Cry in the Wild: The Taking of Peggy Ann (1991 TV Movie) User Reviews (17)

What do you do when a psycho "mountain man" apprehends you at gunpoint?

[Wuchakk · 7/10 · 27 February 2021]

On May 11, 1966, a 17 year-old school girl from Shade Gap, Pennsylvania (Megan Follows), is kidnapped by some recluse hillbilly (David Morse) and forced to live in the wilds while on the run from authorities. David Soul plays an FBI agent while Dion Anderson is on hand as a Sheriff.

"Cry in the Wild: The Taking of Peggy Ann" (1991) is a TV flick that closely follows the true story with minor alterations. It was the most-watched primetime show of the week.

There are elements of "Deliverance" (1972), "First Blood" (1982) and another well-done TV movie, "Nightmare at Bittercreek" (1988). Of course it doesn't have the budget of the first two, but that doesn't prevent it from being a first-rate television film, realistic and compelling.

After watching, be sure to check out the 27-minute interview with Peggy Ann Bradnick on Youtube done on the 50th anniversary of the harrowing abduction in 2016. (The movie itself is also available on Youtube for free).

The film runs 1 hour, 35 minutes, and was shot in Los Altos Hills, California, as well as nearby Cupertino & San Jose, at the south end of San Francisco Bay. While these locations are a far cry from south-central Pennsylvania, the producers did a good job of picking a lush, hilly area as a decent stand-in for the real locations.

GRADE: B

Well planned kidnapping by a maniac looking for love .......

[merklekranz · 7/10 · 24 August 2015]

Ruthless and brutal immediately come to mind when describing David Morse's detestable mountain man character. But Morse is no dummy, he has food hidden strategically among the mountains near Shade Gap Pennsylvania, where this true story takes place. His preparation and outdoor skills are more than a match for the disorganized and squabbling local police, State Police, and F.B.I. In some ways the movie resembles "King Kong" as there is at times a faint sympathy factor regarding the damaged character that Morse portrays. Make no mistake, this is a strong performance by David Morse, while the rest of the cast simply revolves around him. An exciting and violent ending is an appropriate climax to the manhunt. Recommended viewing. - MERK

Good Film

[pombearking · 7/10 · 24 June 2011]

This film was quite surprising, it seemed like it was going to just be another thriller but because it was created with a true story witch gave it a chilling effect and true story's are always good to watch. The basic story line is that a girl gets kidnapped by a redneck and is taken into the woods the film follows the story of trying to find her and the strain it has on her family meanwhile you learn more about the demented mind of the kidnapper overall this movie is pretty good,acting is good and i aren't saying its a top hit but its definitely worth a watch

overall:7/10

it would have got higher but being a true story its best not to over exaggerate.

A very fine all-around movie

[thull1 · 24 September 2001]

I missed out on this true story when it actually occurred, but I feel fairly confident in saying that the producer, writer, and director added very little, if any, "fictional fluff". The movie starts off by showing us the setting and most of the main characters. Everyone and everything looks real and believable; almost always a good indication that the viewer is in for an entertaining movie. And that is certainly the case here. Once the abduction occurs, the director skillfully keeps the interest nonstop and makes us very reluctant to get up and go to the fridge or anywhere else. There are solid performances by the supporting cast; the usual flawless performance we have come to expect from Megan Follows; and a superb performance by David Morse.

I've had this planned... long time

[Frazzle22 · 7/10 · 16 March 2021]

For a made for TV film, "Cry in the Wild: The Taking of Peggy Ann" is very good.

The script is functionally well written, and it transitions rather seamlessly through the vital plot points.

David Morse plays a character named Bill, and he gives a solid performance as the deranged and misunderstood loner the townsfolk have derisively nicknamed, Bicycle Pete. Title character, Peggy Ann (Megan Follows), leaves viewers asking for more. She portrays the abducted held captive very impassively. As this film is based on a true story, perhaps the real-life Peggy Ann survived the harrowing incident by taking on a reticent disposition.

Jack Kehler sells the part of Peggy Ann's distressed father quite well. The film lags a little at it's midpoint, but it quickly returned to form, holding my attention until the end.

Overall, this is a great movie where most scenes are carried by Morse's strong acting. In addition, the cinematography is quite good; viewers are treated to some nice shots of a rugged, wild landscape.

