Sydney Pollack's directorial debut deals with a woman, played by Anne Bancroft, who takes an overdose of sleeping pills and calls a crisis clinic for help. A college volunteer (Sidney Poitier) tries to keep her on the phone while a rescue crew attempts to track her down. THE SLENDER THREAD, a moving, emotionally gripping drama, was based on a true story. The film provides room for a moving display of talent from two of Hollywood's premier actors.