IMDb > The Baby (1973)

Overview

User Rating:
5.7/10   509 votes
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Up 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer:
Abe Polsky (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Baby on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
March 1973 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Horror is his formula! more
Plot:
A social worker who recently lost her husband investigates the strange Wadsworth family. The Wadsworths... more | full synopsis
NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Five: Late Night TV Gems
 (From LateFilmFull. 4 March 2009, 8:39 AM, PST)

Frat House Massacre, Pig Hunt, Baby screenings
 (From Fangoria. 28 January 2009, 7:14 AM, PST)

User Comments:
God, I Love The 70s! more (42 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)
Anjanette Comer ... Ann Gentry
Ruth Roman ... Mrs. Wadsworth
Marianna Hill ... Germaine Wadsworth
Susanne Zenor ... Alba Wadsworth (as Suzanne Zenor)
Tod Andrews ... Doctor
Michael Pataki ... Dennis
Beatrice Manley ... Judith (as Beatrice Manley Blau)
Erin O'Reilly
Don Mallon
Joseph Bernard
Virginia Vincent

David Mooney ... Baby (as David Manzy)
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Additional Details

Runtime:
84 min | Australia:89 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Australia:M | USA:PG | UK:X | Norway:(Banned) (1973-2003) (cinema release)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The re-mastered edition of the audio track is not the original track from the film. The original track contained the actual sounds made by David Mooney during the filming. The baby sounds came from his performance and not canned baby sounds. The original track must have been lost and later baby sounds were added. more

FAQ

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23 out of 24 people found the following comment useful.
God, I Love The 70s!, 8 February 2005
Author: Zen Bones from USA

They could never make a film like this today. If they did, it would have an all-star cast, a loud, obtrusive score, and dizzying, roller-coaster camera effects. Back in the 70s they had to get by on talent, imagination and audacity alone. Luckily, they had plenty of that back then. This is not a 'twisted" film, at least anywhere nearly as twisted as say, "Bad Boy Bubby" or "Sonny Boy" (now those movies are reeeeally twisted!), but then what can one expect from Hollywood? This movie is like Diabolique made as a 1970s TV movie-of-the-week with a drive-in sleaze chaser. There's definitely a lack of credibility in this movie's plot - not that a woman couldn't keep her grown son in the mental state of a six-month infant. That's plausible and has happened before, but it's extremely unlikely that the authorities who knew about this kid all those years wouldn't have insisted on special schooling and therapy from day one. But who cares? Here we've got a film with two wicked Barbie Doll sisters who have venom in their veins and just looove to tease men. There's some great bad seventies fashion and a 'wild party' scene (well, wild for the suburbs. Ahh, Hollywood – so out of touch!). And what can you say about Ruth Roman? She's Joan Crawford, Bette Davis and Ernest Borgnine all rolled into one. They just don't make broads like that anymore!

As mentioned by others, there are lots of twists and turns in the plot, but most anyone can figure them out very early on. But again, who cares? This movie works because of its audacity in the face of its conventionality and well, there is an intelligence at work somewhere in the midst of its drive-in movie formula. Take that whole scene with the babysitter for instance (for those who haven't seen this, you'll just have to see for yourself). I knew what was going to happen, but the way it built up so naturally seemed very honest and real. Which is why it freaked me out so much. Every now and then the film slips that comfort rug out from under you. Freak city! Then it relaxes safely in the realms of convention, but that's okay too because the whole movie has such charming camp appeal. Let's make that clear: this is a camp movie, NOT a horror movie! It's stupidly being marketed as horror, so it's understandable that the kiddies who are looking for lots of gore and boobies are feeling disappointed. Stick with Argento, kids! Oh yeah… huge kudos to David Mooney (Manzy – whatever) who played 'Baby'. He should have become a star.

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Message Boards

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Recent Posts (updated daily)User
I just saw this for the first time and... Sally_Hardesty
Favorite Lines greenronnyg
are the DVD versions cut? jacksaints
'Baby's' party fiftyfootqueenie
Similarities to Aldrich movies Crawfordfan
One of those films thencjs
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