Star power in a TV movie true story

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 7 May 2018]

CRY IN THE WILD: THE TAKING OF PEGGY ANN is a typically-executed TV movie of the 1990s, inevitably based on a true story. Peggy Ann was a woman kidnapped by a hermit mountain man who turned out to be a crack shot with a rifle and who gave the guys hunting him a real run for their money. I mainly watched this because David Morse takes the main role and he's typically excellent, definitely one of the most interesting actors working in cinema today. That his character remains sympathetic despite all his actions is testament to the star's acting talent. The likes of Tom Atkins and David Soul are also welcome presences, even if this is a rather pedestrian affair in itself.

'Cry In The Wild: The Taking Of Peggy Ann' (1991)

[mfnmbvp · 8/10 · 17 August 2012]

Excellent, underground, and shockingly true story of a girl kidnapped in rural Pennsylvania in the 1960's. There cannot be too much to say about the story, because we all know what a kidnapping is, and we know that the story was told true as it was. David Morse is absolutely detestable as the deranged mountain man and does a great job at it. Megan Follows does like her namesake and is forced to follow this lunatic through the forest for days on end. The chemistry between the two of them, while it is definitely not supposed to give off a good feeling, certainly reflects the way real people would behave. The film is surprisingly relevant and watchable even by today's standards, a good twenty years after the film was initially made for television.

All in all, atmospheric, well-acted, and at times very suspenseful made for television film from the early 1990's. They just don't make em like this anymore, so if you can track this one down, it is well worth the watch.

CRY IN THE WILD: THE TAKING OF PEGGY ANN -----8/10.

Was not too bad until...

[imdbcom-69969 · 4/10 · 22 April 2020]

... the cops start shooting a deluge of lead at a suspect runing while holding a hostage close to him. Because a nice gun fight had to be inserted for drama effect, right? Ok, but that makes the movie becomes completely even more idiotic than a mediocre western, despite the script being relatively believable until that point. Congrats for ruining a potentially good movie.

Surprisingly Good

[wmarkley · 9/10 · 6 October 2005]

I was impressed by how well this TV movie tells the story of the 1966 kidnapping and related events. I was a small child when the actual events happened and so I only had vague memories of them, but "Cry in the Wild" seems to mostly stay true to the factual accounts that I've read, including newspaper articles and the book Deadly Pursuit. Even some of the dialog is factual.

I also especially like how it tells the story without sensationalism, especially compared with over-the-top movies and TV programs that are so commonly seen these days. At the same time the plot moves along well. There are a few fictional elements that might have been added, but they seem relatively minor. There's also some forced, unrealistic dialog that "sets the scene," but that seems mostly confined to the beginning. The characters are treated with respect, and in some cases some depth. From what I read, Peggy Ann was pretty level-headed and perceptive for her age, and that comes through in the portrayal of her. The kidnapper evokes fear and also pity. The dedication of FBI agents, PA State Police, other lawmen, family and others who helped out in the case also comes through well.

A Gripping Tale of Terror!

[Brandon Hall · 10/10 · 7 July 2001]

This movie probably wouldn't have interested me if it wouldn't have happened so close to where I live. The (true) plot line deals with a lonely mountainman called Bicycle Pete (David Morse, The Green Mile) and the young 17-year-old hostage Peggy Ann Bradnick. While walking home from school one day the dangerous mountainman takes Peggy Ann, the whole thing explodes into the largest manhunt in all of Pennsylvania history! The movie basically tells the story of the kidnapping and her long fight to survive. Packed with a great cast, an also the story. Stars- Megan Follows, David Morse, and David Soul. For any Pennsylvanian that has not watched this movie, it is worth it! And just for anyone that has not watched this movie watch it! A great Thriller from the early 90's!

Enjoyed this movie

[roxannes-754-408936 · 10/10 · 1 June 2010]

I greatly enjoy true movies and this movie is one of the best. I vaguely remember the kidnapping, probably too busy rearing children and being at games, recitals, plays.... Thumbs up to the credits as the movie doesn't get into the gory details, thus we can have empathy for someone whose mind is warped. Whenever I think about all the cells that multiply and divide from conception to birth with all the people born on this earth, normalcy is a blessing. Any of us could have potentially been a screw ball. I started watching the movie along with an episode on another channel, but the movie got to be so intriguing, I stopped watching the other channel. It was not until close to the end that we know that Peggy would probably be rescued.

a reasonable film

[trvwatson · 18 December 2002]

I liked this film, not only because it was well played by the leading 2 characters, but also because it did'nt stray onto the territory of abuse or violence this kind of film could have displayed, if it had been daring enough, it could have shown to the full the humiliation and degrading way in which Peggy Anne was treated, but it just lifts the surface of what could have been quite a disturbing film if it had been made for the big screen. I have to say the film is slightly wayward to the extent in which it almost made you feel sorry for the kidnapper, as he really did'nt do much in the film to deserve him the right to be hailed down with a hail of bullets. Even so I still enjoyed it.

