The Bad Seed play

[Deena Jones2]

Posted: 2/29/04 at 10:14am

I just watched the Bad Seed movie- great campy fun! I understand the ending of the play was different than the movie. Does anyone know how the play ends?

[magruder]

Posted: 2/29/04 at 10:28am

The difference is that Rhoda lives in the play. Hollywood decided that Rhoda had to be punished for her crimes. The end result is that movie's ending is a camp riot.

[Deena Jones2]

Posted: 2/29/04 at 3:53pm

Thanks so much. But how does it really end? Is the mother still in the hospital and does she die? tell me more...

[JoizeyActor]

Posted: 2/29/04 at 4:05pm

We just did this show at my school in the fall, so I'll be more than happy to share.

The end has Christine, the mother, coming to the realization that Rhoda is the bad seed, and that she (christine) is the person who passed that genetic flaw.

So in the end, Christine gives Rhoda an overdose of pills to kill her, and puts her to bed, then she takes a gun out and takes her own life.

However, in the final scene, after the rest of the cast is grieving, and the audience thinks both are dead, we find out that "...Rhoda would have died too..." But she did in fact survive. And the door opens up and Rhoda runs in and hugs her father with a big grin. Quite sinister.

[Deena Jones2]

Posted: 2/29/04 at 5:00pm

Wow thanks! So Christine dies? So sad...

In the movie, Christine doesn't die after the shooting but Rhoda does while trying to retrieve the award necklace.

Why the change for the movie???

[Elphie]

Posted: 2/29/04 at 5:19pm

I was in Bad Seed with Joizey- Great show and probably the most challenging/demanding/eerie show I've ever been in. It was very creepy especially a lot of the lines.
The ending I believe was changed for Hollywood just because BAD SEED was one of the very fist horror movies of its time that was more realistic than the others released on the big screen. At the end of the movie, they even give audiences a special message to remember this is a work of fiction. That is also why I think they do the cast bows at the end of the movie with actress Patty McCormack and Nancy Kelly, who played Rhoda and Christine, kidding around with each other to show that there is no hard feelings between them in real life. It was a movie with a child killer- I mean that was freaking lots of people out in the 50's. It wasnt anything like Leave it to Beaver. They thought if they used the play ending it would really terrify a lot of people so they decided to by some miracle let Christine survive a gun shot to the head and kill Rhoda by lightning. The movie follows the play up until the hospital scene. I enjoyed the movie very much up until that point. The play ending is def. ten times creepier because all the people who suspected Rhoda of being a murderer are dead and she is left alive being thought of as a precious angel. Rhoda doesnt even seem to mind that her mother is dead. I do love though in the movie's end how Rhoda discusses with her father about a piece of jewelry or something Rhoda wanted from Monica the landlady. Rhoda tells her father that Monica promised to leave her the "treasure" after she is dead. Then Rhoda goes on to say how she will be on the roof with Monica all alone the next day- hinting that she will become the little ice princess's next victim. Chills!

Updated On: 2/29/04 at 05:19 PM

[Deena Jones2]

Posted: 2/29/04 at 5:37pm

thank you both so much- that clears up alot. I wish i could have seen you both do it. Who did you both play?

[JoizeyActor]

Posted: 2/29/04 at 6:14pm

Elphie was Christine and I was Reginald Tasker.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 3/1/04 at 9:33am

Up until the mid-60s there was something called "The Code" in place for all US major studio films. Among many other restrictions, murderers could not get away with their crimes. In the film version of The Bad Seed, if you notice, none other than God was called upon to do away with that little moppet with a lightning bolt since Mommy couldn't do it and get away with it. You couldn't commit suicide either hence Christine lives.

The Code is is why you never see two people in same bed together without one of them with their feet on the floor including married couples, you never see the inside of a woman's thigh, nor narcotics. The Man With The Golden Arm was an outrage.

The film of the innocuous sex comedy The Moon is Blue was denied a seal of approval and was condemned by the Catholic Legion of Decency for bandying about the word "virgin".

Code stories are numerous.

Updated On: 3/1/04 at 09:33 AM

[magruder]

Posted: 3/1/04 at 9:48am

Exactly. Look at Seven Year Itch! A film about adultery, without the adultery.

[AugustBurns2]

Posted: 3/1/04 at 1:33pm

I saw a production of The Bad Seed in Dallas about 8 or 9 years ago with a 6 foot 2 man playing the part of Rhoda (complete with dress and a wig that looked like doll hair-blond with pig tails). They performed the play word for word, but turned the play on its ear (obviously). During the card-playing scene with the neighbors, one of the men was wearing fish net stockings. It was pretty funny, but the show went on and on when the novelty wore thin.

Can you imagine the actor playing Rhoda asking her father what he would give for a basket full of kisses (in a sweet, innocent voice)? Then, in a deep voice, "Well, what would you...?" So funny!

When I saw this show, it was the second of a double feature (live theater!). I saw a production of Zombie Prom first, and then they changed scenery while we waited in the lobby. I didn’t leave the theater until about 12:30 am. Some the actors were cast in both shows too!

[Elphie]

Posted: 3/1/04 at 7:28pm

Thats so weird- They made a comedy out of Bad Seed?

[AugustBurns2]

Posted: 3/2/04 at 1:22pm

It was funny!

[WOSQ]

Posted: 3/2/04 at 3:35pm

I did a reading about 5 years ago. I played the exposition- explaining neighbor, what's-her-name. While I am in the ballpark age-wise, I am not the same gender as the character, at least as written then. I got some solid laughs. However and I stress this, we played it as straight (well, you know) as possible.

Times change and melodramas like this don't age especially well.

[robbiej]

Posted: 3/2/04 at 3:51pm

Do you know the first few times I saw the movie, I kept thinking that the name of the boy she killed for the penmanship award was 'Claude Dago'.

I left every time someone said 'that poor little Dago boy!'

It was years before I discovered it was 'Dagel'.

Imagine my surprise.