Cry Wolf (1947 film)

Hearing that her husband is dead, Sandra Marshall arrives at his prominent family's remote estate to claim her inheritance. She receives a cold reception, especially from her husband's uncle, research scientist Mark Caldwell, who had not known about her or the marriage and accuses her of scheming. He allows her to stay in the mansion while the legal details are settled, and as the two become better acquainted, they develop a less contentious relationship.

Caldwell's teenage niece Julie welcomes Sandra but claims that her uncle is holding her prisoner on the estate, that strange things are occurring in an area of the mansion that she is forbidden to enter and that the older family members and their servants may not be telling the truth about the recent death. Although Caldwell insists that Julie simply has an overactive imagination, Sandra wonders what to believe and whom to trust. Increasingly convinced that something is amiss at the mansion, she becomes willing to take risks to uncover what it is.

• Errol Flynn as Mark Caldwell
• Barbara Stanwyck as Sandra Marshall
• Geraldine Brooks as Julie Demarest
• Richard Basehart as James Caldwell Demarest
• Jerome Cowan as Senator Charles Caldwell
• John Ridgely as Jackson Laidell
• Patricia Barry as Angela
• Rory Mallinson as Becket
• Helene Thimig as Marta
• Paul Stanton as Davenport
• Barry Bernard as Roberts
• Lisa Golm as Mrs. Laidell
• Jack Mower as Watkins
• Creighton Hale as Doctor Reynolds
• Paul Panzer as Gatekeeper

The novel was published in January 1945. The New York Times wrote: "[T]he plot has pace; the mansion is traditionally eerie, the heroine is charming. Situations and dialogue, however, are often clumsily handled."^[5] The Chicago Tribune called the book "a spicy piece".^[6]

In April 1945, Warner Bros. Pictures bought the film rights as a vehicle for Barbara Stanwyck.^[7] Catherine Turney was assigned to write the script and Dennis Morgan announced as the male lead.^[8] Turney says Stanwyck read the book "and thought it was a good part for her."^[9]

In March 1946, Errol Flynn was announced as the male lead and Peter Godfrey as director.^[10] Turney says Flynn realised he was playing support to Stanwyck but after reading the script felt it was "kind of an interesting character" and was persuaded to make the film.^[9]

The film was produced by Flynn's Thomson Productions company.^[11] According to Catherine Turney, "At that time, the studio was making deals with some of the big stars so they wouldn't have to give them raises in salary. They would make them producers in name only, and it allowed them to get capital gains, something taken off their income tax." She says this was the case with Flynn who "never functioned" as a producer on Cry Wolf "in any way. He couldn't have cared less."^[9]

Geraldine Brooks and Richard Basehart were both New York stage actors who had recently accepted contracts with Warner Bros.^[12][13]

Filming started in May 1946 and concluded in August.^[14][15] Turney said she found Flynn "very easy to work with, very charming. And he was always very agreeable with me on the set. And it turned out to be a pretty good picture."^[9]