La Poupée de chair

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.

To me, Tennessee Williams was/is among the greatest playwrights of all time. His work is so entertaining and intelligently written with highly detailed characterisations that were often very personal and almost auto-biographical, also often bold thematically. Although not one of my favourites of his work, my personal favourite being 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' with equal love for 'A Streetcar Named Desire' and 'The Glass Menagerie', 'Baby Doll' has all of the above.

'Baby Doll' as a film was adapted by Williams himself, who also produced it along with director Elia Kazan, from his one act play '27 Wagons Full of Cotton'. While it won't work for everybody today, it was also controversial at the time in 1956 because of its themes which were very implicit and bold then, some finding it too sordid and distasteful although the high quality of the direction and acting weren't in doubt. 'Baby Doll' very much works for me, found it very interesting with so many high qualities that also make it a very good film.

Not quite great though. Part of me does wish that the supporting/secondary characters were more fleshed out and weren't limited to relatively small appearances, especially when the lead characters' writing was so meaty (perhaps close to being slightly too much so in the case of Archie). A bit of a big problem when that applies to most of the characters.

Do agree as well that the sound is poor.

Everything else though is very good to fantastic. Anybody expecting that a Kazan film would look great will not be disappointed, regardless of whether the film was a masterpiece, misfire or in between all his films were extremely well made visually. The photography especially is beautifully and effectively stark, which enhances the setting. The music is both haunting and sensual, totally in keeping with the atmosphere. Kazan's direction is never less than skillful throughout, it can be very wild (like the source material) and not very subtle (not inappropriate again), visually and dramatically but the visual style is perfect and the drama avoids over-heat and being static.

Williams' screenplay is unmistakable Williams, intelligent, witty, daring and rich in characterisation for the three leads, as well as wildly hilarious. He and Kazan, his favourite film-maker, also collaborated on 'A Streetcar Named Desire' and while this is not quite on the same level as that masterpiece one can recognise Williams' style clearly. One can say that it is talky, not a problem as Williams is talky and in a compelling way, dependent on of course whether it has a great cast delivering it well (which it usually is). On a story level, there are memorable scenes with the crib scene being especially unforgettable in every sense. With the scene on the swing being close behind. 'Baby Doll' is certainly not sordid or distasteful now, to me that is, but although toned down in comparison to back then (when it was very ahead of its time) it's hardly too tame, it's still very steamy.

All the lead performances are excellent, and also think the supporting/secondary cast do more than very well. Mildred Dunnock is a very powerful presence even when her screen time is not large, of the rest Williams regular Madeleine Sherwood fares best (debuting Rip Torn's, also became experienced in Williams, role is far too small to properly shine). Karl Malden has a ball in making Archie a wild character with a dark side. Even more so a chillingly calculated Eli Wallach in the most arresting debut performance in any film of any decade seen in a while. Then there's Carroll Baker who absolutely sizzles in the title role, even how hypnotic she looked drew me right in.

On the whole, very good. 8/10

Wonderfully original, even after all this time, due to the matchless dialog of Tennessee Williams and the superb performances of the three principals, Karl Malden, Carroll Baker and Eli Wallach. Wickedly funny, sly and loopy all at the same time. A view of Southern white trash which only Tennessee Williams could have penned. Carroll Baker in a first class performance as the still-virginal but sexually precocious Baby Doll, married for two years but refusing to consummate her marriage until her twentieth birthday, looming large. Karl Malden as the frustrated husband, panting to get his hands on her, and Eli Wallach as the neighbor, determined to seduce Baby Doll before Malden, in revenge for Malden's burning down his cotton gin. Totally off the wall characterization with rich, witty dialog that constantly takes one by surprise. Watching Malden and Baker's characters with their dumber than dumber take on things (that totally cracks one up at their sheer stupidity!) one wonders just how much in-breeding Williams had in mind when he invented these people. Even Mildred Dunnock, as the minor fourth character of the ensemble, a batty aunt, has a full share of crazy antics that almost has one falling on the floor. Eli Wallach turns in a sly, smoother than smooth performance as the potential seducer that is wonderfully nuanced. When the movie first appeared is was condemned by the Catholic Church. Apparently there are critics who still uphold those initial views and would prefer to return to the time of total censorship than adopt a more realistic view of life. Baby Doll is not an indecent movie and never was. What it is is a glorious black comedy that has a place amongst the best works that Williams ever produced. Last, but not least, kudos to director Elia Kazan, who passed away on the very evening that this viewer was privileged to finally get to see this movie. This is definitely one for the collection!

The conventional wisdom on "Baby Doll" seems to be, "Oh, this movie may have been steamy in its time, but it's totally tame now." Oh, really? If the scene of Eli Wallach and Carroll Baker on the garden swing doesn't leave you feeling "fuzzy and buzzy," I suggest you get your pulse checked.

Seedy, cynical and sensual. Great acting, especially from Baker and Wallach. Small southern US town bigotry, sexual frustration, old world cunning, self-interest, with women downtrodden just a bit less than the black 'helpers' who dot the background, serving almost as a chorus to this comical tragedy. I can't say I liked the characters or cared for them much, yet most of the time I couldn't take my eyes off the screen either.