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
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

Storyline

Peyton Flanders (Rebecca De Mornay) 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 due to the stress caused by the death of her husband, Dr. Victor Mott (John de Lancie), and blamed it on Claire (the mother, played by Annabella Sciorra),. Claire suspects nothing, having never met Peyton before.

---

Plot Keywords:

sexual assault | gynecologist | female nudity | lifting a female into the air | fired from the job | 

---

Taglines:

Trust is her weapon. Innocence her opportunity. Revenge her only desire.

---

Genres:

Drama | Thriller

---

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:

810 N. Yakima Avenue, Tacoma, Washington, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$11,700,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$88,036,683

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

In a draft of the script, Emma is the one caught in the greenhouse trap. However, she survives. Peyton actively kills Marlene by sabotaging her car, causing it to blow up when Marlene lights a cigarette.

---

Goofs

It seems extraordinarily odd that Michael and Claire would hire Peyton as their nanny so quickly without thoroughly checking her background first, let alone not interview other applicants.

---

Quotes

[Claire Bartel is having an asthma attack]
Peyton Flanders: Something the matter, Claire?
[whispers]
Peyton Flanders: When your husband makes love to you, it's MY face he sees. When your baby's hungry, it's MY breast that feeds him. Look at you! When push comes to shove... you can't even breathe!

---

Crazy Credits

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

---

Connections

Referenced in All Over the Guy (2001)

---

Soundtracks

SEATTLE TODAY THEME
Written by Dan Dean
Courtesy of Dan Dean Productions

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.