What Is Weekend of Terror About?
The premise of Weekend of Terror in 271 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the stark, sunbaked emptiness of the California desert, a simple journey takes an unexpected turn when three women of the cloth find themselves stranded far from civilization. What begins as a routine trip between destinations becomes a test of faith and fortitude, as the remote landscape offers little refuge and fewer options for those caught unprepared.
Sister Ellen and her two companions are traveling through an isolated stretch of road when their car breaks down, forcing them to seek assistance from anyone passing through. The isolation of the desert creates its own kind of tension, where help seems always just out of reach and every approaching vehicle represents both possibility and uncertainty. The women’s religious devotion and quiet determination become touchstones in a situation that demands more than patience.
When escaped convicts cross their path, the travelers’ ordinary misfortune transforms into something far more menacing. Held against their will in a remote hideout, the three nuns must navigate a perilous dynamic with desperate men who have already crossed lines they cannot uncross. The contrast between the women’s peaceful calling and the criminals’ violent world creates an atmosphere thick with dread, where every interaction carries weight and every decision could mean the difference between survival and tragedy.
As hours stretch onward, the captives face an impossible situation with limited options and dwindling hope. Their faith may be unshakeable, but the desert is unforgiving and their captors unpredictable. Somewhere between prayer and desperation lies the question of whether they will see their convent again — and what might be required to survive a weekend that was never meant to end this way.
What Happens in Weekend of Terror?
The complete story of Weekend of Terror, from the first scene to the last, in 295 words (about 1 minute). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 3 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
A nun returning from a sabbatical is met at a bus station by two of her colleagues. On their way to the convent, their car breaks down on a remote desert road, so they flag down a passing motorist. Meanwhile, two escaped convicts abduct a local businessman’s niece with a scheme to collect a ransom, only to have the woman die while attempting to flee the abandoned house they are holed up in.
Eddie, Robert Conrad, the kidnapper under whose watch the victim died, passes the nuns in their disabled Plymouth Belvedere and decides to stop. The nuns mistake him for a helpful motorist and he tows them with his Volkswagen Type II to his hideout (in the opposite direction from Victorville, California, where repair facilities would be accessible). The nuns soon learn their fate and are held hostage in a locked room with boards nailed over the windows.
The kidnappers devise a plan to get the ransom money from the rich uncle (who is unaware his niece is dead) by having one of the nuns pose as the dead girl. Eddie orders accomplice Larry Lee Majors to take Sister Ellen Lois Nettleton to a wig shop, then to a phone booth where she can call her convent and give false information to explain their not showing up. Larry is somewhat an unwitting party, not wishing to commit further crimes.
Larry tells the hostages to hide and tells Eddie they have escaped.
Eventually the captives are discovered hiding in a closet by Eddie, after which a commotion occurs and he is killed by his own gun. Larry, fearing the worst, makes a desperate move to flee by stealing a light aircraft, but before he can get away there is a climactic scene on the runway.
Weekend of Terror Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
13 key events in the order they happen, from “Nun returns from sabbatical and heads to the convent” to “Climax on the runway”. 13 events name a place, across 9 locations.
- 1
Nun returns from sabbatical and heads to the convent
A nun is returning from a sabbatical and is met at a bus station by two colleagues who accompany her toward their convent. They chat along the way, unaware that danger lurks nearby. The normal commute sets the stage for the day's troubling events.
When:early morning Where:Bus station
- 2
Car breaks down on a desert road
While en route to the convent, the car breaks down on a desert road, forcing them to flag down help. They hope for a quick repair and a safe continuation of their journey. The breakdown marks the first obstacle of a day that will soon take a grim turn.
When:afternoon Where:Desert road
- 3
Misidentified helpful motorist stops to assist
A passing motorist stops to offer assistance, and the nun trio mistakenly believes he is a helpful driver. The man is actually Eddie, a kidnapper, who agrees to tow their car. The misunderstanding leads to an uneasy sense of false security as he lures them closer.
When:mid-afternoon Where:Desert road
- 4
Eddie tows the nuns to a secluded hideout
Eddie drives them to a secluded hideout in his VW Type II, steering away from repair facilities. The nuns gradually realize they are not getting help and are being held against their will. The arrival at the hideout marks the moment they become prisoners.
When:after tow Where:Eddie's hideout
- 5
Nuns discover their fate inside a locked room
Inside the hideout, the nuns discover their fate when they are locked in a small room with boards nailed over the windows. They realize they have become prisoners under the controlling hands of their captors. The sense of isolation and danger intensifies as they wait for an uncertain outcome.
When:soon after arrival Where:Eddie's hideout
- 6
Two convicts' ransom plan and the dead niece
Meanwhile, two escaped convicts abduct a local businessman's niece for ransom, and the plan spirals into tragedy when the woman dies while attempting to flee the abandoned house where they are holed up. Her death underscores the brutality of the criminals and raises the stakes for everyone involved. The backstory provides context for the kidnappers' desperation.
When:during kidnapping Where:Abandoned house
- 7
Eddie and Larry devise ransom deception
Eddie and Larry formulate a plan to extract money by having one nun pose as the dead girl. They think the ruse will coax the wealthy uncle to surrender the ransom without suspecting foul play. The plan tightens the tension and sets a timetable for capture.
When:planning Where:Eddie's hideout
- 8
Larry escorts Sister Ellen to a wig shop
Larry takes Sister Ellen to a wig shop to alter her appearance for the disguise. They hope the disguise will help fool the uncle and the authorities into believing the sister is alive and ready to receive the ransom.
