Pretty Good

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

I wanted to add to the other reviews. I think Flynn's character was strongly based on his own father, a scientist (the film makes a point of saying he is a scientist of some note). Stanwyck's character had some of Flynn's mothers characteristics. And during the film Flynn alludes to a family ancestor who was a rable rouser and sailed about the world and married a French showgirl who was world renowned, a very possible reference to Flynn himself , he loved to sail and certainly was a rable rouser , and Flynn's first wife ( a popular French actress).Then the grim joke about her being poisoned was a snide aside (Flynn was paying alimony ever since the divorce). It seemed like they let Flynn play a part very similar to his own reserved scientist father and paired him with the head strong adventurous woman who resembled his mother.

Before watching this film, I read the old review by Bosley Crowther. And I quite disagree with his assessment of the film. I quite like this film. But -- and there is a big but here -- you have to approach it understanding that at one time most people believed that insanity could be passed on through the family line, and that it was an established fear that if one person in your family was insane, that others were likely to become insane, as well.For me, there was "menace" in this film from beginning until the climax. It is downright eerie. From the opening scene with the young girl galloping her horse until the murder attempt at the climax, this is a truly dark film.Errol Flynn is excellent as the serious and sophisticated scientist. Barbara Stanwyck also excellent as the secret wife who suspects something is amiss. Richard Basehart -- who does not appear until late in the film -- equally great as the insane member of the family. And, Geraldine Brooks as the ill-fated young lady is quite good, although she was more successful in later years in television than on the big screen.If I have one criticism, it's about the character played by Errol Flynn. Sinister or kind? Romantic or cold? Rather than play the character more subtly, the director seemed to have Flynn jerk from one attitude to another.Nevertheless, I enjoyed this under-appreciated film. Although it hasn't earned a place on my DVD shelf, it's one I'll watch again on TCM...for the third time. :-)

Barbara Stanwyck smells something rotten in her husband's family home in "Cry Wolf," a 1947 movie starring a very famous wolf off screen, Errol Flynn, as well as Jerome Cowan, Richard Basehart, and Geraldine Brooks. Stanwyck plays Sandra, the widow of James Demarest, and arrives to consult with his uncle (Flynn) about James' estate. James believed that his uncle was trying to take his money from him. She gets a cool reception from everyone except James' sister (Brooks). Hearing noises coming from the uncle's lab, Sandra becomes convinced that James is still alive, and she is determined to gain access to the laboratory.This is the kind of film you can't wait to see - two fabulous stars, a mystery, atmosphere - but though "Cry Wolf" screams "Cry Hit Movie" - it falls flat. If Flynn is supposed to be the Max de Winter or Mr. Rochester of the piece, he doesn't cut it. It's not his fault. The role does not play to his strengths at all. Incredibly handsome, charming, energetic, and debonair, Flynn was one of the greatest stars of the golden era. It's understandable that he became bored with the kind of roles with which he is associated, and there's no doubt he could have pulled this off, but the script and direction let him down. Instead, his performance seems one note, uninteresting, and lazy. At 38, given his lifestyle, he looked bloated in certain scenes. It would seem like a wonderful idea to cast him with Stanwyck, but there's no there there.Stanwyck's role, on the other hand, does play to her strengths. She's tough, determined, and called upon to do some amazing physical stunts as she rides up and down in a dumbwaiter, rides horses, falls off of one, takes one over a tall fence - she's just great.Given the lethargy of Flynn's performance and the quiet steel of Stanwyck's, Geraldine Brooks by contrast seems like she's chewing the scenery. Basehart is so young he's almost unrecognizable in a small but good role.The film ends very abruptly with most of the plot telegraphed from the beginning of the film. However, there are some wonderfully suspenseful moments - Stanwyck hiding outside the lab as Flynn exits, the horse careening through the woods, and several others.Enjoyable, disappointing, but well worth seeing for the stars and the atmosphere.

This is a very entertaining film starring two of the bigger name stars with Warner Brothers at the time, Errol Flynn and Barbara Stanwyck. A lot of the reason to watch the film is because of their performances as opposed to the exciting but flawed plot. Barbara is looking for her missing husband, so she tracks down his family and demands to know where he is. They tell him he is dead, but somehow the story doesn't convince her---deep down Stanwyck knows something is amiss (a bit tough to believe, I know that "feelings" are that accurate in real life). Well, given her suspicions, she stays at the family estate for a few days--during which time, her suspicions seem to have some validity. Eventually, she becomes convinced that her lost husband is being held against his will somewhere on the estate. All this is tremendously interesting. The only problem with the film (beware--a spoiler is coming) is that the family should have just told Barbara the truth from the start--this is what any normal family would have done. Of course, though, this would have meant about a 10 or 15 minute movie instead of this full-length mystery! If you can suspend disbelief about this basic plot problem, then you'll likely love the movie. But, even if you can't, it's still worth seeing just for these stars acting in their prime.