The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992)

After her humiliated husband kills himself, an embittered pregnant widow loses her child, and embarks on a mission of vengeance against a woman and her family.

Director:

Curtis Hanson

Writer:

Amanda Silver

Stars:

Annabella Sciorra, Rebecca De Mornay, Matt McCoy

5 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Annabella Sciorra	...	Claire Bartel
Rebecca De Mornay	...	Mrs. Mott / Peyton Flanders
Matt McCoy	...	Michael Bartel
Julianne Moore	...	Marlene Craven
Ernie Hudson	...	Solomon
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

Storyline

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. Before becoming the nanny, Peyton had a miscarriage, and blamed it on Claire (the mother). Claire suspects nothing, having never met Peyton before.

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Plot Keywords:

nanny | baby | miscarriage | revenge | suicide | 

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Taglines:

Get rocked January 10th!

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

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

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 January 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

La mano que mece la cuna

Filming Locations:

2502 37th Ave W, Seattle, Washington, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$11,700,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$88,036,683 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hollywood Pictures, Interscope Communications, Nomura Babcock & Brown

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Rebecca De Mornay had actually been angling for the part of Tinkerbell in Hook. Losing the role to Julia Roberts prompted her to actively seek something a little darker instead.

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Goofs

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.

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Quotes

Solomon: I won't let you hurt them!

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Crazy Credits

As the end credits roll, we see the Bartel residence.

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Connections

Referenced in The Simpsons: It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge (2000)

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Soundtracks

"POOR WAND'RING ONE"
from "Pirates of Penzance"
Performed by The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
Courtesy of London Records
A Division of PolyGram Classics

User Reviews

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.