Christina Reviews *The Bad Seed*

         “I like apricot juice.  It doesn’t even need ice.” -  Rhoda Penmark

          Rhoda Penmark is a precocious little girl who knows how to charm the hearts of many.  The only problem is that she has no heart of her own. 

          When her mother, Christine, starts to suspect that her eight year old daughter may be responsible for the death of a classmate, her whole world is thrown into turmoil.  What do you do when you know that your beloved child is a dangerous sociopath?  A true dilemma indeed.

         What is it about evil children?  Countless movies and books have been written about them.  The Omen.  The Good Son.  Joshua.  Orphan.  And I’m sure the list goes on and on.  Children are supposed to be innocent, so for a child to be evil goes against nature.  Or does it?  In the case of The Bad Seed, the roots of Rhoda’s evil can be traced back to a family secret that Christine must uncover before she can fully understand what is going on in her own home.  Maybe Christine has passed on the evil gene to her own offspring. 

          The movie is genuinely creepy, and Patty McCormack is brilliant as Rhoda.  The only flaw within this movie is the curtain call at the end where the actors step forward and take a bow.  And then the actress who plays the mother takes Patty McCormack over her knee and spanks her.  Way to kill the mood!  My belief was suspended up until then.  Oh yeah, and then there was the deus ex machina move in the final scene.  That was totally uncalled for!


4 out of 5 stars