The Warner Brothers production Cry Wolf, filmed in 1946 and released nearly a year later, is a mystery/suspense/thriller costarring Errol Flynn and Barbara Stanwyck as antagonists amid the backdrop of a creepy mansion on a vast estate. Director Peter Godfrey creates a nice atmosphere of foreboding and stokes the fires of intrigue to keep the audience interested. The ultimate resolution of the mystery is far fetched (the term ludicrous comes to mind) but the ride is entertaining not to mention the spectacle of two screen legends playing off one another.
Miss Stanwyck portrays Sandra Demarest, a woman briefly married to Jim Demarest (Richard Basehart) who visits her husband's family estate after learning of his death. She finds the household run by Jim's uncle Mark Caldwell (Flynn), a grim and suspicious man who doubts Sandra's claim of being Jim's widow and suspects her of being a gold digger. Herein lies the crux of the melodrama: both parties are suspicious of each other and the audience can't be certain of their motives, either. It soon becomes apparent to Sandra that some weird things are afoot and that Mark is guarding some secret.
Peter Godfrey does a nice job setting up the story and hooking the viewer. There are some nifty shots that emphasize the claustrophobic atmosphere which seems to be descending on Sandra and more significantly her teenaged sister-in-law Julie (Geraldine Brooks). A moody musical score assists the narrative and there is one good jump scare. Unfortunately the story is hampered by a shoddy script that doesn't convincingly develop the relationship between Mark and Sondra in a way that would have made the finale more impactful. Even more of a letdown is the pedestrian manner in which the mystery is finally revealed.
This is Errol Flynn's only foray into the psychological thriller genre and he does his best to appear sinister, mysterious, and guilty of some malfeasance. His face seems puffier than usual which aids his stuffy characterization. Unfortunately he generates minimal chemistry with Miss Stanwyck, herself no stranger to 1940s cinema skulduggery. She is essentially the main character and delivers a surprisingly athletic performance: running, riding horses, scaling a fence, and climbing over rooftops in a skirt. Her confrontations with Flynn always seem to promise more than what is delivered which can be attributed to the weakness of the script.
In secondary roles Geraldine Brooks and Richard Basehart are the only ones permitted opportunities to emote. Miss Brooks gives a very hysterical and overwrought performance during an initial viewing but, upon rewatching the film with an understanding of her character, the performance makes more sense. Basehart makes a late entrance but his prominent billing and a photo of his character early on give away one of the film's mysteries. Recognizable Warners contract players Jerome Cowan and John Ridgley have small roles and aren't given much to do. Cowan is cast rather improbably as Flynn's brother while Ridgely is almost unrecognizable behind a scruffy beard.
I have to confess a fascination with Cry Wolf attributable to being a big Errol Flynn fan. The movie itself is probably mediocre but it possesses a certain entertainment value and the novelty of placing Flynn in a strange milieu. For an actor craving a variety of roles and forever frustrated by the heroic parts forced upon him by the studio this must have come as a welcome change of pace. Others may find him wooden and uninspired but, to me, he settles into his celluloid persona quite nicely. The character of Mark Caldwell is full of sadness and regret; emotions Flynn himself was no doubt feeling at this stage of his life. I'd like to think he channeled these sentiments into his performance which grows more poignant with subsequent viewings.
Miss Stanwyck portrays Sandra Demarest, a woman briefly married to Jim Demarest (Richard Basehart) who visits her husband's family estate after learning of his death. She finds the household run by Jim's uncle Mark Caldwell (Flynn), a grim and suspicious man who doubts Sandra's claim of being Jim's widow and suspects her of being a gold digger. Herein lies the crux of the melodrama: both parties are suspicious of each other and the audience can't be certain of their motives, either. It soon becomes apparent to Sandra that some weird things are afoot and that Mark is guarding some secret.
Peter Godfrey does a nice job setting up the story and hooking the viewer. There are some nifty shots that emphasize the claustrophobic atmosphere which seems to be descending on Sandra and more significantly her teenaged sister-in-law Julie (Geraldine Brooks). A moody musical score assists the narrative and there is one good jump scare. Unfortunately the story is hampered by a shoddy script that doesn't convincingly develop the relationship between Mark and Sondra in a way that would have made the finale more impactful. Even more of a letdown is the pedestrian manner in which the mystery is finally revealed.
This is Errol Flynn's only foray into the psychological thriller genre and he does his best to appear sinister, mysterious, and guilty of some malfeasance. His face seems puffier than usual which aids his stuffy characterization. Unfortunately he generates minimal chemistry with Miss Stanwyck, herself no stranger to 1940s cinema skulduggery. She is essentially the main character and delivers a surprisingly athletic performance: running, riding horses, scaling a fence, and climbing over rooftops in a skirt. Her confrontations with Flynn always seem to promise more than what is delivered which can be attributed to the weakness of the script.
In secondary roles Geraldine Brooks and Richard Basehart are the only ones permitted opportunities to emote. Miss Brooks gives a very hysterical and overwrought performance during an initial viewing but, upon rewatching the film with an understanding of her character, the performance makes more sense. Basehart makes a late entrance but his prominent billing and a photo of his character early on give away one of the film's mysteries. Recognizable Warners contract players Jerome Cowan and John Ridgley have small roles and aren't given much to do. Cowan is cast rather improbably as Flynn's brother while Ridgely is almost unrecognizable behind a scruffy beard.
I have to confess a fascination with Cry Wolf attributable to being a big Errol Flynn fan. The movie itself is probably mediocre but it possesses a certain entertainment value and the novelty of placing Flynn in a strange milieu. For an actor craving a variety of roles and forever frustrated by the heroic parts forced upon him by the studio this must have come as a welcome change of pace. Others may find him wooden and uninspired but, to me, he settles into his celluloid persona quite nicely. The character of Mark Caldwell is full of sadness and regret; emotions Flynn himself was no doubt feeling at this stage of his life. I'd like to think he channeled these sentiments into his performance which grows more poignant with subsequent viewings.