The Bad Seed (1956)

A housewife suspects that her seemingly perfect eight-year-old daughter is a heartless killer.

Director:

Mervyn LeRoy

Writers:

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

Stars:

Nancy Kelly, Patty McCormack, Gage Clarke

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Gage Clarke	...	Tasker
Jesse White	...	Emory
Joan Croydon	...	Miss Fern (as Joan Croyden)
William Hopper	...	Col. Kenneth Penmark
Paul Fix	...	Richard Bravo
Henry Jones	...	Leroy
Evelyn Varden	...	Monica
Eileen Heckart	...	Mrs. Hortense Daigle
Patty McCormack	...	Rhoda Penmark
Nancy Kelly	...	Christine Penmark
Frank Cady	...	Henry Daigle

Storyline

Christine Penmark seems to have it all: a lovely home, a loving husband and the most "perfect" daughter in the world. But since childhood, Christine has suffered from the most terrible recurring nightmare. And her "perfect" daughter's accomplishments include lying, theft and possibly much, much worse. Only Christine knows the truth about her daughter and only Christine's father knows the truth about her nightmare.

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Plot Keywords:

evil child | colonel | girl | female protagonist | family relationships | 

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Taglines:

What would you do if you were cursed with "The Bad Seed"?

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Alfred Hitchcock turned down the chance to direct.

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Goofs

While Christine is reading a bedtime story to sleepy Rhoda, Rhoda's pigtails change positions multiple times between shots.

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Quotes

Leroy: You ask me and I say you don't even feel sorry for what happened to that little boy.
Rhoda: Why should I feel sorry? It was Claude Daigle who got drowned, not me!

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Crazy Credits

After the finale, a narrator tells the audience "One moment please. And now our wonderful cast." Then, the principal cast members are introduced one by one, like they would be at the end of a play. After that's done with, there's a brief scene in which Nancy Kelly spanks Patty McCormack.

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Connections

Remade as The Bad Seed (2018)

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Soundtracks

Au clair de la lune
(uncredited)
Attributed to Jean-Baptiste Lully
Played on the piano by Patty McCormack and whistled by Henry Jones
Played often in the score

User Reviews

Bad Seed...but Good Movie

I consider this to be more of a psychological drama than a horror movie. Eight-year-old Rhoda has no remorse or feeling for the crimes she has committed, saying that it was "their faults". McCormack is a wonderful actress who could past her age in any movie. Overall, this is my favorite movie of all time and I recommend it to anyone who likes suspense with psychology.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 September 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Bad Seed

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1