for the weekend and severely trained guard dogs stand between him and the exit doors. His only hope for rescue is his ex-wife and daughter, with whom he was supposed to meet at the airport, but by the time they figure out where Chuck is stuck, it might be too late. Movie scripts don't get any more rudimentary than this, but "Doberman Patrol" nevertheless guarantees a mere 90 minutes of suspense and thrills, largely thanks to James Brolin's strong performance as the man in peril as well as to the impressively trained dogs. The beautiful and athletic animals are very menacing and definitely fulfill their "guarding" duties. The search for Chuck on the outside is interesting to follow as well, with his ex-wife and her new husband being surprisingly likable and identifiable characters. The subject matter and the limited cast of characters don't exactly lend themselves to gory situations, but in this case the tense and claustrophobic atmosphere and stellar performances suffice. Recommended!
Was this one thought through?
gyankey120 March 2024
I remember this made-for-tv film as a kid. I was 7 when this came out, and in 2nd grade. Doberman's scared me then. But as a dog owner I can't help but wonder if the writers thought this one through. What high end department store chain used dogs to guard their merchandise? Was this even a real scenario? I'm curious because even my well-trained service dogs are not left alone running around in our house all night unsupervised. They get into things and sometimes make messes. I can't imagine a high end store using such a service, when most stores lose merchandise to shoplifting regularly (it's called "shrinkage") and take that into account when setting their prices. And that is during the day when they are opened for business. So as an adult I find this scenario ridiculous.
Nice, tight TV movie with a fair bit of suspense
barnabyrudge16 January 2003
Trapped is better than you might expect. After all, it's an early 1970s TV movie starring James Brolin, so it doesn't exactly sound like an undiscovered masterpiece.
The story tells of a man who recovers consciousness following a mugging in the toilets of a large department store. When he comes round, the store is closed and he finds himself trapped overnight, having to evade the vicious doberman dogs that patrol the store.
It's a reasonably tense offering. Inevitably, the thinness of the story results in occasional tedious patches, but in fairness the film contains more than its fair share of taut moments. It's the kind of thing that could happen to anybody, so in many ways the audience is able to identify with the hero and place themselves in his position. I spent much of the film wondering how I would cope under the same circumstances. The scenes involving dog attacks are quite well filmed, without being too graphic or grisly.. I like this film.... it's definitely worth trying to catch.
The story tells of a man who recovers consciousness following a mugging in the toilets of a large department store. When he comes round, the store is closed and he finds himself trapped overnight, having to evade the vicious doberman dogs that patrol the store.
It's a reasonably tense offering. Inevitably, the thinness of the story results in occasional tedious patches, but in fairness the film contains more than its fair share of taut moments. It's the kind of thing that could happen to anybody, so in many ways the audience is able to identify with the hero and place themselves in his position. I spent much of the film wondering how I would cope under the same circumstances. The scenes involving dog attacks are quite well filmed, without being too graphic or grisly.. I like this film.... it's definitely worth trying to catch.
seek it out, or bring it out on DVD
HEFILM10 February 2007
An early entry in the glory days of TV movies that stands well alongside other TV movies on the era. Well acted, very well edited and scored and most importantly written and directed by Frank De Felitta. It ages pretty well and of course has real dog attacks rather than CGI junk animals. For some reason this quality of TV production died out almost entirely in the 1980's when all the elements of craft that this film has vanished really until X Files and other shows brought back film type story telling to TV.
The story unfolds very well and is believable and involving, this should be on DVD and certainly is among the handful of memorable TV movies of any era, it's like a very good episode of the Hitchcock series or Thriller--the Boris Karloff series. Someone at Univeral get this out on DVD like it deserves. This movie will having you making sure you're home before any store closes. James Brolin sweats and suffers with the best of them.
The story unfolds very well and is believable and involving, this should be on DVD and certainly is among the handful of memorable TV movies of any era, it's like a very good episode of the Hitchcock series or Thriller--the Boris Karloff series. Someone at Univeral get this out on DVD like it deserves. This movie will having you making sure you're home before any store closes. James Brolin sweats and suffers with the best of them.
I guess the dogs add tension, but is it really worth it for the extra security?
mark.waltz20 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
What could have worked better as part of an hour long nighttime drama series ends up being stretched out to eternity twice as long as a 90 minute TV movie, minus commercials. Having dealt with a New York City earthquake while trapped underground in "Short Walk to Daylight", now James Brolin is trapped by a long evening with dobermans in this thriller as a divorced man who was the victim of a mugging is left in a department store bathroom and must try to get out while fighting with guard dogs left to prevent the store from being robbed.
