Baby Doll

"She's nineteen. She makes her husband keep away -- she won't let the stranger go."

1956 1h 54m EN

👍

7.0

SOLID

🍅

83%

FRESH

💯

METACRITIC

⭐

7.2

IMDB

★7.0TMDB · 149🍅83%Rotten Tomatoes●83Metacritic★7.2IMDB · 9,146

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Archie Lee Meighan is a failing cotton gin owner who is married to Baby Doll, a 19-year old childlike beauty whose father arranged the marriage for financial reasons. As Archie awaits the arrival of Baby Doll's 20th birthday, the day that they are supposed to consummate their marriage, he faces interference from business rival Silva Vacarro, who plots to seduce Baby Doll away from Meighan.

“She's nineteen. She makes her husband keep away -- she won't let the stranger go.”

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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
R.G. Armstrong
Townsman Sid (voice) (uncredited)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Elia Kazan
Writers: Tennessee Williams
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

70 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

CRAFT

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Elia Kazan, shot by Boris Kaufman. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Kenyon Hopkins. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Gene Milford shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Karl Malden and Carroll Baker and Eli Wallach carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

AWARDS

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "She's nineteen. She makes her husband keep away -- she won't let the stranger go.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0048973 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Elia Kazan directs. Boris Kaufman behind the camera. Kenyon Hopkins scores. Gene Milford cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

170 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
3Directed by Elia Kazan, shot by Boris Kaufman. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Kenyon Hopkins. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Gene Milford shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Karl Malden and Carroll Baker and Eli Wallach carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "She's nineteen. She makes her husband keep away -- she won't let the stranger go.".
8IMDB entry: tt0048973 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 9 themes, including "italian american", "marriage", "sicilian", "cotton gin".