What Is Cry Terror! About?
The premise of Cry Terror! in 246 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a tense, claustrophobic world where ordinary lives collide with a terrifying unknown, a single phone call shatters the calm of a bustling city. The echo of an imminent threat spreads through airline terminals and high‑rise apartments, turning everyday routines into a pulse‑quickening race against an unseen deadline. The film’s atmosphere is drenched in nervous anticipation, the kind of suspense that makes every hallway feel like a corridor of secrets and every shadow a potential danger.
At the heart of the crisis stands Paul Hoplin, a calculating mastermind whose meticulous plans hide a volatile obsession with control. He targets the unsuspecting family of a brilliant electronics specialist, Jim Molner, whose work unintentionally becomes the focal point of the danger. Opposite him, Joan Molner strives to protect her young daughter, Patty Molner, while grappling with the sudden collapse of the ordinary world she once knew. Their dynamic—rooted in love, fear, and resilience—offers a human counterpoint to the cold precision of the antagonist’s scheme.
As the pressure mounts, federal agents converge on the situation, turning the city’s streets and subways into a sprawling chessboard of tension. The interplay between the relentless pursuit of the authorities and the desperate attempts of the family to stay one step ahead fuels a relentless, edge‑of‑the‑seat mood. Every phone ring, every whispered conversation, and every fleeting glimpse of movement hints at a larger confrontation, leaving the audience breathless as they wonder how far the characters will be pushed before the inevitable showdown arrives.
What Happens in Cry Terror!?
The complete story of Cry Terror!, from the first scene to the last, in 416 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 6 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Paul Hoplin, Rod Steiger, a calculating criminal mastermind, hatches a high-stakes blackmail scheme: he intends to extort $500,000 by threatening to blow up a crowded airline with a compact explosive device that electronics expert Jim Molner, James Mason, has unwittingly designed. Hoplin’s plan begins with a taunting call to a major carrier, setting the stage for a dramatic confrontation in the sky and on the ground.
Hoplin and his gang seize Molner, his wife Joan Molner Inger Stevens, and their young daughter Patty Molner Terry Ann Ross, spiriting them aboard as part of the ransom setup. The aircraft lands safely, and a bomb squad disarms the supposed device—the miniature gadget functioning only as proof of Hoplin’s claimed reach, a demonstration he intends to repeat for real if his demand isn’t met.
In New York, FBI agents and airline officials converge to confront the threat as Hoplin makes another chilling call. The ransom plan tightens its grip when Joan is forced to go alone to collect the money, while two accomplices—one a glamorous, hard-edged partner, the other a compliant henchman—guard her husband and child in a Midtown penthouse. The names behind the danger loom large: Kelly, a stunning but ruthless presence, and Vince, a yes-man ally, with Vince portrayed by Jack Klugman.
Hoplin’s crew also relies on their muscle, Steve, a benzedrine-addicted ex-con with a troubling history of violence toward women, played by Neville Brand. Their hideout sits in Riverdale, Bronx, a bleak backdrop that mirrors the escalating tension of the crisis as the clock ticks toward Hoplin’s deadline.
With the lives of Molner’s family on the line, Joan fights to fulfill Hoplin’s demands. She arrives with the money, only to find herself trapped with Steve. In a brutal struggle, she defends herself and ends up killing him with a shard of broken glass, a turning point that shifts the balance of danger back to Hoplin’s crew.
The FBI narrows its focus, using dental records to identify Kelly, and closes in on the group at their apartment. A brief, intense confrontation leaves Kelly wounded and Vince disarmed. Joan, acting on her own initiative, breaks away and makes a desperate run for the subway.
On the tracks, Hoplin closes the distance, only to meet a shocking fate: he steps onto the third rail and is electrocuted. Just as the danger seems to peak, an oncoming train halts in time to avoid crushing Joan, and the arriving police seal the moment, bringing a tense showdown to a dramatic close.
Cry Terror! Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
13 key events in the order they happen, from “Hoplin's extortion scheme is set in motion” to “Police end the threat as Jo an is saved”. 12 events name a place, across 12 locations.