That in itself is an unpleasant bit of tension, nail biting for that flat alone, but cloying when you throw in an ex-wife, Susan Clark, their daughter and her new husband, played by Earl Holliman who seems to be trying to imitate Marlon Brando with cotton in his mouth in "The Godfather". Daughter Tammy Harrington obviously can't stand her new stepfather, and that means a bit of a soap opera subplot that really extends the story to an unnecessary length.
It turns out that Brolin, whose marriage broke up because of his drinking problem, had promised to make his wife, daughter and the new husband at the airport for dinner, and when he doesn't show up, Holliman wants to blame it on him going out to get plastered. but Clark suspects through women's instinct that something else is up, and after visiting several local bars that he used to frequent, they go to the police. Robert Hooks becomes involved as the investigating officer, tangling this up further when they have to visit the more. The writers try to hard to make this complex, and ultimately, that just makes it irritating.
That in itself is an unpleasant bit of tension, nail biting for that flat alone, but cloying when you throw in an ex-wife, Susan Clark, their daughter and her new husband, played by Earl Holliman who seems to be trying to imitate Marlon Brando with cotton in his mouth in "The Godfather". Daughter Tammy Harrington obviously can't stand her new stepfather, and that means a bit of a soap opera subplot that really extends the story to an unnecessary length.
It turns out that Brolin, whose marriage broke up because of his drinking problem, had promised to make his wife, daughter and the new husband at the airport for dinner, and when he doesn't show up, Holliman wants to blame it on him going out to get plastered. but Clark suspects through women's instinct that something else is up, and after visiting several local bars that he used to frequent, they go to the police. Robert Hooks becomes involved as the investigating officer, tangling this up further when they have to visit the more. The writers try to hard to make this complex, and ultimately, that just makes it irritating.
Haunting Movie of the Week
perryder17 January 2011
This review is murky because the last time I saw it was when it aired in the 70's. James Brolin in a department store facing man-eating security dogs. The movie scared me more than if the store had mannequins that came to life. I will not give away the ending or key parts. There are plenty of suspenseful moments. Remember this was in the days predating cellphones and electronic security systems. Brolin's character was s.o.l. The things Brolin does to ward off the dogs rivals that of MacGuyver. ABC needs to package this and other movies-of-the-week as a DVD compilation. As an adult, I'm still afraid of scary dogs.
Brolin In Trouble Again.
a_l_i_e_n23 February 2006
Back in the 1970's it seemed haunted houses, evil marauding cars, or in this case, Doberman pincher's were always trying to take a bite out of the frequently cast James Brolin. As previous comments have already stated, Brolin is "Trapped" after hours in a Macey's-type department store and must evade attack dogs left to guard the premises. What makes this such a great setting is the way he cleverly employs items among the wares inside to try and get himself out of trouble. For example, a fishing rod from the sporting goods section becomes (if memory serves) a means of reaching a set of keys dangling between him and the snarling animals. What doesn't work all that well however is a subplot in which Brolin's ex-wife (Susan Clark) and daughter are set to leave his life with Clark's new husband (Earl Holliman), a real third wheel of a character who simply complicates the dynamic of the tale. It should have just been concerned with Brolin's attempts to survive so he can return to his worried family. Despite that plot intrusion it's still a very entertaining suspense melodrama, energetically directed by 70's best selling author, Frank De Felitta, ("Audrey Rose") who shows a real flare for this material. While he did undertake a few additional directing assignments, (most notably "Dark Night Of The Scarecrow" in 1981), De Felitta worked very infrequently in the director's chair. A shame really as he shows such promise here he might well have become as famous a movie director as he is an author.
Great Friday night movie with a pizza.
moononthehudson24 August 2005
I saw this movie many years ago and have always wanted to see it again. It was very suspenseful, wish I could find it to buy. Great idea for a movie plot, man gets attacked in a men,s room of a department store, the guard doesn't realize someone is still in the store so the poor guy is stuck in a store with attack dogs... I would die. I love a good movie and years ago they had better "made for TV movies". I would recommend this movie, that is if you could find it any where to rent or buy, I haven't seen it on TV since the year it first viewed. Funny how some movies stay with you. If you liked Trapped you would like: "Night Terror" with Valiere Harper full of suspense. I love movies that make me jump, both of these did...
