Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18761 in VHS
• Released on: 1994-12-07
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Formats: Black & White, Closed-captioned, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of tapes: 1
• Running time: 83 minutes

Customer Reviews

MEDIOCRE MYSTERY.
In the opening scene of one of the least typical of Flynn's vehicles, Barbara Stanwyck plays a widow who arrives at a house of mourning much to the surprise of the family, who didn't know the deceased was married. Stanwyck reveals that this had been a marriage of convenience to help the young man get his inheritance held by his uncle, Mark (Errol, natch) and it was to be followed by divorce in six months. Flynn is suspicious of Stanwyck, while she definitely has cause to be suspicious of him, all this resulting in a fairly suspenseful game of cat-and-mouse. Dour, leering servants, a hysterically morbid niece (Geraldine Brooks) plus weird nocturnal noises all add flavour to the puzzling plot. Flynn underplays in a properly sinsiter, stuffy, and apparently sadistic manner, but in some scenes he's just plain wooden in his acting technique. An excellent Franz Waxman score tries to elevate the melodrama to greater heights but the rather banal dialogue and ultimately inept plot unfortunately defeat it. Stanwyck does her usual best, however she and Flynn have a decidedly odd chemistry.

A good mystery vechicle for Barbara Stanwyck
This is a little known film of both Barbara Stanwyck and Errol Flynn. While it is not up there with some of Barbara's classics like "Double Indemnity" "The Lady Eve' and "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers" it is still an extremely well made and tense mystery that keeps you guessing to the very end.
The strong, almost Gothic feel that the film possesses really adds to the atmosphere and I feel it is unique in that it was the only pairing of Barbara Stanwyck and Flynn, two of the greatest stars of the 30's and 40's. Errol Flynn performs in a role very different to his normal screen persona but I feel he does an admirable job in the subdued, slightly sinister character of Mark. Barbara Stanwyck i feel never gives a bad performance and she is her usual terrific self as the young woman coming to her (supposedly) dead husband's gloomy estate being determined to discover what really is going on there. The scenes of her trying to find these answers and all the strange things that happen add real tension to the proceedings. The scene where barbara sneaks into the Lab in particular is real nail biting stuff. Director Peter Godfrey who drew many fine performances out of Stanwyck over the years and here he really creates what i think is an exciting little mystery full of murder, dark rooms, the hint of insanity and very clever camera work.
I strongly recommend "Cry Wolf" not only for those like me who really love Barbara Stanwyck but for those that enjoy a good old fashioned mystery done with typical old Hollywood finese.

Taut and engrossing
I thought this movie was taut and suspenseful. It had me guessing about who was really the good guy up until the very end. Barbara Stanwyck gives another solid performance as the rather mysterious heroine. She also looks terrific in clothes that were designed for her by the late, great Edith Head. Errol Flynn makes a convincing, seemingly sinister scientist. Yes, the ending is a bit over the top but in a highly entertaining way. And the photography, sets, and musical score are excellent. This is old Hollywood style movie making in top form. Recommended!