A Cry in the Night

A Cry in the Night is a 1956 film featuring Natalie Wood as a damsel in distress

Story
In this movie, Elizabeth Taggart, who is 18 years old, is on a date with Owen Clark. While dating at a place called Lover's Loop, Owen Clark gets slugged by a builded deranged man named Harold Loftus. After Owen is knocked unconscious, he kidnaps Liz and takes her to an abandoned apartment at a brickyard shack.

At the hideout, Liz is being held captive by Harold and she discovers that Harold killed a little dog because it would not stop "crying." Harold alternately tries to "woo" her and threaten her. When he offers her dresses he found in an attic box and tells her about his overbearing mother, she calls him crazy, and he angrily draws a gun, causing her to faint.

Later, when Liz wakes up and regains consciousness, Harold offers her an apricot pie to eat. Harold again tries to be "friends" with her, wanting to kiss her the way he sees other men kiss, but she keeps him talking to stall him. Seeing that her left thigh has been cut, he leaves to get water. She then takes the gun and, when he returns, threatens to shoot if he does not let her pass. However, the gun is not loaded, so her attempt to escape causes him to become even more deranged. She tries distracting him by talking about the dresses, but he calls her "my girl" and attempts to kiss her. Soon after, the police arrive at the brickyard, and determining that Harold is nearby, alerts Nightshift Police Captain Ed Bates by radio. When Harold sees the lights of the police car, he forces Liz to move forward, but Liz accidentally twists her right ankle, which makes her take off her right shoe. A few minutes later, Harold forces Liz to escape with him through a back tunnel into the indoor area of the brickyard.

Ed and a fully recovered Owen pick up Liz's overprotective father who is also a police captain named Dan Taggart, and they make their way to the brickyard and soon find Harold's hideout. Pursued by the police, Harold shoots one policeman. Although Harold forces Liz up a stairwell and over catwalks, his pursuers corner him. Owen, who has climbed a ladder above Harold, sees that he is about to ambush Dan and jumps down on him. Dan then begins beating and punching Harold, who cries for his mother. At Liz's request, Dan stops hitting Harold and hands him over to Ed for arrest. After Harold is taken to custody, Dan finally accepts that they are both dating when he invites Owen to accompany Liz back home.