Baby Doll (1956) Reviews

Baby Doll (1956)
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Tennessee Williams' 27 Wagons Full of Cotton was the basis for this steamy sex seriocomedy. Karl Malden stars as the doltish owner of a Southern cotton gin. He is married to luscious teenager Carroll Baker, who steadfastly refuses to sleep with her husband until she reaches the age of 20. Her nickname is "Baby Doll", a cognomen she does her best to live up to by lying in a crib-like bed and sucking her thumb. Enter crafty Sicilian Eli Wallach (who, like supporting actor Rip Torn, makes his film debut herein), who covets both Malden's wife and business. Malden's jealously sets fire to Wallach's business, compelling Wallach to try to claim Baby Doll as "compensation." Heavily admonished for its supposed filthiness in 1956 (it was condemned by the Legion of Decency, which did more harm to the Legion than to the film), Baby Doll seems a model of decorum today--so much so that it is regularly shown on the straight-laced American Movie Classics cable service. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
Karl Malden, Carroll Baker, (more)
Director(s):
Elia Kazan
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R
Format(s):
DVD
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Average Ratings

(7 member reviews)  

Member Reviews

Shannon K.

Solid dialogue and very racey for its time. It's not gratuitous, just palpable sexual tension. It's a nice little film about a fractured dysfunctional relationship and one man's ability to exploit that weakness for his own benefit.

Yes   |   No


Bill K.

I am a huge Williams fan. The movie was racey for 1956 and it is still pretty disturbing today. I loved it.

Yes   |   No


Megan E.

While the acting was admirable, the movie is based on a Tennessee Williams' play, and therefore, rather strange. Not worth watching unless you really like Tennessee Williams or are a film historian

Yes   |   No


Walter E.

Out of the sleepy, dormant 50's came a hot little film. The scenes with Carroll Baker and Eli Wallach are titillating and seductive. This comes as a surprise because there was so little that was interesting in the 50's. And yet here is this masterpiece of lustful subtlty that quietly cooks on the screen. The making-of featurette included on the disc is interesting because they explain the intense controversy that Baby Doll caused. Nothing like it had been made up to then. Most of the scenes of Karl Malden are tiresome today, but the Baker/Wallach scenes make up for the whining character played by Malden.

Yes   |   No


William S.

This was great to see 50 years after its creation. Great screenplay by one of out greatest playwrights, Tennessee Williams, in a familiar setting to him. Karl Malden never looked better, and, although I wasn't a big fan, Eli Wallach made me one seeing him in this. Carol Baker's transformation is fascinating. There is subtle sensuality which is rare in a Fifties' film. One can almost understand how the censors in that uptight era got in a lather over it. The location, the Black retainers, "certain people of Benoit" were touches of genuis. The special feature of interviews with the actors should not be missed. As they said, "it was meant to be funny" , and funny it is.

Yes   |   No


Peter W.

Steamy sex? Are you serious? Well, maybe for the times it was. Carroll Baker noticeably BREATHES heavier and heavier while Eli Wallach is teasingly stroking her face on a porch swing. Whew! Too intense for younger viewers! Other than that, the story is really, really slow. And the ending is disappointing, with nothing really changing. The bonus feature about the film's notoriety is worth watching (and more interesting than the actual film).

Yes   |   No


Joey W.

says release date was 5-2-06, but here it is 5-7-06 and all it says is "coming soon"...what gives?

Yes   |   No


 
 
 

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    Member Reviews
    Read all (7)
     
    Shannon K.

    Solid dialogue and very racey for its time. It's not gratuitous, just palpable sexual tension. It's a nice little film about a fractured dysfunctional relationship and one man's ability to exploit that weakness for his own benefit.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Bill K.

    I am a huge Williams fan. The movie was racey for 1956 and it is still pretty disturbing today. I loved it.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Megan E.

    While the acting was admirable, the movie is based on a Tennessee Williams' play, and therefore, rather strange. Not worth watching unless you really like Tennessee Williams or are a film historian

    Yes   |   No

     
    Read All 7 Reviews
       

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