{"id":1834,"date":"2006-11-26T11:33:28","date_gmt":"2006-11-26T18:33:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=1834"},"modified":"2021-02-05T16:04:01","modified_gmt":"2021-02-05T23:04:01","slug":"baby-the-1973","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=1834","title":{"rendered":"Baby, The (1973)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Mrs. Gentry, just <em>what <\/em>do you think you&#8217;re doing?&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Poster-208x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"208\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-28538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Poster-208x300.jpg 208w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Poster-88x128.jpg 88w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Poster.jpg 524w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 208px) 100vw, 208px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA recently widowed social worker (Anjanette Comer) investigates a strange case of &#8220;child abuse&#8221; at the Wadsworth home, where she discovers that a grown man (David Manzy) has been kept in a state of infantile subjugation for 21 years.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Child Abuse<\/li>\n<li>Do-Gooders<\/li>\n<li>Ruth Roman Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nBizarre, disturbing, and patently illogical, Ted Post&#8217;s <em>The Baby<\/em> is surely one of the most unusual camp classics ever made. Viewers must suspend all disbelief while watching an adult man who still whimpers in baby squalls (clearly dubbed), and who is unable to walk despite possessing fully developed limbs: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1649\" height=\"1019\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-57367\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy2.png 1649w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy2-300x185.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy2-1024x633.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy2-128x79.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy2-768x475.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy2-1536x949.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy2-437x270.png 437w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1649px) 100vw, 1649px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; but once you accept this bit of illogic as part of the story&#8217;s necessary premise, it&#8217;s impossible not to be horrified &#8212; and fascinated &#8212; by what you see unfolding. <\/p>\n<p>Part of what makes this cult film so utterly disturbing is watching a manipulative, psychotically abusive mother maintaining control over her object of torture for longer than just the span of childhood. (At least in Dave Pelzer&#8217;s autobiographical <em>A Child Called &#8220;It&#8221;<\/em>, the author finally escapes his nightmare existence once he&#8217;s a teenager.) For The Baby, however, there is seemingly no end to a lifetime of misery, and little that society (represented by Comer&#8217;s well-meaning social worker) can do to change things, other than taking radical, illegal action. <\/p>\n<p>Reflecting back on <em>The Baby<\/em>, one immediately visualizes Ruth Roman&#8217;s hideous matriarch (Mrs. Wadsworth) strutting around in her red boots and denim or flowing caftans. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Caftan.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Caftan.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1677\" height=\"1039\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-57365\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Caftan.png 1677w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Caftan-300x186.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Caftan-1024x634.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Caftan-128x79.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Caftan-768x476.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Caftan-1536x952.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Caftan-436x270.png 436w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1677px) 100vw, 1677px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>She is the embodiment of deceptive maternal concern, and Roman perfectly captures the nuances of her character&#8217;s psyche. Equally impressive are the film&#8217;s other players, including Comer as The Baby&#8217;s persistently frustrated case worker:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Comer2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Comer2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1645\" height=\"1029\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-57363\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Comer2.png 1645w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Comer2-300x188.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Comer2-1024x641.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Comer2-128x80.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Comer2-768x480.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Comer2-1536x961.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Comer2-432x270.png 432w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1645px) 100vw, 1645px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; Suzanne Zenor as The Baby&#8217;s bitchy blonde sister:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Sister.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Sister.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1653\" height=\"1029\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-57361\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Sister.png 1653w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Sister-300x187.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Sister-1024x637.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Sister-128x80.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Sister-768x478.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Sister-1536x956.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Sister-434x270.png 434w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1653px) 100vw, 1653px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>and David Manzy in an undeniably tricky role, but one which he nonetheless manages to pull off admirably. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1653\" height=\"1019\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-57364\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy.png 1653w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy-300x185.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy-1024x631.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy-128x79.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy-768x473.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy-1536x947.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy-438x270.png 438w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1653px) 100vw, 1653px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Perhaps the film&#8217;s greatest feat, however, is its unexpected ending, which places the rest of the movie in a completely different light, and suggests a new universe of subjugation (albeit well-meaning) for Manzy. While <em>The Baby<\/em> is certainly not for all tastes &#8212; and even the most seasoned movie-goers will inevitably cringe while watching Manzy suckling at his babysitter&#8217;s breast:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Nursing.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Nursing.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1681\" height=\"1031\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-57362\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Nursing.png 1681w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Nursing-300x184.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Nursing-1024x628.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Nursing-128x79.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Nursing-768x471.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Nursing-1536x942.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Nursing-440x270.png 440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1681px) 100vw, 1681px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; or Manzy&#8217;s sisters punishing him with a cattle prod &#8212; it&#8217;s definitely worth sitting through at least once.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Anjanette Comer as the do-gooding social worker, who holds secrets of her own<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Comer.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Comer.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1663\" height=\"1031\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-57368\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Comer.png 1663w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Comer-300x186.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Comer-1024x635.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Comer-128x79.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Comer-768x476.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Comer-1536x952.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Comer-436x270.png 436w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1663px) 100vw, 1663px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Ruth Roman&#8217;s campy yet genuinely scary performance as Mrs. Wadsworth<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Roman3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Roman3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1647\" height=\"1021\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-57360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Roman3.png 1647w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Roman3-300x186.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Roman3-1024x635.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Roman3-128x79.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Roman3-768x476.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Roman3-1536x952.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Roman3-436x270.png 436w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1647px) 100vw, 1647px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>David Manzy&#8217;s impressively daring turn as an adult baby<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy6.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy6.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1627\" height=\"1031\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-57370\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy6.png 1627w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy6-300x190.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy6-1024x649.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy6-128x81.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy6-768x487.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy6-1536x973.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Manzy6-426x270.png 426w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1627px) 100vw, 1627px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>A freaky (if utterly illogical) glimpse at long-term child abuse<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Abuse.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Abuse.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1699\" height=\"1013\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-57366\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Abuse.png 1699w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Abuse-300x179.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Abuse-1024x611.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Abuse-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Abuse-768x458.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Abuse-1536x916.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Baby-Abuse-453x270.png 453w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1699px) 100vw, 1699px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>A truly surprising twist ending<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes. This camp classic must be seen to be believed, and merits viewing by all film fanatics at least once. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cult Movie<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/imdb.com\/title\/tt0069754\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mondo-digital.com\/thebaby.html\">Mondo Digital Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Mrs. Gentry, just what do you think you&#8217;re doing?&#8221; Synopsis: A recently widowed social worker (Anjanette Comer) investigates a strange case of &#8220;child abuse&#8221; at the Wadsworth home, where she discovers that a grown man (David Manzy) has been kept in a state of infantile subjugation for 21 years. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Child Abuse Do-Gooders Ruth Roman Films Review: Bizarre, disturbing, and patently illogical, Ted Post&#8217;s The Baby is surely one of the most unusual camp classics ever&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=1834\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1834","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1834"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1834\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68999,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1834\/revisions\/68999"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1834"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1834"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1834"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}