- 1
Hoplin's extortion scheme is set in motion
Criminal mastermind Paul Hoplin orchestrates an extortion plan to collect a $500,000 ransom by threatening to blow up a crowded airline using an explosive device designed by Jim Molner. His aim is to demonstrate his ability to plant a bomb undetected and to leverage fear into money.
When:Pre-flight
- 2
Bomb threat and hostages taken on the flight
Hoplin calls Giant 20th Century Airlines and claims a bomb aboard one of their flights. He and his gang take Molner, his wife Joan, and their young daughter Patty hostage, initiating a tense hijack that sets the plot in motion.
When:During the hijack Where:Onboard a plane
- 3
Plane lands; bomb is disarmed
The plane lands safely and a bomb squad discovers and disarms the explosive device. Hoplin's ruse is revealed as a demonstration of his capability rather than a real attack.
When:Immediately after landing Where:Airport
- 4
Second threat escalates the situation
With FBI and airline representatives gathered in New York, Hoplin issues another threat by phone, escalating the plot and setting up a real-time countdown to his ransom. The authorities brace for a second demand as they track his moves.
When:Shortly after the first hijack Where:New York
- 5
Ransom drop arranged with hostages nearby
Joan is forced to go alone to collect the ransom, while Hoplin's two accomplices guard her husband and child in a Midtown Manhattan penthouse. The tense exchange tests her nerve as the clock ticks down and the danger tightens.
When:During ransom drop Where:Midtown Manhattan
- 6
Henchmen relocate to Riverdale hideout
Hoplin and Steve retreat to a Riverdale, Bronx house to wait out the pursuit and plan their next move. Steve is a benzedrine-addicted ex-con with a history of assaults on women, making him particularly dangerous.
When:After the ransom attempt Where:Riverdale, Bronx
- 7
Joan turns the tables on Steve
With her husband and daughter's lives at stake, Joan arrives with the money but is left alone with Steve. She defends herself from an assault and kills Steve with a shard of broken glass.
When:During confrontation with Steve Where:Riverdale hideout
- 8
Gang moves to a new Lower Manhattan hideout
Hoplin relocates the group to a new hideout in Lower Manhattan as the FBI closes in and the stakes rise. The shift marks a desperate bid to stay ahead of law enforcement and maintain control.
When:Post-Riverdale relocation Where:Lower Manhattan
- 9
FBI identifies Kelly via dental records
Using dental records, the FBI identifies Kelly, Hoplin's beautiful but ruthless accomplice, enabling them to locate the gang's apartment. The breakthrough accelerates the police raid.
When:Before raid Where:New York City
- 10
Police raid wounds Kelly and disarms Vince
The FBI and police close in on the apartment. A brief firefight wounds Kelly and disarms Vince, weakening Hoplin's inner circle.
When:During the raid Where:Midtown NYC apartment
Show the other 3 events of Cry Terror! Hide the last 3 events
- 11
Joan escapes and flees into the subway
Acting on her own, Joan escapes the apartment and runs for her life, darting into the nearest subway station. She fights for survival as she navigates a hazardous escape route.
When:During escape Where:New York City subway
- 12
Hoplin pursues on the tracks and is electrocuted
Hoplin chases Joan onto the subway tracks. He steps on a third rail and is electrocuted, sealing his fate as the train arrives to stop in time.
When:Chase on the tracks Where:Subway tracks
- 13
Police end the threat as Jo an is saved
An oncoming train slows to a stop just inches from Joan, allowing her to survive. The police arrive moments later, rounding up Hoplin's remaining gang members and ending the threat.
When:Immediately after the electrocution Where:Subway station
Who Are the Main Characters in Cry Terror!?
6 characters, among them Paul Hoplin (Rod Steiger), Eileen Kelly (Angie Dickinson) and Jim Molner (James Mason): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
-
Paul Hoplin (Rod Steiger)
Played by Rod Steiger
A calculating criminal mastermind who orchestrates an audacious ransom plot by threatening to blow up a passenger flight. He commands his crew with cold efficiency and treats people as pawns in a wider display of power. His greed and confidence ultimately lead to his downfall in a fatal encounter on the city’s subway rails.
