The 1992 thriller “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle” is a fantastic movie that sets up deep suspense from its onset, and while not a standard horror fare, the ominous tones and adrenaline fueled conclusion make it a perfect October treat.
Following 1987’s “Fatal Attraction,” the idea of a crazed female antagonist was still relatively new at the time. Rebecca De Mornay does a phenomenal job as Peyton Flanders, an alias name used by a fair haired, blue-eyed devil who totes the line between crazy and pure evil. Peyton is driven by a cauldron of revenge, obsession, and envy, and while its revealed early on in the movie, I won’t divulge its roots in this review. Her target comes in the form of the seemingly perfect life of the happily married Claire Bartel (Annabella Sciorra) whom Peyton intentionally becomes the nanny for.
“The Hand That Rocks the Cradle” employs a great balance of family life, as we see the Bartels living a typical married life, complete with small child and newborn baby. They reside in a quaint Seattle suburb, and with the perfect era of 1992, it’s a flawless setting. While the hiring of Peyton is anything but a chance encounter (you’ll know right from the beginning that she has sinister intentions) they welcome her into their home with loving arms. Peyton quickly begins to set herself up as a family savior, intentionally driving a wedge between Claire and Michael (Matt McCoy).
Another interesting dynamic comes in the form of Solomon (Ernie Hudson) who plays an intellectually disabled handyman that works around the Bartel home and quickly becomes close with the family, and in particular seven-year-old daughter Emma (Madeline Zima). A great early scene shows the unlikely bond between the two as Emma nervously asks her father what will happen to Solomon when he finishes with his initial task of fixing the fence. “We’ll have to find something else for him to do.” her father replies warmly with a smile. While the adults have reservations, the innocence of a child allows Emma to see Solomon for the kind man he truly is. Hudson, known as Winston from “Ghostbusters,” demonstrates a true talent for acting as the slow-witted Solomon.
I also loved the symbolic nature of Claire’s hobby – a greenhouse. While she plants various seeds in her garden, Peyton maliciously plants seeds of doubt into the minds of the Bartel family, pushing Emma away from her mother and trying to seduce the loving husband Michael.
The acting of the two female leads is what really drives the story. Rebecca De Mornay is masterful as the demonic Peyton, demonstrating her physical skills in one scene in which she goes from tepid to violent rage in a matter of an instant, while also delivering cold and purely evil lines. When Emma casually asks if Peyton would take care of her if anything happened to her mother, she responds in chilling fashion “Of course I would. And your daddy too. I’d take care of all of you.” Its a great scene that demonstrates the true nature of the character and keeps the audience in a state of suspenseful anxiety.
Julianne Moore adds depth as Claire’s best friend Marlene, an ancillary character who has immediate reservations about the beautiful Peyton being so close to the family. If I had to identify a weak link, it would have to be Matt McCoy – better known as Lloyd Braun in Seinfeld fame. Hes’s a capable actor but pales in comparison to the two leads.
“The Hand That Rocks the Cradle” is a great thriller, done at a time when the genre was burgeoning with excellent options. Its a testament to the art of good writing, proving that a successful antagonist doesn’t have to be an ax-wielding madman and the blood and gore can be kept at a minimum.
by – Matt DeCristo
