A Cry in the Dark Movie Review 1988

Tight film story of the infamous Australian murder trial of Lindy Chamberlain (Streep), who was accused of killing her own baby, mostly because of the intensely adverse public opinion, aroused by vicious press, that surrounded the case. Chamberlain blamed the death on a wild dingo dog, which dragged off the baby from where the family was camped. Near-documentary style, with Streep excellent as the religious, unknowable mother. Based on the book "Evil Angels" by John Bryson. This case was also detailed in the film "Who Killed Baby Azaria?"

Distribution

Facets Multimedia, Inc., 1517 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, IL 60614, Phone: (773)281-9075, Toll-free: 800-331-6197, Fax: (773)929-5437, Email: sales@facets.org, URL: http://www.facets.org

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 120 minutes.
Originally from Australian.

Cast and Crew

Genres

True Stories, Order in the Court, Parenthood, Mass Media, King of Beasts (Dogs), Wild Kingdom, Docudrama, Justice Prevails...?, Down Under

Screenplay

Fred Schepisi, Robert Caswell

Cast

Meryl Streep, Sam Neill, Bruce Myles, Charles "Bud" Tingwell, Nick (Nicholas) Tate, Neil Fitzpatrick, Maurice Fields, Lewis Fitz-Gerald, Tony Martin

Cinematography

Ian Baker

Director

Fred Schepisi

Music

Bruce Smeaton

Awards

Australian Film Inst. 1989: Actor (Neill), Actress (Streep), Film; Cannes 1989: Actress (Streep); N.Y. Film Critics 1988: Actress (Streep).