When:following planning Where:Wig shop
- 9
Sister Ellen phone call ploy
Larry moves to a phone booth to call the convent and deliver a false explanation for their absence. He plants the story to maintain the illusion that everything is under control.
When:immediately after wig shop Where:Phone booth
- 10
Hostages feign escape; movement within hideout
Larry tells the hostages to hide and pretends that they have escaped, hoping to confuse Eddie and gain the upper hand. The lie creates a tense moment as the captors search for 'the fugitives' and the hidden women wait in fear.
When:immediately after deception Where:Hideout
Show the other 3 events of Weekend of Terror Hide the last 3 events
- 11
Eddie discovers hiding captives and is killed by his own gun
A commotion erupts when Eddie discovers the hostages hiding in a closet, and he is killed by his own gun in the ensuing struggle. The violent outcome abruptly reshapes the power balance in the hideout.
When:climax Where:Eddie's hideout
- 12
Larry flees with Sister Ellen; attempts to escape by plane
Larry, forced to act, abducts Sister Ellen and attempts to flee by stealing a light aircraft. He races toward a runway where the shadows of pursuit close in.
When:imminent escape Where:Airfield
- 13
Climax on the runway
The climactic scene unfolds on the runway as Larry's escape attempt comes to a head. The fate of the hostages hangs in balance as pursuers close in and the outcome remains uncertain.
When:finale Where:Runway
Who Are the Main Characters in Weekend of Terror?
5 characters, among them Eddie (Robert Conrad), Sister Meredith (Carol Lynley) and Sister Nadine (Ann Doran): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- E(
Eddie (Robert Conrad)
Played by Robert Conrad
Eddie is a calculating kidnapper who weaponizes fear to control his hostages. He orchestrates the abduction, directs the ransom scheme, and maintains a cold, controlling presence throughout the ordeal. His plan unravels as tension peaks, and he is ultimately killed by his own weapon in the climactic moments.
- 🗝️ Calculating
- 💥 Violent
- SM
Sister Meredith (Carol Lynley)
Played by Carol Lynley
Sister Meredith is a nun returning from sabbatical who becomes one of the hostages. She provides a calm, moral center and shows quiet leadership under pressure. Her faith and composure help sustain the group as danger closes in.
- 🙏 Faithful
- 🕊️ Compassionate
- SN
Sister Nadine (Ann Doran)
Played by Ann Doran
Sister Nadine serves as a steady, compassionate presence among the captives. She offers spiritual reassurance and helps maintain morale within the confined space. Her quiet courage reinforces the resilience of the group.
- 🕯️ Steadfast
- 🕊️ Compassionate
- SE
Sister Ellen (Lois Nettleton)
Played by Lois Nettleton
Sister Ellen is the hostage used in the ransom deception and endures the most direct manipulation by the kidnappers. She remains focused and resolute, contributing to the plan to inform the convent without revealing the grim truth. Her endurance under pressure underscores the human cost of the criminals' schemes.
- 🕊️ Resilient
- 🙏 Faith
- L(
Larry (Lee Majors)
Played by Lee Majors
Larry is Eddie's accomplice who is torn between loyalty and his own conscience. He questions the criminal plan and shows reluctance to escalate violence. His attempt to flee with Sister Ellen marks the turning point as fear and moral doubt take over.
- 🤝 Reluctant
- 😟 Anxious
Where and When Is Weekend of Terror Set?
Weekend of Terror is set in Victorville, California and Desert road. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Victorville, California, Desert road
The action unfolds along a remote desert highway near Victorville, California. A bus station and a convent ride into the story as the nuns travel, only to be stranded when their car breaks down. The captors' hideout sits secluded with boarded windows, amplifying the sense of isolation and danger in the arid landscape.
- 🗺️ Desert setting
- 🛣️ Desert road
- 🕊️ Religious setting
What Are the Themes of Weekend of Terror?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Captivity, Deception and Faith & Resilience.
-
01
Captivity
A tense hostage situation drives the narrative, with the nuns held in a locked room and at the mercy of their captors. The claustrophobic setting intensifies fear, delays any rescue, and forces quick moral judgments under pressure. Survival hinges on small acts of courage and careful, restrained responses to intimidation.
-
02
Deception
The criminals craft a false scenario to extract money, including a plan for one nun to pose as the dead niece. Misdirection, manipulation, and the threat of violence weave through every interaction. Trust frays as characters weigh truth against survival, revealing the fragility of human ethics under duress.
-
03
Faith & Resilience
Faith acts as a backbone for the hostages, offering solace and a sense of dignity amid terror. The nuns draw strength from their beliefs and each other, sustaining hope even when escape seems unlikely. The crisis tests their resolve and highlights the role of spiritual endurance in extreme circumstances.
What Kind of Film Is Weekend of Terror?
Tense in tone, with fast pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Mixed
A high-tension thriller that feels claustrophobic and desperate, following innocent nuns held captive by criminals in a rapidly escalating situation filled with fear and moral uncertainty.
- tense
- claustrophobic
- anxious
- desperate
- suspenseful
- fearful
- kidnapping
- hostage situation
- crime and redemption
- desperation
Content notes: kidnapping, hostage situation, death of a woman, gun violence.
Quiz
How well do you remember Weekend of Terror? Test yourself on the story.
