FILM REVIEW: THE BABY (1973)
Directed by Ted Post
Written by Abe PolskyStarring Anjanette Comer, Ruth Roman, Marianna Hill, Suzanne Zenor, David Manzy, Michael Pataki
“I notice you call him Baby… what is his real name?”
“Just Baby.”
Los Angeles social worker Ann (Comer), still grieving over the apparent loss of her husband, takes on a new case involving stern mother Mrs. Wadsworth (Roman), her two pretty but strange daughters (Hill and Zenor), and the son in the family, “Baby” (Manzy) – a full-grown adult male whose mental and physical growth have been purposely stunted at an infant’s level (!)
Not unexpectedly, Ann is shocked to see a grown man crawling around in a playpen, crying like a toddler and drinking from a baby bottle! She also learns that a previous social worker dealing with the bizarre Wadsworth family has mysteriously “disappeared”. As she becomes more concerned for and attached to Baby, Ann decides she’s going to remove the literal man-child from this inhumane, debilitating life to give him the chance to mature normally. But the Wadsworths are very protective of Baby, and have an agenda of their own…
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THE BABY is a great example of just how depraved and perverse low-budget horror films from the 1970s could get – and with a PG RATING no less! (Again, this IS the 70s.) Directed by journeyman filmmaker Ted Post, who helmed tons of TV shows as well as THE HARRAD EXPERIMENT and BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES, THE BABY is an unforgettable viewing experience. The script by Abe Polsky is tight and well-paced, and hits on a number of taboo subjects such as child abuse, sexual repression and incest.
The movie also boasts very good acting; aside from Manzy as Baby and a couple of male supporting roles, the cast is all female, and each actress makes a strong impression, especially Comer and veteran Roman. (Everyone in the film is damaged in some way, and/or has something to hide.) As the titular Baby, Manzy does a good job physically embodying a child’s mannerisms. And while it’s a bit off-putting to hear a real baby’s cries sometimes awkwardly dubbed in for Manzy’s voice, this technique just adds to the unnatural creepiness that permeates the whole film.
The demented family dynamic of the Wadsworths reminded me at times of the inbred, mentally regressed Merrye clan in Jack Hill’s 1967 cult classic SPIDER BABY. But despite THE BABY’s way-out premise and deviant behavior of its characters, everyone comes across as real human beings. And the motives behind some of the players are not always what you think.
The palpable tension in THE BABY steadily mounts as the story progresses, and the film has a surprising denouement that is both touching and horribly twisted. Add to this a haunting music score by Gerald Fried, a babysitter visit that goes very badly, and an uncomfortable scene involving an electric prod, and you have one of the most deliciously sicko offerings from 70s horror cinema!
Smoky-voiced actress Ruth Roman was a popular leading lady in the 1950s, and starred in several notable films at the time, including TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY, THE SHANGHAI STORY, and Hitchcock’s STRANGERS ON A TRAIN. But as the 1970s rolled around, along with THE BABY, she appeared in several interesting exploitation flicks, such as Curtis Harrington’s THE KILLING KIND, the super obscure horror-western A KNIFE FOR THE LADIES, the nature-run-amuck favorite DAY OF THE ANIMALS, and the tawdry William Shatner thriller IMPULSE.
If you’re a fan of weird, warped genre flicks, you just can’t go wrong with THE BABY. The term “They don’t make ‘em like that anymore” truly applies here. This aberrant wonder is available on blu-ray from a few different quality labels, including Severin Films and Arrow Video, featuring commentaries, cast & crew interviews, and featurettes.
Bring home THE BABY today! Goo-goo, ga-ga!!
Shawn
