The Bad Seed (1956)

Director:

Mervyn LeRoy

Writers:

John Lee Mahin (screenplay)
Maxwell Anderson (play)
(more)

Release Date:

12 September 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

A WOMAN'S SHAME...Out in the Open!

Plot:

An ideal housewife begins to suspect her loving adolescent daughter may be a heartless killer.

Plot Keywords:

Colonel | Dream | Truth | Medal | Lying

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Nancy Kelly	...	Christine Penmark
Patty McCormack	...	Rhoda Penmark
Henry Jones	...	Leroy Jessup
Eileen Heckart	...	Hortense Daigle
Evelyn Varden	...	Monica Breedlove
William Hopper	...	Col. Kenneth Penmark
Paul Fix	...	Richard Bravo
Jesse White	...	Emory Wages
Gage Clarke	...	Reginald 'Reggie' Tasker
Joan Croydon	...	Claudia Fern (as Joan Croyden)
Frank Cady	...	Henry Daigle
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frances Bavier	...	Woman in dinner party scene (uncredited)
Violet Cane	...	Teacher (uncredited)
Vivian Clermont	...	Mary Beth Musgrove (uncredited)
Shelley Fabares	...	Margie (uncredited)
Kathy Garver	...	Rhoda's Classmate (uncredited)
Don C. Harvey	...	Guard in Hospital Corridor (uncredited)
Edna Holland	...	Saleslady (uncredited)
Dayton Lummis	...	The Doctor (uncredited)
Natalie Masters	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Patricia Morrow	...	Ginny (uncredited)
Adele Taylor	...	Teacher (uncredited)
John Truax	...	The Sergeant (uncredited)

Directed by
Mervyn LeRoy

Writing credits
John Lee Mahin		(screenplay)
Maxwell Anderson		(play)
William March		(novel)

Produced by
Mervyn LeRoy	....	producer

Original Music by
Alex North

Cinematography by
Harold Rosson		(as Hal Rosson)

Film Editing by
Warren Low

Art Direction by
John Beckman

Set Decoration by
Ralph S. Hurst		(as Ralph Hurst)

Costume Design by
Moss Mabry

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mel Dellar	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Stanley Jones	....	sound
Al Cavigga	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Warren E. Boes	....	best boy (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Florence Albert	....	wardrobe: women (uncredited)
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Maurice De Packh	....	orchestrations (as Maurice de Packh)

Other crew
Meta Rebner	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1956) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1973) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Magnus Opus (2011) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)
• Warner Home Video (video)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Germany:18 (DVD) | Norway:16 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Warner Bros. production notes for the film reported that three endings were shot. According to a Nov 1955 Los Angeles Times , the end of the film was kept secret and the last five pages of the script were not distributed until ready to shoot.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Rhoada and Leroy are talking outside, she is working on a puzzle. When Rhoada is facing Leroy the pieces to the puzzle are on the table, when Leroy is facing Rhoda, the pieces are not there. When it goes back to Rhoada, the pieces are again outside the puzzle.

Quotes:

Rhoda:What will you give me for a basket of kisses?
Col. Kenneth Penmark:A basket of kisses? Why, I'll give you a basket of hugs!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Kate & Allie: The Bad Seed (#2.20)" (1985)

Soundtrack:

Au clair de la lune

An Unusual & Effective Thriller

With some familiar elements of classic thrillers plus some creative turns, this is an unusual and effective thriller. Patty McCormack is memorable as young Rhoda, and the rest of the cast succeed in making their characters react believably to some nearly unbelievable situations. The story moves slowly enough to build suspense carefully, while still holding your interest the whole time.

For this kind of story to work, it has to keep the tension and uncertainty without becoming obviously implausible or annoyingly overplayed. In "The Bad Seed", we see the tension and fear that build in the characters as the story develops, but events also unfold within an atmosphere that otherwise would be peaceful and normal, making for an interesting contrast that helps to maintain a good balance.

Unlike the many banal movies made in recent years about serial killers and the like, "The Bad Seed" also contains some substance. The characters, especially the mother (played by Nancy Kelly), not only have to make difficult decisions, but also must fearfully attempt to understand the reasons for everything. It's a good example of how well a thriller can work when carefully made without a lot of extraneous elements, and it's a demonstration that a movie can have a tense, dark story without being shallow or superficial at the same time.