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CRY OF THE WEREWOLF (1944). I had never really heard anything good about this Columbia Pictures effort, but it's better than I thought it would be. The Griffin Jay (He wrote many 40's Mummy scripts for Universal, CAPTIVE WILD WOMAN and RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE) story involves a home that used to be owned by a gypsy werewolf woman has been turned into a haunted attraction and laboratory. Some murders occur and it's up to the local police (led by always abrasive Barton McClain and low IQ cops) and the murdered victims son and his bride to be. Meanwhile, there is a nearby gypsy camp nearby who is not happy with this investigation...
Some good mood and atmosphere here with elements of THE WOLF MAN and screenwriter Jay was definitely influenced by the Val Lewton films of that time; You would almost swear You were watching CAT PEOPLE in parts. Nina Foch, Blanche Yurka and lovely Osa Massen are solid, but our leading man "Bob" is a pompous pendantic jerk and You're hoping something bad happens to him. In real life, something did. "Bob" is played by Stephen Crane who left show biz to become a restauranteur, married Lana Turner (twice) and was the father of her daughter who ending up shooting Lana's abusive gangster boyfriend in the late 50's. ***
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