Boneca Amorosa

Surprisingly good and whilst not a major work, a most interesting and involving film from that sunny 1968 with appropriately colourful and short skirts and dresses. Basically exploitation this is not, however, without thought but now is it steeped in moralising as the British film of the time tended to be. Indeed, although the plot here concerns the dropping of a highly sexed and vulnerable 15 year old into a well off family situation where the father once went out with the girl's mother it is dealt with in a refreshingly reasonable manner. Nevertheless there are various hints and incidents of rape and incest along the way as this goes from bad to bad but always with a smile. Not much smiling from Keith Barron who seems to not be enjoying his part here at all. For the rest it is a different story and Linda Hayden excels as the British Lolita with more than an eye for the men, and women. It is an impressive and nuanced performance and no wonder at all that she went on to further movies. It is also a credit to all involved that it was possible to get such a performance out of the youngster. Dick Emery just about controls himself in a small but exuberant role and overall this is a most watchable film very much of the moment that certainly could not be made today.

Would you believe that this very old movie, with little known stars (well, even back then, I suppose) has actually stood the test of time?

Okay, towards the end, it shoots itself in the foot when the movie turns violent. But aside from that...

I'm always on the look for controversial movies and when I read about this one, I was immediately intrigued. With something so old and with such an unknown cast and, on top of it, dealing with such a subject matter, I didn't even expect it to have been released on DVD, much less find it on my seller site, but I did.

First off, let me just voice an objection. The current (2017) summary here on INDb was written by somebody (anonymous) who doesn't like the movie, and that particular style is fine (and entertaining enough) for a review, but absolutely unsuitable for a summary. To each their own, if they don't like a movie, they don't have to be nice, but summaries should be factual and impartial.

The movie doesn't deserve to be derided. As for the deeply human characters, I have enjoyed watching, I was pleasantly surprised, it is a good movie. Yes, I'm into pretty actresses, we all know The Raven, but besides the obvious points of interest for me, it was surprisingly well done. The movie is almost fifty years old and I knew I was taking a big chance when I bought it sight unseen.

I'm glad I did.

Diana Dors is just way off-putting as the choice for Luci's Mom, and here's something else: Somebody who already knows pain (cancer) would choose being scalded by boiling water while bleeding to death because of razor slices as method of suicide? I think that nasty start should have been replaced with something more "sedate" like sleeping pills or so. That was just to shock! And the movie doesn't need it.

Anyway, loved Linda Hayden and appreciate her fine performance. I do appreciate that she is the real thing, only fifteen years old, imagine this being done today!!! Good choice with mature female lead Ann Lynn as well.

Most of the films about "Swinging London' celebrated the joys and colors of the time. "Baby Love", while it was made during the heyday of "Swinging London", deals with the story of an adolescent girl called Luci, and London serves just a background for Luci and the other characters around her. The characters and their environment are portrayed with a documentary feel - they are shown in a realistic way.

Luci, one day, on returning home, finds her mother dead. A great shock! For Luci there are not many choices. Her future looms black. But her mother, before killing herself, had sent a letter to a doctor who in the past had been her lover, and where she asks him to take care of her daughter Luci. The doctor is now a married man with wife, son and maid - in short, a well-off family.

The doctor brings Luci (Linda Hayden, who was only 15 at the time) to his home. At first she seems just a bewildered, shy girl, but it won't take long till they discover other sides of Luci's personality.

Luci needs love and protection, and for her, love and sex are not very apart. She is manipulative (but not consciously so), yet she acts by instinct - she's a bundle of contradictions, a very complex character. She'll use her powers of seduction on all members of the family, everything is turned upside down and masks fall.

In some ways, "Baby Love" reminded me of "Teorema" by Pasolini, but while "Teorema" is a mystical-political parable, "Baby Love" has her feet on the ground.

The creativity linked to reality, the freedom of the camera, Luci's sensuality/sexuality (there are even some bits of nudity), the nonjudgemental way of showing the characters, make "Baby Love" a very interesting film. It's a pity though that (as far as I know) the only available copies have soft (a bit washed out) colors. Anyway the film is very watchable. Well worth checking out.

Baby Love emerges as a curiously uneven psychological drama that attempts to navigate the treacherous waters of adolescent trauma and sexual awakening, yet struggles to find its footing between exploitation and genuine character study. The film's 1969 sensibilities feel both dated and strangely prescient, capturing the moral ambiguity of late-60s Britain while grappling with themes that remain uncomfortable decades later.

The cinematography exhibits a workmanlike competence without ever ascending to true artistry. Reid employs conventional framing and lighting that serves the narrative adequately but lacks the visual poetry one might expect from a film dealing with such psychologically complex material. The domestic interiors feel authentically middle-class and suffocating, which works in the film's favor, though the exterior shots possess a pedestrian quality that undermines the film's dramatic tension. The color palette remains muted and uninspired, reflecting the emotional restraint of the characters but offering little visual intrigue for the viewer.

Linda Hayden delivers a committed performance as the troubled teenage protagonist, managing to convey both vulnerability and manipulative cunning without veering into caricature. Her portrayal captures the genuine confusion and rage of a young woman processing grief and displacement, though the script occasionally forces her into situations that feel more exploitative than psychologically authentic. Diana Dors provides solid support as the conflicted mother figure, bringing a world-weary gravitas to her role that elevates the material around her. The supporting cast, including Keith Barron and Ann Lynn, inhabits their roles with professional competence, though none manage to transcend the somewhat schematic nature of their characters.

The film's atmosphere oscillates between genuine psychological insight and uncomfortable voyeurism. Reid demonstrates moments of directorial sensitivity, particularly in scenes depicting the protagonist's internal struggles, but these instances are undermined by sequences that feel designed primarily to titillate rather than illuminate. The pacing suffers from this tonal inconsistency, with the narrative momentum frequently interrupted by extended sequences that add little to our understanding of the characters or their motivations. The dialogue occasionally achieves naturalistic authenticity but too often descends into melodramatic territory that weakens the film's credibility.

While Baby Love tackles genuinely challenging subject matter about trauma, class dynamics, and sexual awakening, it lacks the courage of its convictions. The film hints at deeper psychological truths but rarely commits to exploring them fully, instead settling for surface-level provocations that feel hollow upon reflection. The ending arrives without the emotional catharsis that the preceding drama seems to promise, leaving viewers with a sense of incompleteness rather than resolution.

Essentially this is the British version of LOLITA, and just as moderately shocking as it must have been upon first release. I've always been a fan of Linda Hayden for her work in the horror field and she's every bit as good here, really investing her character with a sympathy that exists even in devilish turns like her one in BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW. The film explores burgeoning teenage sexuality in a stark and sometimes provocative way, also looking at trauma, marriage and lust at times; the focus on characte relationships is what makes it engrossing. It's well acted and well shot too. Seen today it's a fitting portrait of the predatory nature of the era.