- 💼 Criminal mastermind
- 🧨 Bomb threat
- 🎭 Villain
-
Eileen Kelly (Angie Dickinson)
Played by Angie Dickinson
A beautiful but hardened mistress who serves Hoplin’s scheme as a trusted ally. She guards the hostage family in a midtown penthouse and later becomes entangled in the FBI’s pursuit. Her cool demeanor masks a willingness to do whatever it takes to protect the plan.
- 💃 Femme fatale
- 🕶️ Calculated ally
- 🗝️ Deception
-
Jim Molner (James Mason)
Played by James Mason
An electronics expert who unwittingly designs the miniature explosive device used by Hoplin. He is abducted along with his family, his expertise becoming the key catalyst for the criminals’ scheme. His intelligence becomes pivotal in understanding the device’s threat.
- 🧪 Engineer
- 🔌 Gadget
- 🧠 Intelligent
- JM
Joan Molner (Inger Stevens)
Played by Inger Stevens
Wife of Jim Molner, forced to collect the ransom while her family’s safety hangs in the balance. Resourceful and determined, she fights to survive and ultimately takes action to protect herself and her daughter. Her phone conversations with husband and the final acts reveal resilience amid peril.
- 👩 The resilience
- 💪 Survivor
- 🕊️ Courage
-
Steve (Neville Brand)
Played by Neville Brand
Hoplin’s benzedrine-fueled muscle who intimidates and assaults the women and guards the hostages. His brutality and loyalty to Hoplin underscore the criminal empire’s violence. He dies when Joan turns the tables, killing him with a shard of glass.
- 🗡️ Muscle
- 💣 Brutality
- ⚖️ Final confrontation
- V(
Vince (Jack Klugman)
Played by Jack Klugman
Hoplin’s yes-man and accomplice who guards the money and hostages. He plays a supporting role in the heist and is subdued during the climactic gunplay. His presence embodies the eroded line between loyalty and self-preservation in criminal schemes.
- 🤝 Sidekick
- 🧭 Obedience
- 🗝️ Risk
Where and When Is Cry Terror! Set?
Cry Terror! is set in New York City, Riverdale (Bronx) and Manhattan (Late 1950s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Late 1950s
Set in the late 1950s, the story echoes the era's urban crime noir atmosphere. It juxtaposes ordinary domestic life with high-stakes criminal plots, highlighting a city where public safety and secrecy collide. The plot's pace and technology reflect postwar anxieties about security and the vulnerability of modern air travel.
Where
New York City, Riverdale (Bronx), Manhattan
Cry Terror! unfolds across a gritty New York City landscape. The action shifts from a midtown penthouse to Riverdale in the Bronx and down into Lower Manhattan, including the subway. The setting uses the urban density and neon-lit streets to heighten suspense as threats loom over civilians on a crowded flight and in private hideouts.
- 🏙️ Urban cityscape
- 🌃 Nighttime tension
What Are the Themes of Cry Terror!?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Ransom, Mind Games and Urban Threats.
-
01
Ransom
A mastermind uses a hoax bomb to extort money, turning fear into leverage. The threat to blow up a crowded airline exposes how greed corrupts technology and trust. The pursuit centers on meeting a brutal deadline while the clock ticks down.
-
02
Mind Games
Manipulation, deception, and rapid reversals drive the plot as Hoplin and his accomplices test each other's loyalties. The film emphasizes psychological tension as characters misread motives and turn on one another. Even the innocent are pulled into a dangerous game.
-
03
Urban Threats
The city itself becomes a character, offering protection as well as peril. Security forces, aviation authorities, and ordinary civilians collide with criminal audacity. The finale on the subway rails frames the urban space as a lethal stage where danger lurks in everyday places.
What Kind of Film Is Cry Terror!?
Tense in tone, with fast pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Happy
A relentlessly tense and fast-paced thriller that immerses the viewer in a high-stakes hostage and bomb threat scenario, creating an atmosphere of constant anxiety and desperate survival.
- suspenseful
- anxious
- claustrophobic
- desperate
- thrilling
- hostage crisis
- bomb threat
- blackmail
- fbi investigation
- family in danger
Content notes: hostage situation, bomb threat, child endangerment, violence against women.
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Where to Watch Cry Terror!
Buy it from Amazon Video. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
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