The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Curtis Hanson

Writer (WGA):

Amanda Silver (written by)

Release Date:

10 January 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

The Bartels couldn't believe how fortunate they were to find Peyton. But they didn't find her, she chose them.

Plot:

Peyton Flanders seemed to be the perfect nanny, but secretly she was out to wreck the lives of the family she was supposed to be helping...

Plot Keywords:

Nanny | Suicide | Miscarriage | Revenge | Baby

Awards:

5 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Annabella Sciorra	...	Claire Bartel
Rebecca De Mornay	...	Mrs. Mott / Peyton Flanders
Matt McCoy	...	Michael Bartel
Ernie Hudson	...	Solomon
Julianne Moore	...	Marlene Craven
Madeline Zima	...	Emma Bartel
John de Lancie	...	Dr. Victor Mott
Kevin Skousen	...	Marty Craven
Mitchell Laurance	...	Lawyer
Justin Zaremby	...	Roth, the Schoolyard Bully
Eric Melander	...	Joey 'Joe' Bartel
Jennifer Melander	...	Joey 'Joe' Bartel
Ashley Melander	...	Joey 'Joe' Bartel
Cliff Lenz	...	Seattle Today Host
Penny LeGate	...	Seattle Today Host

MPAA:

Rated R for terror, violence, a scene of sexual molestation, and for language.

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Peru:14 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

2502 37th Ave W, Seattle, Washington, USA

Company:

Hollywood Pictures

Trivia:

Kevin Spacey was considered for the role of Michael Bartell.

Goofs:

Continuity: Peyton's knitting needles jump around between shots when she asks Claire if she's going to the greenhouse.

Quotes:

Emma Bartel: Peyton, if something happens to my mommy, would you take care of me?
Peyton Flanders: Of course I would... and your daddy, too! I'd take care of ALL of you!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "In Living Color: The Fist That Rocks the Cradle (#3.19)" (1992)

Soundtrack:

SEATTLE TODAY THEME

Rebecca de Mornay is the nanny from hell...scary thriller...

You have to hand it to the makers of THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE--once the story starts to unravel, you have to stay tuned to find out how this manipulative bitch will get her comeuppance. It's as simple as that. We know from the start that she has evil intentions, but we never know how evil they are until she starts a series of manipulative acts that demonstrate how cunning and remorseless she is.

REBECCA de MORNAY is so convincingly evil that you have to wonder why her career didn't skyrocket after this. It's a performance worthy of award consideration, but both she and the film itself have been largely forgotten. None of the supporting players, with the exception of JULIANNE MOORE, have become household names but they're all quite effective.

The ending may be somewhat predictable--and most welcome when it finally comes--but it's still stylishly done and a satisfying conclusion to a tale of household terror when a nanny's rage goes amok because of an incident in her past involving a woman whom she perceives as ruining her husband's life. Sure, it's been done before, but never quite so cunningly presented.