The Boy Cried Murder

The Boy Cried Murder is far from a great film, but it's well made and very nicely photographed on the Adriatic coast. The color and locale make the film pleasant to look at, unusual for this type of picture. Basically an adaptation of a Cornell Woolrich story that was also the basis for the 1949 American film, The Window, this later version is far more pleasing visually if not so well acted. The plot centers around a boy known for telling tales tales who, when he witnesses an actual murder, can't get anyone to believe him. If one doesn't have a fondness for cat and mouse stories this one won't work at all. There are many ancillary pleasures in the movie, not the least of which is Veronica Hurst as the boy's mother, and quite a hottie in her day. Interestingly, the movie was directed by George Breakston, who was himself once a child actor, and so it's no surprise that he manages to get a reasonable performance from Fraser McIntosh as the eponymous boy.