''The Baby'' is a 1973 American

psychological thriller Psychological thriller is a genre combining the thriller and psychological fiction genres. It is commonly used to describe literature or films that deal with psychological narratives in a thriller or thrilling setting. In terms of context and co ...

film directed by

Ted Post Theodore I. Post (March 31, 1918 – August 20, 2013) was an American director of film and television. Highly prolific, Post directed numerous episodes of well-known television series including '' Rawhide'', ''Gunsmoke'', and ''The Twilight Zone'' ...

and written by Abe Polsky. The film stars

Anjanette Comer Anjanette Comer (born August 7, 1939) is an American actress. Early years Born in Dawson, Texas to Rufus Franklin Comer, Jr., and Nola Dell “Sue” (Perkins) Comer, she attended Dawson High School. She gained acting experience at the Pasadena ...

Ruth Roman Ruth Roman (born Norma Roman; December 22, 1922 – September 9, 1999) was an American actress of film, stage, and television. After playing stage roles on the east coast, Roman relocated to Hollywood to pursue a career in films. She appeare ...

Marianna Hill Marianna Hill ( Schwarzkopf, February 9, 1942) is an American actress. She predominantly worked in American television and is known for her starring roles in the Western films '' El Condor'' and '' High Plains Drifter'' and the cult horror film ' ...

, Suzanne Zenor, and David Manzy. It tells the story of a

social worker Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...

who investigates an eccentric family which includes "Baby", a 21-year-old man who acts like an infant. The film is considered a

cult classic A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. ...

Plot

Ann Gentry is a social worker wracked with guilt about a severe car accident with serious repercussions for her husband. She is assigned to a new case: the eccentric and mysterious Wadsworth family. She quickly reveals that she has a special interest in the family's youngest member, a seemingly mentally impaired adult man in his 20s who does not have a name and is called only "Baby." Mrs. Wadsworth has been extremely overprotective of him ever since his father left, shortly after his birth; she will not let another caregiver interfere. The family's life revolves around Baby's care and they are dependent upon Baby's disability payments as their main source of income. Ann wants to work with Baby, who still acts and is treated like an infant by his mother and two sisters, thinking that with the proper treatment he might begin to behave more appropriately for his age group. She soon discovers that Baby's infant-like state is not caused by any physical or mental conditions but because of the Wadsworth clan's profound neglect and abuse. Baby is never permitted to speak, walk or do things for himself and is forced to both wear and use diapers. He is punished by being beaten or restrained, and is even shocked with an

electric cattle prod Electricity is the set of physical Physical may refer to: *Physical examination In a physical examination, medical examination, or clinical examination, a medical practitioner examines a patient for any possible medical signs or symptom ...

whenever he attempts to try to break out of the baby role. Baby has been forced to remain in his state of perpetual dependency and infantilism since his actual infancy. The Wadsworths finally grow tired of Ann's meddling and try to dispose of her during a party, but Ann manages to escape, stealing Baby. Ann keeps Baby in her care at her house rather than turning him over to a professional facility. Eventually, goaded by pictures that Ann sent of Baby doing "adult" things such as standing, the Wadsworths break in to Ann's home with murderous intent. They fail to steal Baby back, however, as Ann—with the help of her mother-in-law—kills them all. She stabs Baby's two sisters, then buries Mrs. Wadsworth alive (alongside the corpses of her daughters) beneath the floor of a swimming pool that Ann had been building in her yard. In the end, Ann's interests in obtaining Baby are revealed to have not been as pure-hearted as they seemed. Now that she has him, she no longer wants to rescue or rehabilitate him; she sought him only so he could be a playmate for her husband, who was left with the mental capacity of an infant after his accident. Thus, under Ann's care, Baby will remain trapped in his state of dependency and infancy, but under the kinder care of Ann and her mother-in-law, with Ann's husband as his "brother."

Cast

as Ann Gentry *

as Mrs. Wadsworth *

as Germaine Wadsworth * Suzanne Zenor as Alba Wadsworth *

Tod Andrews Tod Andrews (born Theodore Edwin Anderson; November 9, 1914 – November 7, 1972) was an American stage, screen, and television actor. Early years Tod Andrews was born as Theodore Edwin Anderson in El Paso, Texas, to Henry Anderson and Lydia ...

as Doctor *

Michael Pataki Michael Pataki (January 16, 1938 – April 15, 2010) was an American actor. Early life Pataki was born in Youngstown, Ohio. His parents were Hungarians. He was the youngest of three children - one older brother and one older sister. He atten ...

as Dennis * Beatrice Manley Blau as Judith * Erin O'Reilly as Babysitter * Don Mallon as Roger * Joseph Bernard *

Virginia Vincent Virginia Vincent (May 3, 1918 – October 3, 2013) was an American film, television and theatre actress. She was known for playing the role of "Jennie Blake" in the 1958 film ''The Return of Dracula''. Vincent died in October 2013, at the ...

* David Mooney (credited as David Manzy) as Baby

Release

Scotia International released the film in March 1973 in a limited theatrical release.

Image Entertainment RLJ Entertainment (formerly Image Entertainment) is an American film production company and home video distributor, distributing film and television productions in North America, with approximately 3,200 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 340 ...

released the film in 2000 on VHS and

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...

. ''The Baby'' was released on Blu-ray and DVD with a transfer from the original negative by

Severin Films Severin Films is an American film production and distribution company known for restoring and releasing cult films on DVD and Blu-ray. History The label was created in 2006 in Los Angeles, and other offices were founded in New York City and Londo ...

in 2011.http://www.severin-films.com/2011/01/04/two-classic-slashers-one-of-the-most-depraved-films-of-the-70/ It was then released again by

Arrow Films Arrow Films is a British independent film distributor and restorer specialising in world cinema, arthouse, horror and classic films. It sells Ultra HD Blu-rays, Blu-rays and DVDs online, and also operates its own subscription video on-dema ...

in 2018.

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 93%, based on 15 reviews, with a weighted average rating of 7.26/10. ''TV Guide'' awarded the film three out of five stars, calling it "Competently directed", and stated "despite its occasional lapses into genuine bad taste is fairly effective and contains a truly surprising twist ending." Dennis Schwartz from ''Ozus' World Movie Reviews'' rated the film a grade B, stating that the film managed to hold attention throughout its duration, and contained a genuinely surprising twist ending, but criticized the film's performances as being "over-the-top", as well as its use of footage of mentally disabled children for exploitation. Brett Gallman from ''Oh the Horror'' commended the film's strong performances, twist ending, and genuinely disturbing scenes; while criticizing the film for being "plodding and listless".

References

External links