A Cry In The Dark (DVD)

A cry in the dark is based on a famous Australian mystery, the death of baby Azaria Chamberlain. You know of the story for the cry of "that dingo took my baby" which has become a well-known cry, for its seeming absurdity. This film tries to portray though the absolute normality of this family, a simple life thrown into turmoil and unwanted fame through one quick moment.

In August of 1980 the Chamberlain family was camping ...
...an ordinary Australian family on a camping holiday, as my family and many others have done so many times. Cooking dinner around the campfire Mum Lindy went and put the baby down for the night, but didn't close the tent flap (not that this may have made any difference) and went back to join the other campers. It was nighttime and already dark, soon a baby's cry is heard and Lindy sees a dog shaking its head and her baby in its mouth and in shock cries ... more

A cry in the dark is based on a famous Australian mystery, the death of baby Azaria Chamberlain. You know of the story for the cry of "that dingo took my baby" which has become a well-known cry, for its seeming absurdity. This film tries to portray though the absolute normality of this family, a simple life thrown into turmoil and unwanted fame through one quick moment.

In August of 1980 the Chamberlain family was camping out at Uluru, the big red rock in the middle of Australia. Back in 1980 it was known as Ayers Rock, the name has since changed as the land has been returned to the Aboriginals. Lindy and her husband Michael on holiday with sons Aidan, 6, Reagan, 4, and not quite ten weeks old Azaria. Just an ordinary Australian family on a camping holiday, as my family and many others have done so many times. Cooking dinner around the campfire Mum Lindy went and put the baby down for the night, but didn't close the tent flap (not that this may have made any difference) and went back to join the other campers. It was nighttime and already dark, soon a baby's cry is heard and Lindy sees a dog shaking its head and her baby in its mouth and in shock cries the famous line as she runs around trying to find her.

Such a horrible thing to happen to a family but to make matters worse eventually the finger of suspicion turned and pointed at Lindy, with Michael as her accessory. This case caused such a media frenzy, did they, didn't they, how could they, did you know? The Chamberlains were everywhere, they were followed everywhere and stories constantly were on the television, in the magazines and the papers. There is a scene in the movie where someone comes up to the family and pesters little Reagan to tell them what he knows. Everyone had an opinion and emotions ran high even, or perhaps especially, with those that weren't involved. The movie pans around Australia showing snapshots of the public reaction to the case. Most people were convinced of her guilt before the trial even began. How did this happen?

Firstly the Chamberlains were quite a religious family (Michael was a Pastor) and Michael commented that he was sorry his girl was gone but they would meet again at the resurrection. In the 1980's little was known about the Seventh Day Adventist Church, so it was easy to make the family and their religion seem "strange".

And strange they were made out to be. Rumors were everywhere about the family, the name Azaria meant "Sacrifice in the wilderness", it actually means "Blessed of God". Or that Lindy wrote a thesis on dingoes for college and was a dingo expert, when in fact she was a member of something like the Girl Guides and had written a paragraph. Or that baby Azaria only wore black, even though she had gone missing while wearing white clothing. Lindy didn't offer up much emotion to the public and earned herself the reputation of being hard and uncaring, rather than just a private person. Her lawyers ask her to change and show emotion leading to her to steam "I'm told, "Don't talk like you normally talk. Watch how you hold your mouth. You look too sour and crabby. Don't get angry. Don't ask too many questions, or they think you're trying to be smart. And never, never, never laugh or you're an uncaring bitch." Well, I can't cry to order, and I won't be squashed into some dumb act for the public... or for you".

Adding to their problems was the perception of dingoes as a harmless dog. Dingoes weren't perceived as much of a threat and reports of attacks weren't well known. It seemed so strange that a dingo would attack, and they are such beautiful looking dogs.

During searching some of the babies clothing had been found, but not the baby. The clothing had been found folded but to what degree no one is sure. The people that found the clothing picked it up and tried to reposition as they remembered. Forensic evidence also indicated there was a bloody handprint on the outfit, small like a woman's.

Lindy was found guilty of murder and sentenced to a life in prison. Pregnant again, with another baby girl, she gave birth in prison to Kahlia and the baby was sent to live with Michael.

Its not very often the end of a film can be mentioned in a review, but this is a true story. Three and a half years into her sentence a climber fell to his death from Uluru. While searching for the climber the baby's matinee jacket was found. 150 meters from where the baby's jumpsuit had been found. Why the significance of the matinee jacket? As discussed in the pressroom at the trial in the movie, first there had been no evidence of saliva on the clothing that had been found, which went against Lindys claim of a dingo taking it in its mouth. Also simply Lindy had claimed there was a matinee jacket, it wasn't found and if she was lying about that well wasn't she lying about everything?