A taut and gripping 70's made-for-TV thriller
Woodyanders7 October 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Businessman Chuck Brenner (a strong and engaging performance by James Brolin) gets mugged and knocked unconscious in the bathroom at a department store. When Chuck comes to, he finds himself locked inside the store with a bunch of ferocious Doberman guard dogs. Writer/director Frank De Felitta, who also wrote the superior supernatural shocker "The Entity," relates the arresting story at a snappy pace and does an adept job of creating plenty of sweaty, nerve-wracking suspense. Fred Mandl's agile cinematography and Gil Melle's primal, robust, throbbing score greatly enhance the white-knuckle tension. Brolin excels in the strenuous and demanding lead role: Scared and delirious, suffering from severe blood loss (one of the vicious canines bites his leg) and fending off those pesky pooches with either a chair or a flaming mop, Brolin has you rooting for him every harrowing step of the way. Moreover, the supporting cast likewise contributes solid work: Susan Clark as Chuck's bitter estranged ex-wife Elaine, Earl Holliman as Elaine's patient, practical new hubby David Moore, Robert ("Trouble Man") Hooks as smooth, helpful police Sergeant Connaught, and Tammy Harrington as Chuck's adorable little daughter Carrie. An excellent nail-biter.
One of the most suspenseful TV movies EVER!
newslogger4412 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Spoilers
I saw this when it first aired in 1973 and never forgot it--and for one particularly significant reason: right near the end of the movie where just as the attack dog was about to clamp its jaws around James Brolin's face, there was a power failure in my neighbourhood! My TV went black, of course, and in my now-darkened living room I shouted, "Oh, NO! Holy ****!" or something similar. I kid you not. I couldn't believe it!
I then had to wait many months and perhaps even a year or more before "Trapped" was eventually rerun as a late night movie and I finally got to see the ending! I often wonder how many other TV viewers in my area had suffered the same initial frustration that night, and perhaps even missed the rerun!
As for the movie's plotline: it's hard to believe that any department store would actually employ guard dogs to protect their premises in this way as it seems to me that if such a perilous predicament ever actually occurred to someone unfortunate enough to be trapped inside, it could very likely result in serious injury or death (imagine the lawsuit!) unless they stayed put in a secure location until the store re-opened, which Brolin SHOULD have done rather than smash his way through the place, enraging the dogs even further.
Notwithstanding the fact that personal cellphones were nonexistent in the 1970s, was it (or is it still?) standard procedure to disable a multi-extension (Centrex) landline telephone system after a store has closed for the day?
What if a security guard service had been utilized instead of dogs? How would such a guard be able to phone outside to get help due to some health emergency of his other than to smash a window and set off one of the alarms? Even worse, what if a hapless victim had become locked in on a Saturday night with no chance of being saved until the following Monday?
Then there was Brolin's foolhardy attempt to shoot an arrow at the continually leaping, snarling dog. How could he be sure that he'd kill it or even manage to injure it significantly to thereby enable him in his already dazed and physically weakened state to climb down from his high ledge, hobble or drag himself to the department store's locked front doors and pray that someone passing by outside would notice his plight at 5 a.m.? Good luck, buddy!
Goof: perhaps it was the film editor's blunder, but although one of the muggers clearly steals the wristwatch from Brolin's left wrist, it then looks as if he also snatches ANOTHER wristwatch from Brolin's RIGHT wrist!
I saw this when it first aired in 1973 and never forgot it--and for one particularly significant reason: right near the end of the movie where just as the attack dog was about to clamp its jaws around James Brolin's face, there was a power failure in my neighbourhood! My TV went black, of course, and in my now-darkened living room I shouted, "Oh, NO! Holy ****!" or something similar. I kid you not. I couldn't believe it!
I then had to wait many months and perhaps even a year or more before "Trapped" was eventually rerun as a late night movie and I finally got to see the ending! I often wonder how many other TV viewers in my area had suffered the same initial frustration that night, and perhaps even missed the rerun!
As for the movie's plotline: it's hard to believe that any department store would actually employ guard dogs to protect their premises in this way as it seems to me that if such a perilous predicament ever actually occurred to someone unfortunate enough to be trapped inside, it could very likely result in serious injury or death (imagine the lawsuit!) unless they stayed put in a secure location until the store re-opened, which Brolin SHOULD have done rather than smash his way through the place, enraging the dogs even further.
Notwithstanding the fact that personal cellphones were nonexistent in the 1970s, was it (or is it still?) standard procedure to disable a multi-extension (Centrex) landline telephone system after a store has closed for the day?
What if a security guard service had been utilized instead of dogs? How would such a guard be able to phone outside to get help due to some health emergency of his other than to smash a window and set off one of the alarms? Even worse, what if a hapless victim had become locked in on a Saturday night with no chance of being saved until the following Monday?
