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Karl Malden, Carroll Baker, Eli Wallach, Mildred Dunnock, Lonny Chapman ... see more see more... , Eades Hogue , Noah Williamson , John Stuart Dudley , Will Lester , Madeleine Sherwood , Rip Torn , James Williams

Tennessee Williams' 27 Wagons Full of Cotton was the basis for this steamy sex seriocomedy. Karl Malden stars as the doltish owner of a Southern cotton gin. He is married to luscious teenager Carroll ... read more read more...Baker, who steadfastly refuses to sleep with her husband until she reaches the age of 20. Her nickname is "Baby Doll", a cognomen she does her best to live up to by lying in a crib-like bed and sucking her thumb. Enter crafty Sicilian Eli Wallach (who, like supporting actor Rip Torn, makes his film debut herein), who covets both Malden's wife and business. Malden's jealously sets fire to Wallach's business, compelling Wallach to try to claim Baby Doll as "compensation." Heavily admonished for its supposed filthiness in 1956 (it was condemned by the Legion of Decency, which did more harm to the Legion than to the film), Baby Doll seems a model of decorum today--so much so that it is regularly shown on the straight-laced American Movie Classics cable service. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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81% liked it

2,245 ratings

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100% liked it

14 critics

R, 1 hr. 54 min.

Directed by: Elia Kazan

Release Date: December 18, 1956

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DVD Release Date: July 9, 2003

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Stats: 172 reviews

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Carroll Baker & Karl Malden in Baby Doll Baby Doll (1956) Baby Doll Mildred Dunnock in Baby Doll Mildred Dunnock in Baby Doll Mildred Dunnock in Baby Doll Mildred Dunnock in Baby Doll Caroll Baker in Baby Doll Baby Doll Baby Doll Carroll Baker in Baby Doll Baby Doll
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Flixster Reviews (172)

  • ajv2688
    November 11, 2010
    ajv2688
    Another great Tennessee Williams play directed by Kazan, and starring three great actors. I loved this movie it has everything, drama, romance, comedy, and excitement.
  • bottcorecords1
    August 11, 2010
    bottcorecords1
    Archie Lee (Karl Malden) is kind of a pathetic figure. He's a loser in life, his business, a cotton gin, is a failure, and his house is a broken down old mansion. The only thing he values is his wife, Baby Doll. He lured her away from her father (while he was on his deathbed) ... read moreunder false promises that he has yet to live up to. Meanwhile Baby Doll can't stand her husband. He's a good deal older than her, and constantly leers and paws at her. Despite her revulsion, on her 20th birthday she's agreed to fulfill her marriage contract and sleep with him. On the eve of her 20th birthday, their furniture gets re-possessed, and Baby Doll threatens to withhold sex from him yet again, or worse, she will move into a hotel. "There's no torture on earth to equal the torture a cold woman inflicts on a man", laments Archie Lee. "What you done is bit off more than you can chew", comes Baby Doll's somewhat prophetic reply. Archie Lee is so frantic and pent-up in his sexual frustration (he peeps through a hole in the wall at her sleeping- and she sleeps in a baby crib no less), he burns down his [competetor's] cotton gin. Up til now, we're led to believe Archie Lee is the hero of the story, and we try to find a means of sympathizing with him and his problems. But then, after the fire, we're introduced to Silva Vacarro, a cicilian plantation owner who built his own gin rather than deal with the shoddy equipment of Archie Lee. When Silva sees the racist, old establishment sheriff's department won't do anything about his burned down cotton gin, his eyes tear up with rage as he swears he belongs to an ancient race of proud people who, when corruption stands in the way of justice, they go out and get their own. Eli Wallach delivers a standout performance as Silva, he plays his part with the intensity of a young Robert DeNiro, and he also reminds one of a young Harvey Keitel. The Silva character, oddly enough, is quite similar to that of Daniel Plainview from "There Will Be Blood": he's a very intense business man with an intense sense of justice. He comes not for Archie Lee's business, but for his heart. It's an absolutely ruthless sense of justice he pursues. But Archie Lee has the good old boy network on his side, and it's a battle of wills to see who will win. It's strange that near the end, when all the cards have been cast, and just when you think Silva should be at his most triumphant, he seems sympathetic to old Archie Lee. There's a moment of ackward mutual sadness between the characters while sitting on the staircase in that old broken down old home that manages to be quite touching. Still, Silva's contempt for Archie Lee and his broken down life isn't masked in the least bit. In fact, it's all he can do to keep from spitting in the man's face. With all it's references to the deep south, (the locals have colorful names like "Bo Weevil" and "Uncle Cousin") both in the screenplay by Tennessee Williams and in the actual production itself (the opening credits list the stars of the movie as Karl Malden, Carroll Baker, Eli Wallach, "and some of the people of Benoit, Mississippi"), Baby Doll gives us a glimpse into a world that may not exist anymore, and much like the aforementioned "There Will Be Blood", plays with our notions of good and bad guys.
  • ythelastman89
    July 13, 2010
    ythelastman89
    I wouldn't exactly call it a masterpiece, especially considering it was written by Tennessee Williams and directed by Elia Kazan. It's got good performances, but Carroll Baker is really the only one that stands out as great. I think certain elements of the story are repetitive, a... read morelmost unusual for Williams. It's as good as it can be, it's just not something you can fall in love with like Streetcar or Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. I would only recommend it to hardcore fans.
  • rubystevens
    January 18, 2010
    rubystevens
    tennessee williams meets tobacco road in this notorious southern grotesque, all about sex but with no nudity, this being the '50's. of course that didn't keep it from being condemned and banned in many countries. the so-called 'child-bride' is almost 20, tho she seems to be del... read moreaying maturity as long as possible, sleeping in a crib, sucking her thumb and wearing the original 'babydoll' nightgown. with a trio of great method actors, the standout being eli wallach in a fiery debut, playing a sicilian! the ending is a bit of a letdown but it's definitely worth a watch.
  • flixsterman
    December 12, 2009
    flixsterman
    Say what you want about it's controversial subject matter or it's questionable place in cinematic history, Baby Doll is just one Marlon Brando away from being a top 100 film. As it is, I wouldn't classify it as anything less than a minor masterpiece.