Well no she wasn't as it turns out. Shortly after the matinee jacket was found Lindy was released from prison and sent home to try and pick up her life again. Now three and a half years old daughter Kahlia is so confused as to who this lady is "real mummy?" she questions. The movie shows her hanging back too shy to hug this strange lady.

My Canadian friend who watched this with us got all riled up at how this could have happened, "this would never happen in Canada" he argued. Yet Canada, and Australia base their legal systems on the same model, the British and do require burden of proof. While its no excuse, it must be remembered this was twenty years ago and many mistakes were made. Again and most pertinently this was the first time a case had caused so much public interest. The jury was reading the papers with the rest of the country.

Now it seems so obvious they were innocent. So many things have come to light after the event but it's too late for the Chamberlains. Lindy and Michael divorced a few years after she was released. They are both remarried, Lindy moved to America for a while but 20 years after Azarias' murder she returned to Australia.

Now you can see there are so many discrepancies in this case, and things that were ignored. The police acted so slowly and not particularly thoroughly. A warning was given a few weeks before the Chamberlains camping trip that the dingoes in the area were potentially becoming dangerous. This letter was ignored and later anonymously sent to the Chamberlains lawyer. There had been several incidents on Fraser Island, in Queensland, with dingoes.

There were accusations of fetal blood being found in the front of the car under the dash. Later this turned out to be quite common in their model of car and was nothing but paint. During the trial Lindy tried to match her hand to the bloody print on the jumpsuit, it didn't match. The scientific methods were given in a time where everyone firmly believed they could not be wrong, how can science be wrong?

It all seems so ludicrous now, a witness confirmed she was with both Lindy and Michael as a babies cry was heard, at the time according to the prosecutions timeline Lindy had already killed Azaria. The Crowns case had Lindy kill Azaria in front of her son Aiden (six at the time) in the car, stuffing the baby in her husbands camera case (which Azaria wouldn't have fit into) and then calmly returning with Aiden to the camp ground and acting normal. All in less than ten minutes.

No motive was ever produced for the mother killing her baby and Lindy and Michael never changed their story or their claim to innocence. Baby Azaria has never been found.

The film is based on the novel "Evil Angels" written by John Bryson. Bryson met with Lindy while she was in gaol and also spoke with Michael; Lindy did differ with the author over some details of her religion but in general was happy with the books accuracy. Bryson was formerly a lawyer and attended the trial in the press room. Bryson has said "Evil Angels was never a book about the Chamberlains, it was always a book about us". How quickly we condemned an innocent family, and how eager we were to believe these stories. Lindy has also released a book called "Through my eyes".

A Cry in the Dark was released as "Evil Angels" in Australia and stars Sam Neil as Michael Chamberlain and Meryl Streep as Lindy. The choice of Streep caused a bit of fuss at the time of casting, as it potentially insulted Australian actors of the time using an American. But Streep did a great job and has a country Australian accent down better than I do. The cast is littered with now famous Australians, John Howard (not our Prime Minister, the actor) shows as Lyle Morris, Bill Garner, Deborah Lee Furness (better known perhaps as the lucky lady who is married to Hugh Jackman), Nick Tate all star. There were 350 extras used.

The movie was directed by Fred Schepsi and released in 1988.

It is hard not to get involved in this movie, the case is so compelling and the ordinariness shown in the movie makes it more so. Its not just the sensational moments, its the every day moments. Talking to friends, the couple together, in church, its life as it plays out for most of us. As I mentioned my friend who knew little about the case became quite riled by it as everyone in Australia did when it was happening (and in some places still do). The story breaks your heart and scares you just a little because its possible it could have been you in their shoes.

As it's an old movie there are no extras on the DVD. I popped mine in and it played, not even offering up a menu screen. It runs for two hours.

Ive said standard for special effects as really there werent any.

Soundtrack: Apparently there is a soundtrack released for this movie, though I can only find it on e-bay. I dont remember (and I saw this again two nights ago) what music was used. The music is definately not the feature of this movie and sits in the background.

A Cry in the Dark was nominated for four golden globes. Streep also won best actress in 1989.

I bought the movie for $5 from Best Buy. Its also available on line. The cover features a shot of Streep and Neil, with Uluru in the background.

Today;
The case still is not forgotten. A few years ago a girl claimed SHE was Azaria, she was not, a man living in Melbourne claimed that in 1980 he saw a dingo with a baby in its mouth and he shot it. He told this story in 1994, police interviewed him and dismissed his claims.

The case still remains unsolved, though most people accept that the dingo did take her baby.

Quotes:
"A lie goes 'round the world while truth's still putting its boots on, sweetheart". From Lindys Dad.

When I mentioned to a friend I had seen this movie again she quoted "that's not an object you are talking about, that's my baby" 

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