Cry Panic

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).

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.

David Ryder (John Forsythe) is riding cross-country when a guy steps in front of his car. He's distracted and hits the man--killing him instantly. David is a very decent person and wants to do the right thing. After checking unsuccessfully to save the guy, he goes to a nearby house to call the police. Things seem pretty normal so far...so far! But soon things start getting weird. The police claim they can't find the boy and the sheriff (Earl Holliman) seems determine to just chalk it all up to a mistake by Ryder...and refuses to investigate further! Then, folks in town start lying and twisting things. Something obviously is going on and things only escalate...to the point where David is in fear for his life! What is going on here?!?!

This is a relatively common plot for TV mystery shows. "Mannix", "Quincy", "Cannon" and other mystery programs of the era have used the stranger walking into town with a conspiracy idea. But they didn't handle it this well...and this is really one of the best "ABC Movie of the Week" installments I have seen...and I've seen quite a few. Tense and well worth your time.

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

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.