Grito de Pânico

This is a thoroughly enjoyable film. The acting is of a high calibre, the elements of suspense are present, and there are just enough twists and turns to keep one interested. John Forsythe, as usual, delivers a strong performance. I truly recommend this little made-for-television gem (and note how it is full of t.v. faces you will recognize from elsewhere, for sure).

Taut and relatively brief [running time 74m], "Cry Panic" is an above-average TVM. The tension and suspense build nicely and the twists that emerge keep the viewer's interest from waning.

This was shown on TV here the same week as "One Of My Wives Is Missing" - and thankfully I managed to record both.

7/10

Motorist John Forsythe, taking the back roads to San Francisco for a job interview, hits a man standing in the middle of the street; believing he's killed a pedestrian, Forsythe goes for help--but when he returns with the local sheriff, the body has been taken away (the lawman doesn't believe clear-thinking Forsythe, per the usual backwater sheriff in these type of movies, and accuses him of being drunk). Everything that follows is a con job on the poor driver, and it takes Forsythe a while to get the message he's being used as a patsy in an unexplained plot that involves everyone from a bartender to a motel clerk to a garage mechanic to a housekeeper anxious to get out of town. TV drama keeps the suspense level high, even when our hero acts stupidly (finding a body in a freezer, Forsythe cries and panics, which I guess is where the title comes into play). Jack B. Sowards' script doesn't always play fair with the audience (Anne Francis' mystery lady appears out of nowhere in a bar...and vanishes just as easily), however Forsythe's nightmare is an intriguing one...at least until the finale where (intentionally) nothing is solved. This must be the writer's definition of irony.

I managed to get a copy of this movie many years ago on VHS. For some reason, this TV Movie of the Week was stuck in my head for years. It was very suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat. The scene where Forsythe discovers the body of Mr. Gaines in the meat locker was pretty scary. I'll never forget that. Claudia McNeill ("A Raisin in the Sun")is superb as Mr. Gaine's housekeeper. She does a good job lying for the cop, played by Earl Holliman. This movie is rare to be seen today as most of the TV movies of the '70's are pretty much forgotten but there are a few gems, this being one of them. Try to get it on ebay if you can!

Considering this made-for-TV flick was first televised in 1974, it holds up very well and for the most part delivers the goods, filled with suspense and thrills aplenty. What a great cast! John Forsythe, heretofore known mainly for his rather bland role as "Bachelor Father" and later of "Charlie's Angels" fame, surprises the viewer with one of the best performances ever in a TV film. His David Ryder portrayal should have given him an Emmy, but I'm sure it went unnoticed at the time. Supporting Forsythe are such reliable actors as Earl Holliman, Ralph Meeker, and Anne Francis.

The DVD transfer that I watched contained bleached-out color. This was distracting because the cinematography seemed otherwise excellent. Hopefully, a better transfer will be available. There are several above-average made-for-TV movies from the 1970's that are still unavailable on DVD. What a shame!

The talented writer Jack B. Sowards, who helped write the screenplay for the best of the Star Trek movies, "The Wrath of Khan," comes up with a doozy of a story for "Cry Panic." David Ryder accidentally hits a pedestrian while on a business trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco. He examines the body to find the man dead. He then walks to the nearest house to call the police. He confronts a nervous woman who permits him to use her phone. Once the cops arrive, no body is found. As the mystery deepens, Ryder learns that the town is attempting to cover up a conspiracy of some kind. Ryder becomes the target of those who see him as a danger to their covert scheme.

In some aspects the plot is a reworking of "Bad Day At Black Rock," minus the political overtones of the McCarthy Era, yet original enough to warrant it being judged on its own merits. The resolution is rather abrupt, leaving much to the viewer's imagination; otherwise, a worthwhile and entertaining picture.