Don’t Go to Sleep 1982
Directed by
Richard Lang
Made by
Warner Bros. Television
Don’t Go to Sleep Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Don’t Go to Sleep (1982). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
A family of four—the parents Phillip Dennis Weaver and Laura Valerie Harper, their son Kevin Oliver Robins, and daughter Mary Robin Ignico—move to a new home with Grandma Bernice Ruth Gordon, mourning the loss of their sister Jennifer Kristin Cumming. They hope this change will help them begin anew and put Jennifer’s tragedy behind them.
Seeking to start fresh, the family believes the house could be a place to heal and build a new life together. But soon after settling in, Mary hears a voice that seems to come from beneath the bed, calling her name as if Jennifer were still nearby. When Mary investigates, she discovers that Jennifer has returned as a ghost and begins to appear to her repeatedly, revealing a chilling wish to kill the entire family except for Mary.
This devastating revelation unleashes a sequence of twisted fates: Kevin’s iguana somehow ends up in Grandma Bernice’s bed, triggering a fatal heart attack for the elderly woman; Kevin’s attempt to retrieve a Frisbee from the roof ends in a deadly fall; and Phillip, while bathing, listens to a radio that ends up electrocuting him, leaving Laura to scramble to safety, though she sustains an arm injury in the process. Believing Mary to be the killer, the authorities place her in a mental institution as she grapples with the horror of what she may have done.
A pivotal flashback reveals the siblings’ hidden tensions: Kevin, feeling overshadowed by Jennifer, persuades Mary to join in a prank by tying Jennifer’s shoelaces together. The prank spirals out of control when a van collides with the family car, and while everyone except Jennifer manages to escape, she screams for help as Mary races to warn their father. But Phillip is unable to rescue her before the car bursts into flames, leaving Jennifer to perish in the wreck.
In the present, Mary insists that she is actually Jennifer, as the deceased sister possesses her living self, blurring the line between victim and perpetrator. Later, Laura lies in bed when Jennifer’s ghost appears at the foot of the bed and greets her with a chilling greeting: > “Hi, Mommy.” The film closes with Laura’s terrified screams echoing through the room, leaving a house full of unanswered questions and lingering dread.
Don’t Go to Sleep Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of Don’t Go to Sleep (1982) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Move into a new home with Grandma Bernice
A family of four—Phillip, Laura, Kevin, and Mary—moves into a new house, hoping for a fresh start. They are accompanied by Laura's mother, Grandma Bernice, whom she alone seems to care for. They carry the sorrow of their late daughter Jennifer as they try to begin again.
Mary hears her sister's voice from beneath the bed
Shortly after moving in, Mary begins hearing what sounds like dead Jennifer calling from beneath the bed. When she investigates, she finds a ghostly trace of her sister. The encounter foreshadows Jennifer's return and the danger looming over the family.
Jennifer returns as a ghost
Jennifer appears to Mary in secret, revealing a murderous intent to kill the family except Mary. The ghost's presence unsettles the household and sows fear and secrecy. Mary becomes the only person who seems to retain some connection to Jennifer.
Iguana triggers Grandma Bernice's death
Kevin's pet iguana ends up in Grandma Bernice's bed, startling the elderly woman. The sudden shock triggers Bernice's fatal heart attack. This tragedy marks the first in a chain of escalating misfortunes around the family.
Kevin's deadly fall from the roof
Kevin tries to retrieve a Frisbee from the roof and suffers a deadly fall. The accident seems linked to the mounting supernatural tension surrounding Jennifer. The family begins to realize something is targeting them.
Phillip's bath-time electrocution
The radio Phillip listens to in the bathtub shorts out and electrocutes him, killing him in the moment. Laura and Mary bear witness as fear and confusion take over the house. The patriarch's death destabilizes the already-fragile family.
Laura's escape and injury
Laura barely escapes the house's deadly events, injuring her arm in the process. With Phillip gone and Kevin and Mary altered by tragedy, the remaining members struggle to understand what's happening. Jennifer's presence grows stronger as the house tightens around them.
Mary is institutionalized
Believing she may have killed the family or be responsible for the horrors, Mary is placed in a mental institution. While there, she experiences a flashback that traces Jennifer's fate and the car crash that sealed the tragedy.
The car crash flashback
In a remembered episode, Mary and Kevin persuade Jennifer to join in a prank by tying her shoelaces together. A van collides with their car, Jennifer dies in the ensuing fire, and Mary and Kevin escape. Phillip is unable to rescue Jennifer before the car bursts into flames.
Mary claims to be Jennifer
Back in the present, Mary asserts that she is actually Jennifer, claiming the deceased sister has possessed her living self. This twist reframes the haunting as Jennifer's return rather than a simple act by Mary.
