A Cry in the Dark (1988)

1988

Action / Biography / Drama

IMDb Rating 6/10

Plot summary

1980. Of Mt Isa, QLD, Seventh Day Adventist Minister Michael Chamberlain, his wife Lindy Chamberlain, and their three children, the oldest six years old, are camping in a busy area next to Ayers Rock when one evening Lindy screams that a dingo is in their tent, the dingo running off, which only she witnesses, revealing that their youngest, ten-week old Azaria Chamberlain, is missing from her bassinet in the tent. Beyond the initial melee of trying to find Azaria with the help of all their fellow campers, Lindy and Michael, in their religious beliefs, outwardly come to a settled mindset that in not being able to find Azaria that the dingo has killed her, she in a better place with God in his plan for her. Over time as the story reaches national attention which is only fueled by Lindy and Michael talking to the media, evidence is discovered, which, in combination with things that are not discovered, such as Azaria's body, and the media stories, leads to Lindy being charged with Azaria's murder and Michael being charged with accessory to a murder after the fact, the crown charging that Lindy made up the story of the dingo to cover up her murdering Azaria. The purported dingo incident begins a close to decade long legal battle the two, but especially Lindy, have in trying to prove their innocence, the trial which cannot not be affected by the court of public opinion, especially as Lindy refuses to change her somewhat naturally cold demeanor solely to come across as a sympathetic character to the judgmental public.—Huggo