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The Bad Seed

Play trailer Poster for The Bad Seed Released Sep 12, 1956 2h 9m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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63% Tomatometer 27 Reviews 82% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Air Force Colonel Kenneth Penmark (William Hopper) and his wife, Christine (Nancy Kelly), dote on their pig-tailed daughter, Rhoda (Patty McCormack) -- as does their lonely landlady, Monica Breedlove (Evelyn Varden). But self-centered Rhoda has a secret tendency for selfishness and loves to accumulate gifts, whether given or stolen, in her room. Christine keeps her knowledge of her daughter's darker side to herself, but when a schoolmate of Rhoda's dies mysteriously, her self-deception unravels.
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The Bad Seed

Critics Reviews

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Richard L. Coe Washington Post [The Bad Seed] is a double-decked rouser -- a sock melodrama and an absorbing study in crime. Jul 25, 2022 Full Review TIME Magazine Director LeRoy has been overly faithful to the play script. Jul 18, 2011 Full Review Variety Staff Variety This melodrama about a child with an inbred talent for homicide is pretty unpleasant stuff on its own. Oct 23, 2008 Full Review Christopher James AwardsCircuit.com While revolutionary at the time, the dramatics in the movie miss their mark by today standards. Rated: 2/4 Apr 15, 2019 Full Review Barbara Shulgasser Common Sense Media Evil little girl hides her murderous ways in dated classic. Rated: 2/5 Nov 14, 2017 Full Review Felix Vasquez Jr. Cinema Crazed A near perfect thriller... Jul 12, 2012 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Tim M Though certainly shocking for its time, The Bad Seed's histrionics and hammy execution often nullify its dark themes. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 08/16/25 Full Review Michael B A Real Masterpace Of Human Drama.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/27/25 Full Review Deke P 1956! CLASSIC! Award winning movie based on Award Winning play. Little girl is the 'Bad Seed'. I dimly remember seeing parts, if not all of it, at times before. One odd thing I wish all movies would do, but rarely if ever do, is at the end don't just show the characters names, but also their picture so we can remember & have no doubt, and in this case they showed them taking a bow & saying a few words. Saw it again, 8/16/24. On The Movie Channel 13.3 'Friday Night Frights'. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/17/24 Full Review Chloe H The cast is obviously made up of stage actors. The female lead, Rhoda’s mother, overacts to the point of being embarrassing. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 08/06/24 Full Review Ted B 3.5 stars; The "Bad Seed" was an award-winning stageplay that was reproduced for the big screen. Because most of the stage cast was brought over to the screen production, the acting was excellent, and performances received numerous Academy Award nominations. This 1956 film was considered a shocker upon its release because of its subject matter. It basically deals with the question of whether evil is inherited or created by one's environment. The evil (murders) committed by ten-year-old (at the time) Patty McCormack were considered so horrible that they were only referred to on screen and never actually shown, as in the play. Of course, later versions of the movie show the actual murders. I think I appreciate the scene created in my imagination more than those created on the screen. If you enjoy attending stage plays, this movie is excellent. As a heads up, the film length is longer than two hours. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/03/24 Full Review Melissa L Greatly acted movie with an excellent cast. Great ending, too. I recommend seeing it! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 04/19/24 Full Review Read all reviews
The Bad Seed

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Cast & Crew

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Mervyn LeRoy

Director

Nancy Kelly

Christine Penmark

Patty McCormack

Rhoda Penmark

Henry Jones

LeRoy

Eileen Heckart

Hortense Daigle

Evelyn Varden

Monica Breedlove

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The Bad Seed

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Movie Info

Synopsis Air Force Colonel Kenneth Penmark (William Hopper) and his wife, Christine (Nancy Kelly), dote on their pig-tailed daughter, Rhoda (Patty McCormack) -- as does their lonely landlady, Monica Breedlove (Evelyn Varden). But self-centered Rhoda has a secret tendency for selfishness and loves to accumulate gifts, whether given or stolen, in her room. Christine keeps her knowledge of her daughter's darker side to herself, but when a schoolmate of Rhoda's dies mysteriously, her self-deception unravels.
Director
Mervyn LeRoy
Producer
Mervyn LeRoy
Screenwriter
Maxwell Anderson, John Lee Mahin
Distributor
Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros.
Production Co
Warner Brothers
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 12, 1956, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 18, 2010
Runtime
2h 9m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
35mm
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