Final haunting: Jennifer's ghost to Laura
In the final moments, Jennifer's ghost appears at the foot of Laura's bed and says 'Hi, Mommy.' The scene ends with Laura's terrified screams, implying the haunting will persist beyond the events shown.
Don’t Go to Sleep Characters
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Mary (Robin Ignico)
The younger daughter who first discovers her sister Jennifer's ghost. She becomes a conduit for the haunting and ultimately is possessed in the film's climax, torn between fear and love for her sister. Her struggle highlights how grief and family pressure can blur reality.
Jennifer (Kristin Cumming)
Jennifer is the deceased sister whose ghost returns to torment the family, revealing anger and jealousy toward her siblings. Her presence orchestrates the family’s misfortunes and culminates in desire for revenge against the living.
Phillip (Dennis Weaver)
The father who is grieving Jennifer's death and trying to keep the family safe as tragedy unfolds. He faces fear and guilt as events spiral, including the car crash that claims Jennifer’s life and tests his ability to protect his family.
Laura (Valerie Harper)
The mother who endures the family's terror and works to shield her children. She experiences danger herself, escapes injuries, and wrestles with the impact of Jennifer's conduct on the household.
Kevin (Oliver Robins)
The son who resents his sister's favoritism and participates in a prank that precedes the tragedy. He is involved in dangerous situations, including the rooftop Frisbee incident, which amplifies the film's peril for the family.
Bernice (Ruth Gordon)
The elderly grandmother who accompanies the family. She becomes an unintended victim when an iguana appearing in her bed triggers a fatal heart attack, symbolizing the fragility of life in the wake of traumatic events.
Dr. Cole (Robert Webber)
A medical professional connected to the family, present in the narrative to address injuries and the escalating crisis as the haunting unfolds.
Don’t Go to Sleep Settings
Learn where and when Don’t Go to Sleep (1982) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Location
Family home (new residence)
A suburban family moves into a new family home, accompanied by Grandma Bernice. The house becomes a stage for Jennifer's ghost to reappear, muting the living with supernatural disturbances. The setting underscores the tension between starting fresh after tragedy and unresolved grief, as every room seems to hold a secret.
Don’t Go to Sleep Themes
Discover the main themes in Don’t Go to Sleep (1982). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Haunting
Jennifer's ghost repeatedly returns, driving the living characters toward fear and confrontation. Mary becomes the conduit for the haunting, while the paranormal events reveal hidden resentments and jealousy within the family. The spectral presence blurs the line between reality and nightmare, pushing toward deadly consequences.
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Grief
The family is grappling with Jennifer's death and the attempt to move on is complicated by unspoken sorrow. Parental favoritism toward Jennifer and the siblings' resentment fuel tension and distrust. Mary’s connection to Jennifer intensifies the emotional strain, affecting decisions and safety.
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Secrets
Hidden tensions and jealousies surface as past events come to light, including the bullying Jennifer faced and a cruel prank that preceded a fatal crash. The haunting acts as a catalyst, forcing the family to confront secrets they have kept. As the past resurfaces, Mary’s link to Jennifer becomes a literal and figurative possession.
Don’t Go to Sleep Spoiler-Free Summary
Discover the spoiler-free summary of Don’t Go to Sleep (1982). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In the wake of a heartbreaking car accident, a family of four seeks fresh beginnings by moving into a secluded house that promises space for healing. The parents, Phillip and Laura, bring their teenage son Kevin and daughter Mary along with a stoic grandmother, Grandma Bernice, hoping the new setting will soften the ache left by the loss of the younger sister, Jennifer. The home, however, immediately feels less like a sanctuary and more like a quiet stage for lingering shadows, its rooms whispering with an uneasy stillness that seems to echo the family’s unspoken grief.
Mary is the first to sense that something is amiss, convinced that a presence lingers beneath her bed—a sensation that evolves into vivid, unsettling visions of Jennifer herself. These apparitions blur the line between memory and reality, turning ordinary corners of the house into sources of both curiosity and dread. The atmosphere is thick with a slow‑burning tension, where the familiar comforts of home are constantly undercut by a subtle, otherworldly pulse that hints at unseen forces at work.
The adults grapple with their own ways of coping: Phillip tries to maintain a veneer of normalcy, while Laura balances maternal protectiveness with the need to let her children process the tragedy. Kevin, caught between teenage rebellion and family responsibility, drifts through the house, his interactions with the lingering sorrow adding another layer to the household’s fragile equilibrium. Grandma Bernice, with her quiet resilience, offers a grounding presence that contrasts sharply with the growing unease.
Together, the family inhabits a space where every hallway, every creak, and every fleeting glimpse of the past feels charged with mystery. The house becomes a character in its own right, wrapping its occupants in an ever‑tightening veil of suspense that invites questions about what truly haunts the night and whether the line between the living and the dead can ever be fully discerned.
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