Rhoda Penmark seems like your average, sweet eight-year-old girl. After her rival at school dies in mysterious circumstances at the school picnic, her mother starts to suspect that Rhoda was... Read allRhoda Penmark seems like your average, sweet eight-year-old girl. After her rival at school dies in mysterious circumstances at the school picnic, her mother starts to suspect that Rhoda was responsible.Rhoda Penmark seems like your average, sweet eight-year-old girl. After her rival at school dies in mysterious circumstances at the school picnic, her mother starts to suspect that Rhoda was responsible.
- Nominated for 4 Oscars
- 1 win & 6 nominations total
Joan Croydon
- Miss Fern
- (as Joan Croyden)
Frances Bavier
- Woman in Dinner Party
- (uncredited)
Violet N. Cane
- Teacher
- (uncredited)
Vivian Clermont
- Mary Beth Musgrove
- (uncredited)
Shelley Fabares
- Margie
- (uncredited)
Kathy Garver
- Rhoda's Classmate
- (uncredited)
Don C. Harvey
- Guard in Hospital Corridor
- (uncredited)
Edna Holland
- Saleslady
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFinal film of Nancy Kelly. Despite earning an Oscar nomination for this film, she never made another theatrical movie, only focusing on TV projects.
- GoofsChristine plans dinner for Tasker. She gets word from Bravo that he is coming to town that same evening, maybe even in time for dinner. Christine sends Rhoda to Monica's because the adults expect to eat late, past Rhoda's dinner time. Tasker ends up leaving, after meeting with Christine. However, there is no mention of dinner or why he leaves before eating.
- Crazy creditsAfter the finale, a narrator tells the audience "One moment please. And now our wonderful cast." Then, the principal cast members are introduced one by one, like they would be at the end of a play. After that's done with, there's a brief scene in which Nancy Kelly spanks Patty McCormack.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Deadly Friend (1986)
- SoundtracksAu clair de la lune
(uncredited)
Attributed to Jean-Baptiste Lully
Played on the piano by Patty McCormack and whistled by Henry Jones
Played often in the score
Featured review
The devil wore dotted swiss.
Minor 1950's classic that holds up well fifty year later. The film does have its flaws. Occasionally it has the feel of a staged play--at times it seems Mrs. Penmark has to answer the door every five minutes so as to get the other major characters on screen. The Freudian psychobabble and the altered ending add an unnecessary half hour or so to the running time. And the acting can be very overwrought (although the scene in which Mrs. Penmark is screaming in the apartment as Leroy screams outside--both counterpointed by Rhoda's untalented but very loud rendition of "Au Clair de la Lune"--is a moment of high camp horror on par with anything in "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?") Still the movie works, largely because of Rhoda, the eerily self controlled little murderess who despite her sweet smiles always looks at though her hair is braided a bit too tight. It helps that an actress was cast who was cute enough, but not too pretty--Patty McCormack looks like a miniature gargoyle when she drops the sunny mask and starts roaring. Leroy, the leering simple minded caretaker is almost as unsettling--the scenes in which he sadistically taunts Rhoda almost amount to a very twisted flirtation, as he is clearly more delighted than appalled by her capacity for evil (at least until he learns just how far this capacity goes).
I haven't seen the 1980's remake, but I can't see how it could top the original, if only because evil little girls in jeans and T-shirts just aren't as scary as evil little girls with hair bows and starched frocks.
I haven't seen the 1980's remake, but I can't see how it could top the original, if only because evil little girls in jeans and T-shirts just aren't as scary as evil little girls with hair bows and starched frocks.
helpful•567
- pocca
- Apr 27, 2005
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Böse Saat
- Filming locations
- Midwest Street, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA(as Tidewater Arms Apartments exteriors)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $1,000,000 (estimated)
- Runtime2 hours 9 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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