The Bad Seed Movie Review

Posted October 2, 2010 by Whitney in movie review / 8 Comments

I will never look at little girls with pigtails the same way again.  

Rhoda Penmark is an eight year old who if doesn’t get her way goes far beyond a childhood tantrum but resorts to cold-blooded murder, in this case, to obtain a penmenship medal she feels was wrongly awarded to another classmate.

Patty McCormack is chilling as the eight year old murderess leaving me with goosebumps across my skin.  Her facial expressions posed behind her mother’s back are grotesque, raising eyebrows at Rhoda’s determination and smarmy demeanor.  She claims she has the sweetest mother and offering a basket of hugs for a basket of kisses in return.  

Nancy Kelly plays the part of a worried mother very well and expertly passes the different stages of feeling to suspicion to derangement, in the end acting on what she feels is best for herself and child.

As much as I enjoyed this movie, The Bad Seed is extremely campy.  Even though the acting was good it is very dramatic and over the top which I think is part of the reason I enjoyed it.  My only complaint is that they changed the ending to make it “happier” and serve just desserts but just came across as rather corny.  Although over all, The Bad Seed was ultra creepy and had me riveted.    

8 responses to “The Bad Seed Movie Review

  1. I really enjoyed this movie – the little girl who played the role is *creepy* (send in a sing-songy voice)…! Did you know that the actors who played the mother and daughter actually reprised their roles from a Broadway play? When I got this movie from Netflix to see it again recently, the background detail was included in one of their "Behind the Scenes" on it!

  2. Rhoda is just the creepiest!

    I did know about the role reprising, the persons who played Monica and Leroy were also from the Broadway performance.

  3. The only thing I didn't like about this film was that the ending wasn't originally in the play. Because of morality laws, it was mandated that she had to be punished in the end. 🙁 Otherwise, a good campy movie.

  4. Tammy– I hope you like it. The Bad Seed is creepily campy.

    titania–It's always bummed me out that they change the ending, the novel's conclusion seemed so fitting. Although, I get the morality issue. There's also a disclaimer at the end as well.

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