In Appreciation: The Bad Seed (1956)

This is one of the films that I saw as a kid, and it kept me up all night. The film's premise, which was also the basis for the book and hit Broadway show, is irresistible: Can a person inherit "the bad seed?"  Even worse, can a sweet 8-year-old be a cold blooded killer?

Rhoda Penmark (Patty McCormack) is a well-mannered 8-year-old little lady - and an efficient, unfeeling killer. And in this spellbinding chronicle of evil, whatever Rhoda wants, she ruthlessly gets. When Christine (Nancy Kelly), her mother, discovers the daughter's penchant for homicide, she is heartrendingly torn between the love for the child she bore and grief for Rhoda's victims.

The Bad Seed ticks like a time bomb under the skillful direction of Mervyn LeRoy, who cast several Broadway production originals, including Kelly (recreating the role that won her a Tony), McCormack and Eileen Heckart. Their performances captured three of this four Academy Award nominations--and make this thriller one of the great ones.

One regrettable side note: the Hays Code forbid movies at the time to let the villian get away with murder. In both the book and the play, Rhoda gets away with her evil deeds. In the film version, she is conviently punished (we won't ruin it and say how). A small quibble for an otherwise truly creepy work of art.

 

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