Baby Doll Movie Review

Cast & Crew

Director : Elia Kazan

Producer : Elia Kazan, Tennessee Williams,

Screenwriter : Tennessee Williams

Starring : Karl Malden, Carroll Baker, Eli Wallach, Mildred Dunnock,

The first shot of Baby Doll slaps you in the face with the promise of something unique and the assurance that you're about to watch a real Tennessee Williams production. That shot is of Carroll Baker, lolling on a child's bed with her thumb in her mouth. When we see Karl Malden leering at her through a peephole, we assume he's the local pervert. He turns out to be her husband. And that's the source of all the film's sexual tension.

Baby Doll (as she's known) turns out to be a virgin, and Malden's Archie is due to change that on her 20th birthday, which is set to occur in two days. But things take a strange turn when one of Archie's competitors, Silva (Eli Wallach) -- both men are cotton gin owner/operators -- accuses Archie of burning down his gin. As payback, Silva figures he'll take the only thing of value that Archie has: His wife... if you could call her that.

Strangely, the bulk of the film concerns Silva and Baby Doll. She doesn't want his advances, though she teases him just enough to convince him otherwise, and Archie is absent for large stretches of the film. What follows is mostly cat and mouse as Silva woos Baby Doll with parlor tricks and Baby Doll alternately swoons and tries to escape. Who'll win this little tete a tete? If you've seen any of Williams' other film adaptations (this one is loosely based on two of his plays), you'll probably figure that no one will end up very much ahead.

The film isn't without its weaknesses. Malden, always an impressive performer, seems tragically underused after his fiery opening scenes. Wallach's Silva is played as a one-note lech, and Baby Doll's histrionics ultimately come off as forced. The battle between Silva and Archie is equally contrived, and it seems like with half an hour of thought, Williams could have come up with a more believable way to get Silva and Baby Doll in the same room together, alone.

Still, an impressively steamy story for its day and some moments of true greatness make Baby Doll a film worth seeking out. And strangely it's Malden who makes it more worthwhile than anyone. It's finally on DVD, and part of the new Tennessee Williams box set.

The DVD also features a restrospective featurette.

More From Contactmusic.com

More From The Web

Write for us

Comments

Baby Doll Rating

" Good "

Rating: NR, 1956

Editors Recommendations

The Great Gatsby Movie Review

Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge) is the perfect director to take on F. Scott Fitzgerald's iconic novel...

The Great Gatsby Movie Review

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories Album Review

As well as 'Get Lucky,' 'Lose Yourself To Dance' is another of the album's bonafied disco floor-fillers, again enlisting the help of Pharrell and Nile.

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories Album Review

Kanye West Teases New Material From Inside A Pyramid At Surprise NYC Show [Video]

Earlier this week (May 15), Kanye West shocked and awed audiences at the Adult Swim's Upfront...

Kanye West Teases New Material From Inside A Pyramid At Surprise NYC Show [Video]

Last Vegas - Trailer

When 60-something-year-old Billy finally announces to his best friends Paddy, Archie and Sam...

Last Vegas Trailer

The Bling Ring Hits Cannes, Critics Are Divided

Finally, after weeks and weeks of anticipation, Cannes kicked off yesterday and European audiences...

Sofia Coppola - The Bling Ring Hits Cannes, Critics Are Divided

Who Knew Rita Ora Was Dating DJ Calvin Harris? [Pictures]

Ok, so there were rumours that Rita Ora was dating Scottish DJ Calvin Harris, and the pair were...

Rita Ora - Who Knew Rita Ora Was Dating DJ Calvin Harris? [Pictures]

Pregnant Kim Kardashian Still Strutting Around In Heels [Pictures]

Kim Kardashian is certainly coming to the end of the pregnancy and looks fit to burst in...

Pregnant Kim Kardashian Still Strutting Around In Heels [Pictures]

Rio 2 - Teaser Trailer

Blu and Jewel live as an idyllic life as any blue macaw could wish for, raising their babies...

Rio 2 Trailer


More recommendations

Karl Malden Newsletter

Subscribe to this news alert service to receive news and reviews on Karl Malden

Unsubscribe | Unsubscribe All

Films by Artist: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