Baby Doll (1956)

Director:

Elia Kazan

Writer:

Tennessee Williams (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 December 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Her role is raw electricity! Her portrayal is a sensation! CARROLL BAKER

Plot:

Steamy tale of two Southern rivals and a sensuous 19-year-old virgin.

Plot Keywords:

Cotton Gin | Sicilian | Cotton | Marriage | Child Bride

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Karl Malden	...	Archie Lee Meighan
Carroll Baker	...	Baby Doll Meighan
Eli Wallach	...	Silva Vacarro
Mildred Dunnock	...	Aunt Rose Comfort
Lonny Chapman	...	Rock
Eades Hogue	...	Town Marshal
Noah Williamson	...	Deputy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
R.G. Armstrong	...	Townsman Sid (voice) (uncredited)
Madeleine Sherwood	...	Nurse in Doctor's Office (uncredited)
Rip Torn	...	The Dentist (uncredited)

Directed by
Elia Kazan

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tennessee Williams		screenplay

Produced by
Elia Kazan	....	producer
Tennessee Williams	....	producer

Original Music by
Kenyon Hopkins

Cinematography by
Boris Kaufman

Film Editing by
Gene Milford

Art Direction by
Richard Sylbert

Costume Design by
Anna Hill Johnstone

Makeup Department
Willis Hanchett	....	hair stylist
Robert Jiras	....	makeup artist (as Robert E. Jiras)

Production Management
Forrest E. Johnston	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Garfein	....	assistant director
Charles H. Maguire	....	assistant director
Arthur Steckler	....	assistant director: second unit (uncredited)

Art Department
Paul Sylbert	....	associate art director

Sound Department
Edward J. Johnstone	....	sound

Stunts
Lucky Kargo	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Arthur Steckler	....	photographer: second unit

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Flo Transfield	....	wardrober (as Florence Transfield)

Other crew
Nicholas Demetroules	....	presenter
Jerry Gross	....	presenter
Roberta Hodes	....	continuity
Roberta Hodes	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Newtown Productions

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1956) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinemation Industries (1970) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)

Runtime:

114 min | Argentina:115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System) | Stereo

Certification:

USA:Approved (original rating) | USA:Unrated (video rating) | USA:R (re-rating 1969) | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | UK:X (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Benoit, Mississippi, USA

Company:

Newtown Productions

Trivia:

Tennessee Williams's first choice for the title role of Baby Doll was Marilyn Monroe, (who was straining to improve herself as an actress at the time and wanted the role badly), although Elia Kazan preferred newcomer Carroll Baker, whose work he was familiar with from the Actors' Studio in New York.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Silva bursts through the door in the attic, Baby Doll is shown running from him with her blanket wrapped around her. The instant before she falls on to the attic beam, she removes the blanket, and holds it in her left hand. In the very next shot, after she has fallen, the blanket is wrapped around her body once again.

Quotes:

Baby Doll: I don't want to be in the same room with a man that would make me live in a house with no furniture! My daddy would turn over in his grave if he knew, he would just turn over in his grave.
Archie Lee Meighan: If your daddy turned in his grave as often as you say he'd turn in his grave, that old man would plow up the graveyard.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dream for an Insomniac (1996)

Soundtrack:

Shame, Shame, Shame

Cotton picking

Elia Kazan took a big chance in directing "Baby Doll". His association with Tennessee Williams must have been the deciding factor in his coming on board. This was a film that caused quite a stir because of the direct intervention of Cardinal Spellman of New York in denouncing it for its suggestive billboard in the Times Square area and the content of the movie.

This film is a testament of how to film an erotic feature without having the actors running naked all over the place. Carroll Baker, as the Baby Doll of the title, generates a lot of heat every time we see her in the opening scenes through the "peeping tom" eyes of Archie Lee, the husband still awaiting to fulfill his duty as a husband.

The steamy scenes between Vaccaro and Baby Doll are incredible if one thinks of the era when it was filmed. Nothing like those torrid scenes were seen in an American film before! What is amazing is the fact this film was released at all.

Unfortunately, the copy that was shown on cable recently has the worst sound track imaginable. The Southern accents from the actors don't help things either.

Karl Malden adds to the character of Archie Lee by playing it as a dumb hick who is not too worldly in matters of the bedroom. Carroll Baker had a great role in her Baby Doll. She plays her as a typical small town from that part of the South, a real teaser. Eli Wallach's as Vaccaro brought virility and sensuality to his portrayal. Mildred Dunnock was good as Aunt Rose.

This film is an oddity that heralded the liberation of Hollywood from the hated Hays Code which will come much later on.