Sunday Viewing: The Bad Seed, 1956

Children can be nasty. Don’t you think?

--“Hortense Daigle”

Rhoda Penmark was the perfect child—poised, polite, tidy, intelligent. While the other little girls were romping in blue jeans, Rhoda would play quietly—dressed in her pinafore. Rhoda was an excellent student, too. She was all set to win the penmanship award. But, alas, that honor was to go to another student—Claude Daigle. What a tragedy it was when Claude Daigle drowned at the school picnic. How terribly sad! Rhoda’s mother, Christine, and their landlady/friend, Monica worry that Rhoda will be traumatized by her classmate’s accidental death. But, Rhoda seems unfazed. And thus begins a strange psychological tale of just how nasty children can be.

The Bad Seed is based on the popular Broadway show of the same name by Maxwell Andrerson which was, in turn, based on the novel by William March. In 1956, Mervyn LeRoy was slated to direct the big screen version. LeRoy recruited the original stage cast which included Patty McCormack as “Rhoda,” Nancy Kelly as “Christine,” Evelyn Varden as “Monica,” Henry Jones as “Leroy” the simple handyman, and Eileen Heckart as “Hortense Daigle,” the mother of the drowned child.

The Hays Code objected to the ending of the film and insisted that it be rewritten. So, the film varies from the stage play quite a bit at the end. The Bad Seed is notable for its unusual end credits—introducing a humorous, theatrical “curtain call” at the end of the film. LeRoy thought that the film was so shocking that a bit of comic relief was needed at the end so that audiences would not leave with a heavy feeling. The “curtain call” serves to remind us that the preceding was all pretend and also provides one of the most unusual bits of footage in film history.

The very stage-y acting and static nature of the film owe to its theatrical roots. What once was shocking now seems a little campy, but that’s the appeal of the film. It’s the perfect diversion on a very beer-y, football-y Sunday.

Painting of the Day: “Feeding Dolly,” by Adolf Eberle, 1875

Feeding Dolly
Adolf Eberle, 1875
The Royal Collection

King Edward VII followed in the footsteps of his parents—Queen Victoria and Prince Albert—by adding to the Royal Collection. Edward VII’s contributions included masterworks by the world’s finest painters and sculptors.


This painting by German Adolf Eberle shows a favorite subject matter of the King’s—domestic scenes including pets. Here, we see a mother and child feeding a beloved dog as the family cat sits faithfully nearby.

Sunday Morning Special: Henri Maillardet’s Writing Automaton

The little fellow without his clothes.

The Eighteenth Century Swiss mechanician Henri Maillardet worked in London for most of his life, producing fine clocks and clockwork mechanisms. He was particularly celebrated for his complicated automata.

This particular model writes a series of poems in both French and English as well as executes drawings. When the automaton was welcomed into the Franklin Institute, they were unsure of its creator. However, at the end of its cycle of drawing, it produced the answer for them by writing, “Written by the Automaton of Maillardet.”

Reminder Punch’s Cousin will Return on Monday

Last week, as Punch/Julian suffered from his/their recent gunshot wound, we learned of Robert and Marjani’s fear that as an infection overtook the Duke of Fallbridge, he was a prime candidate to contract the Yellow Fever which had begun to pervade New Orleans. This week, Marjani will suggest a rather unorthodox means of protecting the Duke. Will Robert agree?

Meanwhile, Iolanthe Evangeline’s budding partnership with Ulrika Rittenhouse hits a bumpy patch as the two women discover that their differences outweigh their common goals. Arthur is torn between greed and, well, more greed as he realizes that Barbara’s alliance with Marie Laveau could prove extremely lucarative for him. Similarly, Iolanthe begins to feel threatened, once again, by Marie and wonders if the future health of her son could be in jeopardy.

With a household in turmoil (Julian’s shot and feverish, Gamilla has been poisoned and Naasir is still struggling with his recovery from his burns), Adrienne and Cecil struggle to keep everything together. When Edward Cage appears on their doorstep, a new chaos is introduced to their already overwrought living conditions.

Many thanks to everyone who has been so kind with their comments about Punch’s Cousin. I promise a superb week is ahead.

Goal for the Day: Find Something that Interests You

Well, today is the Super Bowl. With the snow clearing here in the Dallas area, the streets are crawling with all manner of football fans from celebrities to arm-chair coaches. Most of the rest of the U.S. (and many other places around the world), will be glued to their TVs watching armor-clad fellows running around. Personally, I don’t understnad football. My brain can only process so much action at once, and I’m never sure what they’re doing or what their aim is. But, that’s just me.


Today, if you’re a football fan, mazel tov. Enjoy the smorgasbord of sweaty violence. If you’re like me, there’s quite a lot to occupy you. Here in north Texas, most of the places we normally go are most likely nearly-abandoned. Hooray! No crowds. The same probably applies to your area. So, go out and enjoy your day. Find something that interests you, the world is yours for the taking.

Object of the Day: An Antique Silver Loving Cup

For my nod to the sporting today, I offer up this antique silver loving cup. Long before the days of garish trophies surmounted by plastic figures shining with radiator paint, champions in even the most local and low-key events walked away with real silver awards.


This loving cup dates to 1924. On one side it is inscribed, “2nd Bn. MON. TECtTa, *A. Coy*, Platoon Musketry, Challenge Cup, *1924*.” That’s all quite cryptic, and I have no idea what it means. On the other side it says, “Inter Company Falling Plating Cup” with an image of a sunrise. More gibberish. But, it must have meant something to someone. If anyone can shed any light on this, I’d be most appreciative.

Nonetheless, it’s an attractive trophy and must have made some Intercompany, musket-wielding, plate falling fellow quite happy.

Coming this Week at "Stalking the Belle Époque"

As we roll into Valentine’s Day, we’ll be taking a look at some of the romantic gifts that have been traded by members of the Royal Family over the centuries. We’ll also continue our inventory of the magnificent items which my favorite Royal, Mary of Teck, managed to spirit into the Royal Collection. A visit to Blenheim Palace will give us a look at one of England’s most majestic stately homes and the birthplace of Winston Churchill.


We’ll have a look at the influence of past elegance on the modern world when we visit the work of a talented Twenty-First century painter. We’ve already saluted the influence of White Collar’s Matt Bomer. This week, it’s time to look at the other half of the White Collar team, the talented Tim DeKay. We’ll also learn more about a longtime television personality who has made outstanding contributions to the world of mental health.

Two classic films, a continuation of Bertie’s journey into art history, our continued exploration of Mr. Punch in the Arts, some truly unusual artifacts, splendid artwork and amazing jewelry all await you this week at Stalking the Belle Epoque.