A Cry In The Dark (1988)

A Cry In The Dark - 1988

Our next film is 1988's "A Cry In The Dark", starring Meryl Streep and Sam Neill.  The film tells the story of Michael and Lindy Chamberlain, whose daughter Azaria was killed by a dingo while they were on vacation at Ayers Rock, Australia.

The film's supporting cast includes Brian James, Dorothy Alison, Kevin Miles, Debra Lawrence, and Bill McCluskey.

Australian couple Michael and Lindy Chamberlain are loved members of their community.  Michael is a Seventh Day Adventist minister at their church.  They have two sons and a daughter, who is named Azaria.

They take a vacation, which includes some time spent at Ayers Rock, a major tourist destination in Australia.  They spend the day roaming the grounds around the base of the huge edifice.

They also spend time doing some climbing.  (The top photo is a recreation of an actual picture of Lindy and Azaria.)

That night, some dingo activity is noticed around their campsite.  Lindy is horrified when she goes to check on her sleeping daughter and sees a dingo running into the brush, her daughter's whereabouts unaccounted for.  (Cue cries of "The dingo's got my baby!")

The Chamberlains and those camping near them institute a search, but are unable to find any trace of baby Azaria.

They are left with the awful reality that their daughter has been snatched from them and won't be returning.

The media jumps on the story, and Michael and Lindy are subjected to a bunch of press intrusion.

Things are made worse when part of Azaria's clothing is discovered.  There are bloodstains around the neck.  When she sees the report on the news, Lindy is quick to say that part of the outfit is missing.

The entire nation is galvanized by the finding of the baby clothes.  People begin to suspect that Lindy murdered her daughter by decapitating her with a pair of scissors.  (In reality, people where biased against the Chamberlains because of their religion, which was little understood at the time.  Lindy was accused of being a witch, and that their daughter's name meant "sacrifice in the wilderness", which it didn't.)  People even come up to one of Lindy's sons as he coming home from school and ask him what really happened to his sister.

The media even finds a way to intrude on the Chamberlains when they are in church for a memorial service for Azaria.

The coroner's inquest is held, and it is officially stated that the coroner believes the cause of death to be from a dingo.  He is horrified at the malicious gossip and innuendo that has surrounded the Chamberlains.  Michael and Lindy are relieved and travel home to be with their sons.

Unfortunately for the Chamberlains, new circumstantial evidence, witnesses, and expert testimony cause the Australian courts to reopen the case.

The Chamberlains are mobbed when they arrive at the courtroom, a horrific ordeal as Lindy is pregnant again by this time.

Much is made of the fact that a missing "matinee jacket" has never been found that Lindy always stated Azaria was wearing that night.

The situation gets out of hand when people leave a decapitated, bloody doll in the courthouse steps.

Lindy is forced to take the stand.  She's heavily scrutinized because of her seemingly cold manner, her easy acceptance of the fact that her daughter was murdered, and her stoicism.

The jury finds Lindy guilty of murder.  The judge sentences her to life imprisonment with hard labor.

While in prison, Lindy gives birth to another daughter, whom she and Michael name Kahlia.  She's given to Michael and Lindy is returned to prison.

Three years later while watching the news, Lindy learns that a climber on Ayers Rock fell to his death.  In the ensuing search for his body, search teams discovered the missing "matinee jacket" she had talked about in an area with a lot of dingo lairs.

She is released from prison and is brought home by Michael, where she is able to greet her daughter properly for the first time.

The family goes to church where they receive an ovation from the congregation.  Lindy thanks them for their love and prayers, and she vows to fight so that this never happens to any Australian ever again.

Cast rundown:

   Meryl Streep.................................Lindy Chamberlain

   Sam Neill......................................Michael Chamberlain

   Brian James..................................Cliff Murchison

   Dorothy Alison...............................Avis Murchison

   Kevin Miles....................................Professor Cameron

   Debra Lawrence.............................Sally Lowe

   Bill McCluskey................................Greg Lowe

And that's all for A Cry In The Dark.  This film was released in Australia and New Zealand as "Evil Angels".  In 1987, Michael and Lindy Chamberlain were officially pardoned by the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory.  In 1992, they were paid $1.3 million in compensation.  However, it was not until 2012, that a fourth coroner's inquest officially labeled Azaria's death as "a result of being attacked and taken by a dingo".  An amended death certificate was immediately made available to the Chamberlain family.

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