Where Are the Children? was made into a feature motion picture by Columbia, directed by Bruce Malmuth, with Max Gail, Frederick Forrest, and Bernard Hughes and starring Jill Clayburgh as Nancy. The film was shot on location on Cape Cod and was released in 1986. Both Mary and her daughter, Carol, a professional actress, had bit parts as reporters in the film. In an interview Mary recounted a humorous incident during the filming when amid a pushing crowd of news hounds she fluffed her one line by calling out: "Come on, Jill. Tell the truth — admit it — you did kill your kids, Jill." The director stopped the scene and wanted to know who was calling out the name "Jill." She got the line right on the second take.