After the child of wealthy parents gets abducted, the police and a member of the press intervene to assist the parents in their search but end up complicating their impending decisions.
When his son Andy is kidnapped and held for ransom, David Stannard liquidates his assets to meet the half-million dollar demand. A casual remark by newspaper reporter Charlie Telfer makes him change his mind. Despite the pleas from his wife Edith and brother Al, and the resultant condemnation of the press and public, Stannard goes on a nation-wide television program, displays the money and warns the kidnapper that not one cent will be paid for ransom; instead the money will be used to track down the kidnapper if Andy isn't returned unharmed. The police then find the boy's blood-stained shirt.—Les Adams <[email protected]>
As the CEO of the family vacuum cleaner manufacturing business, Dave Stannard has carved out a comfortable and loving upper middle class life with his wife Edith and their eight year old son Andy. Beyond the vacuum cleaners themselves, Dave and the Stannard name have some profile as the company sponsors a weekly live television show. When Andy is late arriving home after school one day, a series of telephone calls in and out of the Stannard house points to what would be Dave and Edith's worst nightmare if true: that Andy has been kidnapped. Calling in the police with the investigation led by Chief Jim Backett, Dave and Edith follow the advice of the Chief and his team who should know proper protocol in such matters, advice which includes only letting those that need to know what's going on, they such as Jesse Chapman and Shirley Lorraine - their two loyal household domestics - Dave's older brother Al Stannard, and the family physician Dr. Paul Gorman. Some others in the "should not know" category do find out, such as Mrs. Partridge, the principal of Andy's private school where he was last seen, but who is more problematic for the investigation is Charlie Telfer, a newspaper reporter out for an exclusive. That fear of it being a kidnapping is ultimately confirmed with the Stannards receiving the $500,000 ransom request, Andy's life or death in the balance. While hysterical Edith wants them to do whatever it takes for Andy's safe return, she leaves it up to Dave to decide how best to handle the situation. Absorbing all the advice from those around him, family, friends and professionals alike, Dave decides to take a calculated risk which will not only have a direct effect on what happens to Andy, but will indirectly affect the entirety of his life, both professionally and personally.—Huggo
David "Dave" Stannard is the wealthy CEO of a vacuum cleaner company, which he and his brother inherited from their father. He and his wife Edith are the parents of a lively eight year old son, Andy. Dave discovers that the slats are missing from his bed, which prompts him to go in search of Andy. His son is building a clubhouse with whatever lumber he can find and he admits to taking the slats. Dave offers to buy lumber but Andy says the fun is in finding it. So Dave promises to leave work early that day and bring some scavenged lumber. Edith hurriedly finds a clean shirt for Andy since it is time for school. Andy attends the exclusive Covey Lane Day School.
Dave and his brother Al do not agree on how to run the company, but overall their relationship is good. The day passes and Dave remembers his promise to Andy. He finds some scrap lumber at a construction site and pays the foreman to let him take it. When he arrives home, Andy is not there. Edith sees the school bus stop down the street but it passes their house. Just as they are getting worried, the school calls to check on Andy. That morning a nurse from Dr. Gorman's office took Andy from school because the doctor needed to see him. Edith and Dave are mystified and telephone the doctor. He did not send his nurse for Andy and has no idea what they are talking about. At that point Andy's parents realize he has probably been kidnapped.
The police are notified and arrive to set up a special phone for when a ransom call comes in. Dave is instructed to keep the kidnappers on the line as long as possible so the call can be traced. Edith is barely holding herself together. Dr. Gorman arrives and prescribes a sedative but she refuses to take it.
The ransom call finally comes. A man instructs Dave to gather five hundred thousand dollars and wait for further instructions. The call is traced to a pay phone but the man is gone when police arrive.
Dave and Al use company funds for the ransom. The bank has to stay open late to get it all together. Back at the Stannard home, Mrs. Partridge arrives. She is the director of Andy's school. Edith listens numbly as Mrs. Partridge attempts to clear the school of any blame. But when she says something out of line, Edith tries to attack her with a fireplace poker. At that point Edith is sedated and banished upstairs with a nurse in attendance.
A man enters the Stannard home through unlocked French windows and identifies himself as Charlie Telfer a reporter. Dave wants to keep the press out of it but allows Telfer to stay. They agree that Telfer can have an exclusive story later in exchange for keeping silent now.
As time passes the stress becomes unendurable. Dave recalls the last morning he spent with Andy and how irritated he was over the missing bed slats. Two of Andy's friends come to play but the butler, Chapman, sends them away on the pretext that Andy is busy. The police find a stolen car containing a blood-stained child's shirt. Dave identifies the shirt as Andy's.
The story leaks and the Stannards are overrun with reporters. They park outside the house, along with spectators who tear pieces from the fence for souvenirs. After careful soul-searching and believing he has little chance of getting Andy back whether he pays or not, Dave takes the money and goes to the local TV station. He spreads the money on a table and makes a public broadcast that no ransom will be paid for his son. Instead he offers it as a bounty on the kidnappers. A man sitting in an armchair next to a TV is partially shown, listening as Dave asks that the kidnappers do the right thing and set his son free.
Back home, Dave is greeted by an hysterical Edith. She demands that he retract his statement and tries to go outside to talk to the reporters. But Dave won't allow it. He tries to explain why he reached that decision but Edith is not able to listen. Al's wife arrives and takes Edith and the nurse to her home, just down the street. Everyone thinks Dave has just signed Andy's death warrant. In despair, he goes out to Andy's clubhouse, weeping. Suddenly he hears Andy's voice calling him. His son has been released unharmed. The blood on his shirt is from where he bit the fake nurse. He asks Dave if he remembered to bring the lumber.
Dave goes to the front of the house, carrying Andy. Leslie Telfer prevents the crowd from surging toward father and son. Jesse calls Edith, who quickly comes and hugs her son.