    All the elements are ... read morehere, Elia Kazan's direction, Tennessee Williams' screenplay, Karl Malden's performance. Were it not for a couple of serious lapses in marketing judgment we might be talking about this film the way we talk about A Streetcar Named Desire or Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. You just don't put a provocatively posed adolescent girl on the poster and then release the film at Christmas! Especially not in 1956. It's as if they were daring the Catholic League of Decency to denounce the film (which they did).

    I'm not saying that this picture is as good as Streetcar, but it's oh-so-close.
  • jjnxn
    June 12, 2008
    jjnxn
    Lurid, overheated Tennessee Williams. Good performances but the ick factor is high.
  • RCCLBC
    March 18, 2008
    RCCLBC
    A campy (and slightly disturbing) story of a young girl (Baby Doll) who is married off to an older man (Archie Lee)by her family, with the promise that he would provide for her and would not 'touch' her until she is 19 years old.

    Well 'Baby Doll' is living up to her name and g... read morerasping on to her childhood (and he virginity) by living her life as a much younger girl would. She even sucks her thumb and sleeps in a little daybed that is very much like a baby crib.

    As her husband struggles (by any means possible) to make a decent life for her and to finally lay claim to what is "rightfully his", things get compliocated by the arrival of another man into their life.

    Ironically this other man is a business competitor who Archie Lee has sabotaged and who threby looks to Archir Lee for help. And in doing so discovers the treachery involved.

    So this 'new man' would have never been thrust into their lives had Archie Lee been a more scrupulous s businessman (or human being for that matter).

    All hell breaks loose as when this strange triangle is formed and Archie Lee fears someone might actually get their hands on his Baby Doll before he does.

    Sounds a littel strange right? But it is a great character drama.

    Who knew, Tennessee Williams and Elia Kazan would make such a great team?
  • michaelcorleone
    January 29, 2011
    michaelcorleone
    Vintage Kazan. By handling risque material in a faithful, mature way, Elia Kazan creates a film that is truly memorable. Excellent acting as well.
  • alush1
    March 22, 2011
    alush1
    Williams and Kazan ~ technicolor CHEKOV in black and white....Oh the humanity and the horror...the horror. Still reeling from seeing this for the first time today.
  • childofevil2003
    March 10, 2009
    childofevil2003
    Great movie, very amusing and the girl a cutie...and about the censorship, what is worng with american?

View All Baby Doll Reviews

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
October 6, 2008
Variety Staff, Variety

Wallach as the vengeful Vacarro plays it to the hilt. Malden is cast to perfection and turns in a socko performance. Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
November 1, 2007
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

One of Elia Kazan's most underrated movies is his only pure comedy. Full Review

Bosley Crowther
August 3, 2005
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

Mr. Kazan keeps the courtship bouncing between the emotional and the ludicrous. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
November 20, 2007
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Wickedly funny salacious black comedy. Full Review

November 1, 2007
TV Guide's Movie Guide

An explosive, provocative black comedy from Tennessee Williams and Elia Kazan. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
January 4, 2007
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Tennessee Williams adapted his play in this provocative black comedy, directed with intensity by Kazan, and starring Carroll Baker in her Oscar-nominate performance as the child-bride. Full Review

Walter Chaw
May 29, 2006
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central

The movie hasn't aged a day in fifty years. Full Review

John J. Puccio
May 9, 2006
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

I love this stuff; it's remarkably silly, yet the actors play it so straight you'd think it was Hamlet. Full Review

Christopher Null
April 25, 2006
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

an impressively steamy story for its day with some moments of true greatness Full Review

Geoff Andrew
January 26, 2006
Geoff Andrew, Time Out

The grotesquely caricatured performances and the evocation of the baking, dusty, indolent homestead make for witty and compelling viewing. Full Review

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