The Bad Seed

1956  NR  DRAMA  2h 9min
CAST— Nancy Kelly, Patty McCormack, Henry Jones, Eileen Heckart, Evelyn Varden, William Hopper
MUSIC— Alex North  DIRECTOR— Mervyn LeRoy  BASED ON— The Bad Seed (novel), by William March

     Perhaps the best addition to the “killer kid on the loose” genre of films out there, The Bad Seed just gets better with each viewing. Who would ever believe that sweet and innocent Patty McCormack has the black heart of a killer? She envied a medal that a boy had been awarded; so she simply beat him to death and dumped his body in the bay. Various adults believe her to be less than innocent, but when her mother finds out the whole story she nearly has a nervous breakdown. But little McCormack takes it all with a basket of kisses and a basket of hugs. The production can’t entirely escape its origins, feeling a bit stagy; a bit talky, as well, but overall an entertaining suspense yarn with a wicked villain and a totally satisfying conclusion. A fun performance by Henry Jones may provide a few giggles; the real standout is Patty McCormack in an excellent, Oscar-nominated performance as the title bad seed.
OUR RATING— ***
REMADE AS— The Bad Seed (1985)