Baby Doll (1956)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Elia Kazan

Writer:

Tennessee Williams (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 December 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Her role is raw electricity! Her portrayal is a sensation! CARROLL BAKER

Plot:

Steamy tale of two Southern rivals and a sensuous 19-year-old virgin.

Plot Keywords:

Cotton Gin | Cotton | Sicilian | Marriage | Child Bride

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Karl Malden	...	Archie Lee Meighan
Carroll Baker	...	Baby Doll Meighan
Eli Wallach	...	Silva Vacarro
Mildred Dunnock	...	Aunt Rose Comfort
Lonny Chapman	...	Rock
Eades Hogue	...	Town Marshal
Noah Williamson	...	Deputy

Runtime:

114 min | Argentina:115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System) | Stereo

Certification:

USA:Approved (original rating) | USA:Unrated (video rating) | USA:R (re-rating 1969) | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | UK:X (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Benoit, Mississippi, USA

Company:

Newtown Productions

Trivia:

Tennessee Williams's first choice for the title role of Baby Doll was Marilyn Monroe, (who was straining to improve herself as an actress at the time and wanted the role badly), although Elia Kazan preferred newcomer Carroll Baker, whose work he was familiar with from the Actors' Studio in New York.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Silva bursts through the door in the attic, Baby Doll is shown running from him with her blanket wrapped around her. The instant before she falls on to the attic beam, she removes the blanket, and holds it in her left hand. In the very next shot, after she has fallen, the blanket is wrapped around her body once again.

Quotes:

Baby Doll: [Silva caresses her neck] Don't touch me please, I don't like to be touched.
Silva Vacarro: Then why do you smile?
Baby Doll: Because you make me feel kind of hysterical Mr. Vacarro.
Silva Vacarro: [knowing smile] I do?
Baby Doll: [starts to get up] I think I'll go make us some lemonade.
[he holds her back]
Baby Doll: What did you do that for?
Silva Vacarro: I don't want to be deprived of the pleasure of your company. Not yet.
Baby Doll: Mr. Vacarro you certainly are getting familiar.
Silva Vacarro: Don't you have any fun loving spirit about you?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Sex at 24 Frames Per Second (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

Shame, Shame, Shame

Cotton picking

Elia Kazan took a big chance in directing "Baby Doll". His association with Tennessee Williams must have been the deciding factor in his coming on board. This was a film that caused quite a stir because of the direct intervention of Cardinal Spellman of New York in denouncing it for its suggestive billboard in the Times Square area and the content of the movie.

This film is a testament of how to film an erotic feature without having the actors running naked all over the place. Carroll Baker, as the Baby Doll of the title, generates a lot of heat every time we see her in the opening scenes through the "peeping tom" eyes of Archie Lee, the husband still awaiting to fulfill his duty as a husband.

The steamy scenes between Vaccaro and Baby Doll are incredible if one thinks of the era when it was filmed. Nothing like those torrid scenes were seen in an American film before! What is amazing is the fact this film was released at all.

Unfortunately, the copy that was shown on cable recently has the worst sound track imaginable. The Southern accents from the actors don't help things either.

Karl Malden adds to the character of Archie Lee by playing it as a dumb hick who is not too worldly in matters of the bedroom. Carroll Baker had a great role in her Baby Doll. She plays her as a typical small town from that part of the South, a real teaser. Eli Wallach's as Vaccaro brought virility and sensuality to his portrayal. Mildred Dunnock was good as Aunt Rose.

This film is an oddity that heralded the liberation of Hollywood from the hated Hays Code which will come much later on.