A First Rate TV Movie that's Exciting And Engrossing And Very Accurate

[sddavis63 · 8/10 · 15 August 2018]

Peggy Ann Bradnick was 17 years old when she was abducted on her way home from school in the small town of Shady Gap, Pennsylvania by a deranged mountain man looking for "a woman" of his own. There have been a lot of stories over the years of young girls being kidnapped, but this was one I was not familiar with this incident. To be honest, I wasn't even sure if it was a true story or not, and had to do some research afterward to confirm that it was. I generally take the words "true story" with a large grain of salt, but after doing that supplemental research after the fact I became even more impressed wit this TV movie than I already was. It is very faithful to the details of the actual story, and it is both exciting and engrossing almost from the very start, as we're first introduced to Peggy Ann and her large and loving family, then to the kidnapper, who's already wanted for variety of offences, and then see the kidnapping and the search for Peggy, which takes up the bulk of the movie as the Pennsylvania State Police and the FBI co-operate.

The strongest part of the movie were the performances of the two main actors. David Morse (a very familiar face) played the kidnapper - known to locals as "Bicycle Pete," and whose real name was Bill Hollenbaugh. Morse, I thought, truly captured the mind and the persona of the kidnapper ans was quite convincing in the role. Megan Follows (a Canadian actress best known at the time for her portrayals of Anne of Green Gables) was also impressive in demonstrating a range of emotions as she sought to survive her ordeal and even developed a sort of sympathy for her kidnapper - who actually didn't physically harm her. The supporting case was very good. There really weren't any performances that detracted from the movie's quality.

There were, I suppose a couple of points that weakened this a little bit. I thought that at the very beginning of the kidnapping ordeal, Follows seemed a bit too calm given what had happened - although she could have been portraying the shock that Peggy must have felt at what had happened, and Peggy's written statement that she read to the media at the end after she was rescued was a bit too heavy on trying to explain Hollenbaugh's actions and get into his mind. But that didn't detract too much from the overall quality of the movie. As TV movies go, this was first rate. (8/10)

I Remember 1966 Well

[jimcarter1959 · 8/10 · 21 November 2019]

They called this creep a "peeping tom", but that term doesn't fit as well as the more contemporary "stalker". This is the earliest of two true cases of so called "mountain men" abducting young women solely to satisfy their twisted need for companionship. It's a fascinating, never a dull moment tale. I'm a stickler for historical accuracy and there are mostly positives here: red lights (not blue) on police cars, a transistor radio and an absence of words and terms not used in the mid 60s. The one gaffe is a red, white and blue basketball next to the porch. It wasn't until the next summer that the ABA introduced the tri colored ball.

Long Before

[DavidsGuy · 20 February 2023]

Long before kidnapping young women in America became the common occurrence it is now, there was the story of Peggy Ann Bradnick whose kidnapping became a big, international news story. Although it was a different time and a different country then, all hell seemed to break loose in 1966 when the nutjobs came out in full force. Peggy's kidnapping was just a few months before Richard Speck murdered 8 student nurses in Chicago, and sniper Charles Whitman went on a killing spree atop the University of Texas Tower in Austin. Except for a few minor changes, this very well-done, well-acted, and thoroughly researched TV movie captured her ordeal perfectly. Along with Megan Follows, David Morse especially gives a memorable performance and you just know that had the real kidnapper lived, he would have been a Trumper: a smelly, toothless, hillbilly nutjob who loved guns and couldn't get a woman unless he stole one. (I believe they're called incels and...what's the word? LOSERS.)

Cry in the Wild

[hotwheelerd-52603 · 10/10 · 16 March 2024]

David Morris and Megan Fellows was perfect in this film. It was a true story of this man that kidnapped this young girl because he loved her. Morris in his film is a 6.2 dirty, rotted teeth I don't think he showed in weeks. Dirty and gross kept telling this girl I love you. He was not very smart he even shot and killed a rescue dog and a FBI man plus shot another man in the back and had in drive the two of them away. At the ending he eveny texted to have a gun fight with many of the police men. David Morris was was good at playing this kidnapping man it had you on your seat. The young lady in this film was fantastic as will. Her last words was very emotional.