History Main / QuietCryForHelp

->''What kept going through his mind were Wonse's last words, as he shook the secretary's limp hand. He wondered if anyone else had heard them. Unlikely ... they'd been a shape rather than a sound. Wonse had simply moved his lips around them while staring fixedly at the assassin's moon-tanned face.\\
''Help. Me.''\\
The assassin shivered. Why him? As far as he could see there was only one kind of help he was qualified to give, and very few people ever asked for it for themselves.''

* In an early episode of ''Series/HappyDays'', Richie is home alone when a burglar breaks in and ends up holding him prisoner. Potsie and Ralph come over to see Richie, who answers the door and tells them he can't go out with them or let them in, while drawing "HELP" with his finger on the door. But the way he makes the "p" makes it look like he's drawing "HELF", which they don't understand. The burglar gets it though, and explains that Richie is asking for help before dragging Potsie and Ralph in too.

* In the MadeForTVMovie ''Murder in the Heartland'', Caril Ann Fugate quietly tries to warn away a relative who's turned up at the house where her boyfriend just murdered her family. However, she does it so subtly the person spoken to doesn't notice. This doesn't help her case when she's later accused of complicity in the murders.

-->-- '''Terry Pratchett''', ''Literature/GuardsGuards''

* In ''Film/CharliesAngels2000'', Dylan tries to code to her assignment Eric that his female cohort Vivian, who just walked in the room, is the BigBad using Scrabble tiles ("ENEMY"). Unfortunately for her, [[spoiler: Vivian is actually TheDragon to his Big Bad.]]

* In ''[[Film/TheBradyBunch A Very Brady Sequel]]'', Carol Brady is kidnapped and taken to Hawaii by a man posing as her first husband. As they check into a hotel, she tries ''knitting'' a plea for help.

* In ''{{Film/xXx}},'' during a diner scene, the waitress offers the hero, Xander, waking up from a knockout dart, a cup of coffee. When asked about her shaking hands, she says she's okay, but when Xander picks up the cup of coffee, "911" is written on the napkin.
* ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'': at one point Obi-Wan Kenobi travels to Utapau due to hearing that General Grievous is there. When he first arrives, there doesn't appear to be any danger, and the Pau'an leader tells him everything is fine. Once he mentions Grievous, the Pau'an motions for everyone else to leave, and then whispers:
--> [[TerseTalker "He's here. We are being held hostage. Tenth level.]] [[OhCrap Thousands of battle droids."]]

* There are at a few occurrences in the Literature/{{Discworld}} series:

** In ''Literature/AHatFullOfSky,'' when Tiffany is possessed by the entity known as the Hiver, she occasionally lets out quiet cries for help in the middle of sentences.

* In a ''Literature/NancyDrew'' Files book, a young woman who has abruptly disappeared calls the gang to assure them that she's okay, telling Nancy to "tell Ned I'll see him at the big rally on Monday". Unfortunately, Nancy thinks that she's reinforcing the message that she's all right and as such, doesn't relay the information to Ned. By the time she finally does, Ned reveals that there ''isn't'' any rally planned for Monday, meaning that the girl was trying to invoke this trope.
* In ''Literature/BravoTwoZero'' Andy [=McNab's=] captors force him to record a video message to show that he is [[BlatantLies not being mistreated]]. He remembers part of his SAS training that involved learning to slip uncharacteristic gestures into any such communications, such as constantly running your fingers through your hair if that is not a regular habit. Of course his commanding officers knew better than to believe this sort of propaganda in the first place.
* ''Literature/PhoenixForce'': An old contact of [=McCarter's=] calls him up to ask for a meeting at a restaurant, adding he always orders a nice beef dish there. [=McCarter=] relates to his teammates something is wrong as the man belongs to a strict Islamic sect that prohibits eating meat and "he may be a rascal who'd sell his own mother if he could get enough money for her but [[EveryoneHasStandards he's always been a devout vegetarian]]." They thus realize someone is using the guy to coax the team into a trap and are able to turn the tables.

-->'''O'Brien''': I told you there was a "99.9% you don't show." Nine Nine Nine? Police code? Officer down?
-->'''Owen''': I'm a firefighter! Our codes are..."Fire!"
* Subverted on ''Series/{{Angel}}'' when Lorne calls the gang from his gig in Las Vegas and tells them to be nice to "Fluffy." They're utterly baffled with Fred wondering if it's one of Lorne's odd nicknames. When they find him in Vegas and discover Lorne is being held prisoner by a mobster, he snaps at them for failing to realize he was asking for help.
-->'''Lorne''': "Fluffy. Fluffy the dog. The dog you don't have. The universally recognized code for "I'm being held prisoner. Send help!""

* On ''Series/GeneralHospital'', as Brenda is kidnapped by an associate of her ex-boyfriend, he forces her to write [[DearJohnLetter breakup letter]] to her husband. Brenda complies, but manages to highlight several letters so that the word "HELP" is obvious.
* In ''Series/GilligansIsland'' episode "Little Island, Big Gun", Gangster Jackson Ferrell forces the castaways to dress up as natives outside the hut and pretend not to speak English while he holds Mary Ann hostage inside the hut for when his enemies, the Indigo Mob, show up in search for him. Mr. Howell even tries to communicate with them by saying "moolah", but to no avail, and the gangsters end up leaving the island as if having learned nothing of Jackson Ferrel's whereabouts.

* One episode of ''Series/MissionImpossible'' has agent Jim Phelps secretly held prisoner by a group of townsfolk who are actually all hostile foreign agents. When the other members of the [=IMF=] come to visit him in hospital, Phelps has been given a neuro-suppressant that keeps him from moving or speaking. Nonetheless, he telegraphs his plight to his teammates by blinking in Morse code.