Then there was Brolin's foolhardy attempt to shoot an arrow at the continually leaping, snarling dog. How could he be sure that he'd kill it or even manage to injure it significantly to thereby enable him in his already dazed and physically weakened state to climb down from his high ledge, hobble or drag himself to the department store's locked front doors and pray that someone passing by outside would notice his plight at 5 a.m.? Good luck, buddy!
Goof: perhaps it was the film editor's blunder, but although one of the muggers clearly steals the wristwatch from Brolin's left wrist, it then looks as if he also snatches ANOTHER wristwatch from Brolin's RIGHT wrist!
Suspenseful movie
hjwydbkp15 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I was able to buy a copy of the movie years ago and watched it again and again it made me dislike Dobermans. Lol! Dont do with this guy did by going into the store bathroom just before closing so this won't happen to u either. These dogs were ruthless about trying to catch this poor man. These dogs were so mean and smart. It is an old movie and acting is kinda corny but very suspenseful and stressful to watch. No cell phones back then and this poor guy couldnt get to a phone so he was definitely Trapped. He outsmarted the dogs but they still tried to get him. One of the dogs was so intent on getting this man that it actually crawled onto the same ledge this man was on to get him. I think there were like 5 dogs after him. It was a very long night for him. HA!
I just wish ya would show it or let me buy it!
blease1716 June 2009
I first would like say that I would never do anything like that as to spoil this TV movie for anyone.
I saw this TV movie, when I was a teen back in 1973; and I enjoyed this movie. I hope you put it out soon! What I would also like to say is that television and movie studio's, have a lot of old shows and films that have been locked away since I was kid. One example, would be "Sargent's Three" that had the "Rat Pack" in it. I've search high and low for this movie and not even a bite!... ya really should show it. I enjoy a good western and that was one of them, I watch TMC and AMC and I haven't seen it at anytime.
I saw this TV movie, when I was a teen back in 1973; and I enjoyed this movie. I hope you put it out soon! What I would also like to say is that television and movie studio's, have a lot of old shows and films that have been locked away since I was kid. One example, would be "Sargent's Three" that had the "Rat Pack" in it. I've search high and low for this movie and not even a bite!... ya really should show it. I enjoy a good western and that was one of them, I watch TMC and AMC and I haven't seen it at anytime.
Bark Bark Bark
saint_brett21 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
'Trapped.' Oh yes, where the 60's clashed with the 70's in a department store.
Who is that - Rockford?
I remember these multi-level shops. Every store used to have the eatery up on the top level for some reason?
Jimmy Rockford meets up with Courtney Cox and it looks like they're in a split marriage with the poor daughter caught in the middle.
This guy looks like Little Joe. He also sports Johnny Cash hair and has Christian Bale facial features.
Ordering a Chucky doll near closing time, Rockford has to wait for the dumb thing to be hand delivered and lights up a Laramie to kill time which was common practise in the 70's.
Similar to one of the very first episodes of 'The Rockford files,' Jimmy gets jumped by two career criminals who beat him up in a restroom. (If I recall John Saxon did a number on him as well in the toilet? I don't know if anyone watched 'The Rockford Files.')
The store closes with Rockford unconscious in the toilet booth as The Gestapo bring a gang of well-trained killer dogs in to patrol the night shift.
Isn't it a bit excessive hiring these attack dogs to protect the Dollar Store basement bargain junk on the shelves? (The Chucky doll only cost 8 bucks.)
Look, it's "White Dog" from that controversial 1982 movie. He at it again?
The odds are short that one of these dogs would have an accident on the carpet throughout the night. The Gestapo left these poor creatures no drinking water, or food either.
What's-his-name is sort of a deadbeat father similar to Doctor Challis in 'Halloween 3.' He comes to and is unaware of the security forces awaiting him outside on the fourth floor.
First up he encounters the 'Halloween 5-Ply' Dobermann who's all teeth.
At the 23-minute mark an Olympic hurdler specialist defies its barricade and leaps tall buildings and, whoops, we have a real live dog fight on our hands. That wouldn't be approved for filming in the modern era.
I love how the dogs are trained to open locked doors.
They strike first blood and bite Rockford on the lower leg. It's a serious bite.
They box him in and narrow his movements. In a game of chess, the dogs have forced Rockford into the diner where he's shoved back in a game that we used to call "Forces Back" in elementary.
With similar Doctor Challis traits, he's quick to hit the bottle.
What did Annie say in 'Halloween' again? "Lester's barking and it's getting on my nerves again?" Yeah, you and me both, sister.
The annoying barking and poor quality of my DVD-R copy is why this fails to generate full marks with my score.
