The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992)

Director:

Curtis Hanson

Writer (WGA):

Amanda Silver (written by)

Release Date:

10 January 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

The Bartels couldn't believe how fortunate they were to find Peyton. But they didn't find her, she chose them.

Plot:

Peyton Flanders seemed to be the perfect nanny, but secretly she was out to wreck the lives of the family she was supposed to be helping...

Plot Keywords:

Nanny | Miscarriage | Baby | Gynecologist | Suicide

Awards:

5 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Annabella Sciorra	...	Claire Bartel
Rebecca De Mornay	...	Mrs. Mott / Peyton Flanders
Matt McCoy	...	Michael Bartel
Ernie Hudson	...	Solomon
Julianne Moore	...	Marlene Craven
Madeline Zima	...	Emma Bartel
John de Lancie	...	Dr. Victor Mott
Kevin Skousen	...	Marty Craven
Mitchell Laurance	...	Lawyer
Justin Zaremby	...	Roth, the Schoolyard Bully
Eric Melander	...	Joey 'Joe' Bartel
Jennifer Melander	...	Joey 'Joe' Bartel
Ashley Melander	...	Joey 'Joe' Bartel
Cliff Lenz	...	Seattle Today Host
Penny LeGate	...	Seattle Today Host

MPAA:

Rated R for terror, violence, a scene of sexual molestation, and for language.

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Peru:14 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

2502 37th Ave W, Seattle, Washington, USA

Company:

Hollywood Pictures

Trivia:

The Gilbert & Sullivan operas both refer to a nanny switching babies. In Pirates of Penzance, the hard-of-hearing nanny accidentally apprentices an orphaned baby as a Pirate instead of a Pilot. In H.M.S. Pinafore, the noble-born Captain and a lowly sailor were switched by a nanny at birth, and when this is revealed, they both switch positions on the ship.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Michael goes downstairs because he hears opera music playing in Peyton's room, the indicator lights for the alarm and PM time on the clock radio change from two lights to one and back again.

Quotes:

Marlene 'Marl' Craven: Cancel my morning.
Marlene's Assistant: But you have a showing! What do I tell them?
Marlene 'Marl' Craven: You have a Harvard education, make something up!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Nanny: The Nanny-In-Law (#1.9)" (1994)

Soundtrack:

MY GALLANT CREW GOOD MORNING

An entertaining and suspenseful drama

This domestic thriller was a box-office hit despite its mid-level marquee pull and is entertaining and delivers plenty of suspense and shocks along the way. A vengeful widow who has lost her husband to a suicide and suffers a miscarriage plans to get even with the woman who caused the trouble by filing a sexual molestation suit against her husband. Rebecca de Mornay is the evil nanny who plots her revenge with relish, her satisfaction obvious as her plans begin to bear fruit. The nanny is not swayed by the innocence of the young girl or the newborn baby she is hired to care for and intends to destroy the entire family. Naturally, the parents are clueless as to what is going on until much later, while de Mornay methodically turns the household into her own domain, holding it in a grip of fear. Annabella Sciorra is the wife and mother who confronts de Mornay in the final moments. Graeme Revell contributes a nice music score.