Just finished watching the Bad Seed on Netflix streaming and was really enjoying it. You could definitely tell it was a stage play first. Unfortunately it had one of the absolute worst cop out endings I have seen. I realize that it was made during the dreadful Hays Code when the “bad guy” couldn’t “win”, but just about anything would have been better than the ending that was tagged on.
I wouldn’t mind seeing a new version of this movie, unfortunately, according to Wikipedia, Eli Roth at one point was planning to do a remake. Reading the brief mention, it sounds like it would be dreadful, so maybe it’s best they don’t try it.
I am interested in seeing the TV movie from 1985, but so far haven’t been able to track down a copy.
I can’t remember if I liked the ending or not…too long ago since I first saw it…now, I think it was an alright ending…arguments either way…
I really, really, loved the acting…to me, it seemed very genuine, but, too many people called it overacting, and melodramatic, etc…
IIRC, the TV version was fairly good…David Carradine was the handyman…I thought it would stink, but, it wasn’t bad.
I enjoyed the ending because I’ve never seen such a blatant, earnest deus ex machina in entertainment meant for adults. I can’t think of a movie that comes close. The friend I watched it with burst out laughing. It was like something out of an old horror comic, like the vampire who picks up a hitch-hiker crashing the car and getting impaled on a “don’t drink and drive” sign.
And then in the credits there was a little bonus: The actress who plays the mom gives the murderous child a spanking.
It surprises me how well I remember that movie; I’ve only seen it once and it must’ve been 20 years ago. I still find it amusing to remember the end and my friend’s reaction.
I *love *that movie, and yes, they tacked on a horrible ending to please the censors. I always–always–get sucked into watching it again when it’s on. And I always turn the set off right after the gunshot, where it *should *end.
Remember, this was the original Broadway cast, so they are all giving Broadway Performances, playing to the balcony. It’s not Bad Acting, it’s Big Acting. And damn good Big Acting: “They gotta li’l pink electric chair fo’ girls, and a li’l blue electric chair fo’ boys . . .” “You lie all the time, all the time!”
The final scene of the play is the child and her grandfather hugging and the child telling him how wonderful he is. The scene before that has the mother telling the daughter how terrible it was that she (the mother) had produced “the bad seed” and it was her responsibility to get rid of it (the daughter) and herself.
At least that’s how I remember it. It’s been a couple of decades since I directed it.
Someone already mentioned the 1985 version. Although it was a TV movie it was overall very good. It starred Blair Brown who is an A-list (mostly stage) actress. A more ‘modern’ take than the older film. If you were a fan of Brown (as I am) she did a really really funny send-up of her appearance in this in a later episode of Molly Dodd. In particular I remember them making fun of the cornball line, “…a basket of kisses”!
wasn’t that the movie that followed the Chargers Broncos game where the Chargers had a kick blocked but a timeout was called then on the second attempt it was returned for a touchdown?