Rockford trashes the furniture section as he doesn't like the décor colors. So, in all this madness he finds the time to critique the styles & prices?
Okay, it's 1-nil to Rockford. He just imprisoned a killer dog in a storage room with a fire mop.
I love his yelling defense technique like he's wrangling cattle. "Yaaaahhhh!"
When you think about it this is sort of a blueprint for 'Die Hard.'
Gee, I just remembered that the last time I saw this was in 1981 on commercial TV when it was rated AO. Why I was allowed to sit up on a school night - I don't know? I'm surprised IMDb have this rated only a G. There are some dark themes to the undertones of this movie. The brutality of the dogs you wouldn't want little children seeing.
A subplot sees Rockford's ex and her husband search like detectives and they both slowly fall in love with him.
You know what would have made this movie more interesting? If a bomb, activated by a timer, had been placed inside the building and Rockford had a certain time to make it out before it exploded. Like a video game "race against the clock" suspense countdown sort of thing, while competing with the dogs at the same time. Also, if a killer virus, like The Stuff or The Blob, emerged from a refrigerator and had tentacles that could reach Rockford as he fished for the bow & arrow set. I honestly thought he'd kill a few dogs in this... but he didn't.
Who is that - Rockford?
I remember these multi-level shops. Every store used to have the eatery up on the top level for some reason?
Jimmy Rockford meets up with Courtney Cox and it looks like they're in a split marriage with the poor daughter caught in the middle.
This guy looks like Little Joe. He also sports Johnny Cash hair and has Christian Bale facial features.
Ordering a Chucky doll near closing time, Rockford has to wait for the dumb thing to be hand delivered and lights up a Laramie to kill time which was common practise in the 70's.
Similar to one of the very first episodes of 'The Rockford files,' Jimmy gets jumped by two career criminals who beat him up in a restroom. (If I recall John Saxon did a number on him as well in the toilet? I don't know if anyone watched 'The Rockford Files.')
The store closes with Rockford unconscious in the toilet booth as The Gestapo bring a gang of well-trained killer dogs in to patrol the night shift.
Isn't it a bit excessive hiring these attack dogs to protect the Dollar Store basement bargain junk on the shelves? (The Chucky doll only cost 8 bucks.)
Look, it's "White Dog" from that controversial 1982 movie. He at it again?
The odds are short that one of these dogs would have an accident on the carpet throughout the night. The Gestapo left these poor creatures no drinking water, or food either.
What's-his-name is sort of a deadbeat father similar to Doctor Challis in 'Halloween 3.' He comes to and is unaware of the security forces awaiting him outside on the fourth floor.
First up he encounters the 'Halloween 5-Ply' Dobermann who's all teeth.
At the 23-minute mark an Olympic hurdler specialist defies its barricade and leaps tall buildings and, whoops, we have a real live dog fight on our hands. That wouldn't be approved for filming in the modern era.
I love how the dogs are trained to open locked doors.
They strike first blood and bite Rockford on the lower leg. It's a serious bite.
They box him in and narrow his movements. In a game of chess, the dogs have forced Rockford into the diner where he's shoved back in a game that we used to call "Forces Back" in elementary.
With similar Doctor Challis traits, he's quick to hit the bottle.
What did Annie say in 'Halloween' again? "Lester's barking and it's getting on my nerves again?" Yeah, you and me both, sister.
The annoying barking and poor quality of my DVD-R copy is why this fails to generate full marks with my score.
Rockford trashes the furniture section as he doesn't like the décor colors. So, in all this madness he finds the time to critique the styles & prices?
Okay, it's 1-nil to Rockford. He just imprisoned a killer dog in a storage room with a fire mop.
I love his yelling defense technique like he's wrangling cattle. "Yaaaahhhh!"
When you think about it this is sort of a blueprint for 'Die Hard.'
Gee, I just remembered that the last time I saw this was in 1981 on commercial TV when it was rated AO. Why I was allowed to sit up on a school night - I don't know? I'm surprised IMDb have this rated only a G. There are some dark themes to the undertones of this movie. The brutality of the dogs you wouldn't want little children seeing.
A subplot sees Rockford's ex and her husband search like detectives and they both slowly fall in love with him.
You know what would have made this movie more interesting? If a bomb, activated by a timer, had been placed inside the building and Rockford had a certain time to make it out before it exploded. Like a video game "race against the clock" suspense countdown sort of thing, while competing with the dogs at the same time. Also, if a killer virus, like The Stuff or The Blob, emerged from a refrigerator and had tentacles that could reach Rockford as he fished for the bow & arrow set. I honestly thought he'd kill a few dogs in this... but he didn't.
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