“For little Rhoda, murder is child’s play.”

THE BAD SEED (1956)

Mervyn LeRoy’s bold psychological thriller adapted from Maxwell Anderson’s play.

Nancy Kelly confronts her crispy clean dress wearin’ skipping little psychopathic child Rhoda (Patty McCormack) in a scene where both mother and child devolve into the realm of ‘hysterical’ over the truth behind poor Claude Daigle’s brutal death, prompted by his winning the penmanship medal.

I was going to use Eileen Heckert’s compelling performance as the besotted mournful Hortense Daigle, but I couldn’t resist this climactic scene instead…

What’ll you give me for a basket of kisses?, I’ll give you a basket of hugs -MonsterGirl