* In one skit on ''Series/{{Reno 911}}'', Jonesy and Garcia get tacos from a drive-through restaurant that happens to be in the middle of a robbery. They completely miss every hint that the woman at the window tries to give them. They even manage to misinterpret a note included with their order that explicitly states that there are two armed men inside (because obviously, the men working inside would have to have two arms, or they wouldn't be able to make tacos).

* In the TV movie ''Murder in the Heartland'', Caril Ann Fugate quietly tries to warn away a relative who's turned up at the house where her boyfriend just murdered her family. However she does it so subtly the person spoken to doesn't notice. This doesn't help her case when she's later accused of complicity in the murders.
* Parodied in a ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' [[https://youtu.be/r23u608aPkQ skit]] about the Tiger Woods cheating scandal, in which Woods and his wife are giving a press conference to address the issue. Towards the end, Tiger has written things like "Help Me", "I'm Scared" on the back of pages he's reading his statement from.
* In ''Series/TheRookie'' Nolan befriends a restaurant worker and they bond over Nolan's past as a contractor. Later, the man calls Nolan to ask about vinyl compensation tiles being used in a diner. Nolan tells his partner something is wrong as anyone in construction would know building codes prevent those materials from being used in food-prep areas. The man then lists a set of "possible chemicals to use" to make the cops realize he's being used to set up a meth lab and organize a rescue raid.
* On ''Series/Dynasty2017'', Fallon is upset when husband Liam fails to come home after tracking a dangerous lead on a Senator. Liam calls to apologize, telling Fallon it worked out "Just like your bachelorette party started." Fallon remembers her party started with her being "kidnapped" by friends. There's also how Liam calls her "sweetie" which she hates and thus figures out Liam has been kidnapped.

* ''Music/ThatPoppy'': In the description of the video "I Will Apply The Makeup", the capitalised letters spell out HELP ME PLEASE.

* A comedy version is seen in ''Webcomic/MenageA3'', when [[https://pixietrixcomix.com/menage-a-3/so-glad-you-found-me Kiley meets Peggy and Matt while being carried around by the very strong [=DiDi=].]] The joke here is that [=DiDi=] is seeking medical help for the lightly injured Kiley -- but Kiley wants to be saved ''from [=DiDi=],'' having just done her a huge favor. [=DiDi=] can be terribly over-enthusiastic, and doesn't know her own strength. Also, [=DiDi=] is . . . generously proportioned, and severely triggers Kiley's ACupAngst.

* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': In "When Wedding Bells Thaw", a princess who has been brainwashed into marrying the Ice King does this through ''her eyes''.
* ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'': In "The Sweet Stench of Success", Bloo is tricked into signing himself into indentured servitude after he hits it big as a corporate mascot, and being locked away by his agent. As a last resort, he drops a series of not-so-subtle hints about his treatment during a live performance, including [[EveryoneKnowsMorse tap-dancing "HELP ME MAC" in Morse code]].
* ''WesternAnimation/TheOblongs'': In the episode "Milo Interrupted", when Helga is discovered to be living without parents, she is given to Ms. Hubbard to care for. She then appears at the Oblongs' door with Ms. Hubbard shilling bibles and acts outwardly upbeat and cheerful -- but when she blinks, she has "HELP ME" written on her eyelids.
* ''WesternAnimation/RenAndStimpy'': When the pair were door-to-door rubber nipple salesmen, they come to the door of Mr. Horse, who informs them that he's got plenty already. But if they have rubber walrus-protectors for sale, he'll gladly take one, [[https://youtu.be/DElvi3Z3QCo holding up his walrus as creepy music plays]].
-->'''Walrus''': [-Call the poliiiiice-]!
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In the episode "Marge Gets a Job", Music/TomJones (guest-starring playing himself) is kidnapped by Mr Burns and forced to play a private concert for him and Marge. He keeps trying to plead secretly with Marge to get him help, but she's too preoccupied to notice.
* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': In ''[[WesternAnimation/KimPossibleMovieSoTheDrama So The Drama]]'', Ned (the former manager of the local Bueno Nacho) tries to warn Ron that something is seriously wrong without being noticed by the new manager. Ron doesn't get the message... until he tries to complain directly to the company's CEO about their change from bendy straws to non-bendy straws and finds himself talking to Dr. Drakken.

* A comedy version is seen in ''Webcomic/MenageA3'', when [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/so_glad_you_found_me Kiley meets Peggy and Matt while being carried around by the very strong [=DiDi=].]] The joke here is that [=DiDi=] is seeking medical help for the lightly injured Kiley -- but Kiley wants to be saved ''from [=DiDi=],'' having just done her a huge favor. [=DiDi=] can be terribly over-enthusiastic, and doesn't know her own strength. Also, [=DiDi=] is . . . generously proportioned, and severely triggers Kiley's ACupAngst.

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* US Navy aviator [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah_Denton Jeremiah Denton]] (later a rear admiral and US senator) was taken prisoner during UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar, and forced to participate in a press conference by his North Vietnamese captors. While on camera, he blinked the word "TORTURE" in Morse code, confirming to the outside world that American [=POWs=] were being maltreated.

* On ''Series/GeneralHospital'', as Brenda is kidnapped by an associate of her ex-boyfriend, he forces her to write a "Dear John" letter [[note]] breakup letter [[/note]] to her husband. Brenda complies, but manages to highlight several letters so that the word "HELP" is obvious.