Lord knows "The Bad Seed" has been mentioned on here numerous times, but a rather recent viewing has caused me to take a closer look at Nancy Kelly in it.
Several years before Veronica Cartwright, in her 1961 performance as Rosalie Wells in "The Children's Hour," certified her position as Queen Of Hysterics for the next forty or more years, there was Nancy Kelly, on stage--1954--and screen--1956--as Christine Penmark in "The Bad Seed." She won a TONY Award for it onstage, and an Oscar nomination for the film verssion. But she never made a career of it, like Veronica. Maybe she didn't have to.
But, anyway, girls, she is SO much fun! And, darlings, she is SO Fifties. Even before things start, her dress and movements suggest such forthcoming Fifties anguish. My mother herself had blouses, sweaters, and sheets with initials sewn on them--I am telling you, this was SO Fifties!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
However, the fun really begins at Monica's (Evelyn Varden) Fabulous Fifties Luncheon, when the drowning of the boy is announced on the radio, and Nancy Kelly, on stage cue, drops the glass, and runs to Monica, calling her name out hysterically. This is just the first in a series of histrionics that defy credulity, for never, for a single scene, is Nancy Kelly relaxed in this movie.
How about when she pounds her uterus, as she referes to "that evil woman, my mother?" Or when she screams out to her father, of Rhoda's so-called perfection, "IS she, father, IS she?" And when she realizes she is a "Denker," and chokes on the word?
Nothing like this has ever been seen like this, stage or screen, before or since. No doubt, it never will again. And though her monlogue over Rhoda's supposedly dying body is tame, compared to the rest, it wreaks of anguish. Culminating in that resounding gun shot aficionados know is coming.
You have to hand it to Nancy Kelly. She and Patty dance a marvelous dramatic pas de deux throughout the entire film.
Oh, and don't forget drinking with the coffee pot, the stunning wardrobe, and that line they left out from the play, "I suppose I could go about the dreary business of trying to make my face presentable...it happens every morning!"
Don't I know it, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4 comments:
The fifties was a Mood, alright!
Victoria,
And some--but not all--of that
mood I do miss. I remember the
tail end!
I just remember thinking "hey Nancy you're not playing to to back row fer crissakes. Take it down a notch or 50"
Cllaudia,
Welcome to the blog. I love your post,
and you are right on target.
But that is aslo part of the fun. Mervyn
Le Roy was so impressed by the Brodway
company, that he bought most of them
to Hollywood, and just had them do
what they did on stage. It is the
closest thing there is to a filmed
stage performance, shown in the mainstream.
I LOVE it!
Thanks for sharing!
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