A Cry in the Night (1956)

A deranged man kidnaps the nubile daughter of a police captain.

Director:

Frank Tuttle

Writers:

David Dortort (screenplay), Whit Masterson (novel)

Stars:

Edmond O'Brien, Brian Donlevy, Natalie Wood

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Edmond O'Brien	...	Capt. Dan Taggart
Brian Donlevy	...	Capt. Ed Bates
Natalie Wood	...	Elizabeth
Raymond Burr	...	Harold Loftus
Richard Anderson	...	Owen Clark
Irene Hervey	...	Helen Taggart
Carol Veazie	...	Mrs. Mabel Loftus
Mary Lawrence	...	Madge Taggart
Anthony Caruso	...	Tony Chavez
George J. Lewis	...	George Gerrity
Peter Hansen	...	Dr. Frazee
Tina Carver	...	Mrs. Marie Holzapple
Herb Vigran	...	Jensen - Sergeant at Police Desk

Storyline

Owen Marks, parked at Lovers' Loop with girlfriend Liz Taggart, surprises a peeping Tom, who knocks him out and kidnaps Liz. The police leap into action when they learn the victim is a cop's daughter. Kidnapper Harold Loftus, the unhinged product of a smothering mother, makes ineffectual advances toward Liz, who staves him off as the police close in, hindered as much as helped by her overprotective father Capt. Dan Taggart.

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Plot Keywords:

investigation | hostage | teenager | psychopath | based on novel | 

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Taglines:

GIRL-STEALER IN LOVER'S LANE! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 August 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

Um Grito na Escuridão

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ladd Enterprises, Jaguar Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

75 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Owen Clark is played by Richard Anderson, who would later star opposite Raymond Burr in the final season of "Perry Mason."

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Goofs

When Edmond O'Brien is getting ready to watch a movie on TV, he pours himself a glass of beer which is almost entirely foam. When he stands up to turn off the TV, the glass is suddenly full of beer.

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Quotes

Capt. Ed Bates: How do ya tell a guy that his kid has been grabbed?

User Reviews

Don't go walking down lovers loop, with anyone else but me.

A Cry in the Night is directed by Frank Tuttle and adapted to screenplay by David Dortort from Whit Masterson's novel All through the Night. It stars Edmond O'Brien, Brian Donlevy, Natalie Wood, Raymond Burr and Richard Anderson. Music is by David Buttolph and cinematography by John F. Seitz.

Not a great deal to sing about here, which is a shame because the potential for an electric thriller is right there on the page. Burr plays a peeping tom type who is dominated by his mother, during one of his "sessions" up at Lovers Loop he gets caught and during the altercation he knocks out Anderson's boyfriend and kidnaps Wood, who happens to be the daughter of O'Brien's policeman. Film then relies on police procedural for its narrative thrust, stopping occasionally to tease us with serious parental issues on both sides of the fence, all while Burr acts on the edge of sanity whilst holding Wood captive in a remote old shack.

Apricot Pie.

The subject matter is a hot potato, but nothing ever rings true on account of cheap production values and uninspiring direction. Seitz does the best he can to create sweaty atmosphere via his camera lenses, and Buttolph's score is at one with the melodramatics. Unfortunately the cast are poor, with O'Brien unusually wooden, Burr not convincing, Donlevy is going through the motions and Anderson is not only dull, he's a bit old for the teen lover character he is playing. Wood comes out with credit and her scenes with Burr are the best parts of he film, while Carol Veazie as the domineering mother is a hoot.

The back stories to the making of the film are far more interesting than the film itself! 5/10