''The Baby Maker'' is a 1970 American

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

that was directed and co-written by

James Bridges James Bridges (February 3, 1936June 6, 1993) was an American screenwriter, film director, producer, and actor. He is a two-time Oscar nominee: once for Best Original Screenplay for ''The China Syndrome'' and once for Best Adapted Screenplay for ...

and released by National General Pictures.

Plot

Tish Gray is a

flower child Flower child originated as a synonym for hippie, especially among the idealistic young people who gathered in San Francisco and the surrounding area during the Summer of Love in 1967. It was the custom of "flower children" to wear and distribute ...

who is hired to have the baby of a middle-class couple, Suzanne and Jay Wilcox. The film exposes the clash of values between Tish, her boyfriend Tad Jacks, and the couple. It also deals with the emotional turmoil all four characters go through.

Cast

Barbara Hershey Barbara Lynn Herzstein, better known as Barbara Hershey (born February 5, 1948), is an American actress. In a career spanning more than 50 years, she has played a variety of roles on television and in cinema in several genres, including weste ...

as Tish Gray * Collin Wilcox Paxton as Suzanne Wilcox (as Collin Wilcox-Horne) * Sam Groom as Jay Wilcox *

Scott Glenn Theodore Scott Glenn (born January 26) is an American actor. His roles have included Pfc Glenn Kelly in ''Nashville'' (1975), Wes Hightower in '' Urban Cowboy'' (1980), astronaut Alan Shepard in '' The Right Stuff'' (1983), Emmett in ''Silverado'' ...

as Tad Jacks *

Jeannie Berlin Jeannie Berlin (born Jeannie Brette May; November 1, 1949) is an American film, television and stage actress and screenwriter, the daughter of Elaine May. She is best-known for her role in the 1972 comedy film '' The Heartbreak Kid'', for which sh ...

as Charlotte * Lili Valenty as Mrs. Culnick *

Helena Kallianiotes Helena Kallianiotes (born March 24, 1938) is a Greek-American film actress. In 1973, she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for her role as Jackie Burdette in '' Kansas City Bomber''. Career o ...

as Wanda * Jeff Siggins as Dexter *

Phyllis Coates Phyllis Coates (born Gypsie Ann Evarts Stell; January 15, 1927) is an American former actress, with a career spanning over fifty years. She is best known for her portrayal of reporter Lois Lane in the 1951 film '' Superman and the Mole Men'' an ...

as Tish's Mother * Madge Kennedy as Tish's Grandmother * Ray Hemphill as the Toy Store 'Killer' *

Paul Linke Paul Linke (born May 6, 1948) is an American actor, known for his role as Officer Arthur "Artie" Grossman in the television series '' CHiPs''. Linke has worked in film and extensively in television, mostly portraying mild-mannered everyman rol ...

as Sam * Bobby Pickett as Dr. Sims * Samuel Francis as The Single Wing Turquoise Bird * Alan Keesling as The Single Wing Turquoise Bird (2)

Release

The film had its premiere on October 1, 1970 at the Plaza and New Embassy Theatres in New York.

Reception

Criticizing the directing and writing of

, critic Shirley Rigby said of the "bizarre" film, "Only the performances in the film save it from being a total travesty." Rigby went on to say, "Barbara Hershey is a great little actress, much, much more than just another pretty face."
John Simon (critic), John Simon called ''The Baby Maker'' "insufferable".

DVD

''The Baby Maker'' was released to DVD by Warner Home Video on March 23, 2009, via the Warner Archives DVD-on-demand service as a Region 1 DVD.

References

External links

* * * 1970 films 1970 drama films American drama films 1970s English-language films Films directed by James Bridges Films scored by Fred Karlin Films set in Los Angeles Films about surrogacy National General Pictures films Films about adoption American pregnancy films 1970 directorial debut films 1970s pregnancy films 1970s American films Films produced by Robert Wise {{1970s-drama-film-stub