The Bad Seed

Movie

1956

2h 9m

English

Thriller, Drama, Horror

User Score:

7.5

Critic Score:

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Air Force Colonel Kenneth Penmark and his wife, Christine, adore their daughter Rhoda, despite her secret tendency for selfishness. Christine keeps her knowledge of her daughter's darker side to herself, but when a schoolmate of Rhoda's dies mysteriously, her self-deception ...

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The Bad Seed

Movie

1956

2h 9m

English

Thriller, Drama, Horror

Play Trailer

Watch on Watch TCM

WATCHMODE

7.5

IMDB

CRITIC SCORE

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FREE

Available in 1 other country.

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Cast

Christine Penmark

Rhoda Penmark

Leroy Jessup

Hortense Daigle

Monica Breedlove

Col. Kenneth Penmark

Richard Bravo

Emory Wages

Reginald "Reggie" Tasker

Joan Croydon

Claudia Fern

Frank Cady

Henry Daigle

Frances Bavier

Woman at Dinner Party (uncredited)

Violet N. Cane

Teacher (uncredited)

Shelley Fabares

Margie (uncredited)

Kathy Garver

Rhoda's Classmate (uncredited)

Don C. Harvey

Guard in Hospital (uncredited)

Edna Holland

Saleslady (uncredited)

Doctor (uncredited)

Nurse (uncredited)

Ginny (uncredited)

Teacher (uncredited)

Sergeant (uncredited)

Directed By: Mervyn LeRoy

Written By: John Lee Mahin (Screenplay), William March (Novel)

Featured Comments/Tips

RSula says...

5 years ago

Perfect for Halloween, this is a plot line and conclusion now familiar in 'Twilight Zone' or 'Dark Mirror' troupes. The acting is superbly dramatic all around. This must have been super controversial when it was released. In fact, there's even a disclaimer as the end, saying that this film "dares to be different" and asks that audience members "not divulge the unusual climax of the story". Indeed!

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O7Habits says...

3 years ago

This is one of the better old horror/suspense movies I’ve seen. The acting was superb. This was 2 hours long but didn’t drag at all and kept me engaged. The characters Monica, Leroy, and Hortense were especially engaging. Rhoda was a good little sociopath and the way she described the events at the picnic was and still is horrifying. Before it was a film it was a broadway play and you get that play like feeling watching the movie. The ending was sort of abrupt, but I liked it. Make sure you watch the character introductions at the end, there is a little lighthearted gag scene that’s kind of funny considering what just went down in the movie. Guess they were trying to lighten the mood.

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csrz says...

3 years ago

Have wanted to see this one for a long time and glad finally I did. A pretty well done psychological thriller with the horror that lies in the idea of a child being born evil. It's incredible to see a mid 50s film tackling nature/nurture debate. Very bold for its time making this film easily stacks up against its contemporaries. It plays out pretty much like a play, very performance-driven and dialogue-heavy. It can feel like homework to get through at times but the film offers a very intriguing narrative and unsettling subject matter. What makes it even more compelling for me is Nancy Kelly's gradual breakdown. Her performance is simply fantastic. Although it's too long, too talky, and too stagy, it kept me entirely interested and I was impressed by many aspects of this film.

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DuuItNow says...

6 years ago

Comment contains spoilers
Show?

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Featured User Reviews

Bronson87

5/10 8 months ago

I had wanted to see this for a long time, and I was definitely let down.
As far as I am aware, this is the grandaddy of killer-kid movies.
The movie makes no secret of Rhoda being a murderer; her mother, Christine, figures it out in the first act, like she's Batman! I really expected a slow build More

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John Chard

6 years ago

Sowing the seeds of evil.

The Bad Seed is directed by Mervyn LeRoy and adapted to screenplay by Maxwell Anderson from the novel of the same name written by William March. Anderson had also adapted for the stage play as well. It stars Nancy Kelly, William Hopper, Patty McCormack, Henry Jones, Eile More

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