While I do enjoy this film and recognize its importance on countless imitators, I did have some quibbles about it. For starters, as others have pointed out, the movie has a distinct stagey quality to it. Obviously it was based off of a play and that might account for it. It even used many of the same actors from the play. Still, one would think a veteran film director like Mervyn LeRoy would do a better job adapting it to a different medium. Another complaint I have is something that is generally seen as one of the film's positives: the performance of Eileen Heckart. She was even nominated for an Oscar for her performance. However, to me she is very over the top and unbelievable. My previous experience with Mrs. Heckart was mostly from her television work, which I always found enjoyable. Here her role is that of a grieving mother driven to drink. She is drunk in all of her scenes I believe. That exaggerated drunken behavior might play well for the stage, but on screen it comes across as a little cartoonish for such serious material.
Still, despite minor problems the movie works and works well. It moves along at a good pace, telling the creepy and sometimes chilling story of this little girl who is "born evil." Time and countless other films about evil kids might lessen the impact of this story just a bit for some, but I find it all holds up quite well. Rhoda Penmark is rotten through and through. You find her annoying at first, then quickly realize there's something unnerving about her. Some might find fault with the concept of genetic evil and reject the film on that basis alone. I don't necessarily adhere to it myself but it doesn't bother me to explore alternative ideas or theories, especially in works of fiction.
One final note: another complaint I've seen is that the movie changes the ending of the play and novel. Without spoiling that for you, I'll just say both endings have merit but I actually think the movie ending works best.
Still, despite minor problems the movie works and works well. It moves along at a good pace, telling the creepy and sometimes chilling story of this little girl who is "born evil." Time and countless other films about evil kids might lessen the impact of this story just a bit for some, but I find it all holds up quite well. Rhoda Penmark is rotten through and through. You find her annoying at first, then quickly realize there's something unnerving about her. Some might find fault with the concept of genetic evil and reject the film on that basis alone. I don't necessarily adhere to it myself but it doesn't bother me to explore alternative ideas or theories, especially in works of fiction.
One final note: another complaint I've seen is that the movie changes the ending of the play and novel. Without spoiling that for you, I'll just say both endings have merit but I actually think the movie ending works best.