A Cry in the Night (1956)

Director: Frank Tuttle
Starring: Edmond O'Brien, Brian Donlevy, Natalie Wood

Synopsis:
A police captain's daughter is kidnapped by a mentally disturbed man.

Impressions:
This is a pretty solid kidnapping thriller. The core plot is solid, but what really sells it is Raymond Burr's performance as the kidnapper. It's not like anything I've ever seen him do before. You'd never think of TV's Perry Mason as an almost Lenny-esque kidnapper. He manages to deliver both pitifulness and menace. I also liked Edmond O'Brien as the victim's father, a tough-as-nails, driven cop and there was a good antagonistic relationship between him and Richard Anderson, who plays the boyfriend. It's worth seeing, so give it a watch.

Rating:
Watch It