Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Baby Doll Blu-ray Movie Review

Cocks in the henhouse.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III February 3, 2021

Condemned by the Catholic Church and eventually pulled from theaters, Elia Kazan's Baby Doll is rightly regarded as one of the most controversial films of the 1950s. Adapted by Tennessee Williams from his stage play 27 Wagons Full of Cotton, it concerns the exploits of "Baby Doll" Meighan (Carroll Baker, in her third of many film appearances), the 19 year-old bride of lecherous middle-aged Archie Lee Meighan (Karl Malden), whose cotton gin business is as run-down as his Mississippi Delta plantation. Archie Lee's in a foul mood these days because the marriage hasn't been consummated yet... which she's reluctantly promised to do on her 20th birthday, right around the corner. But his failing business is the bigger problem, so he secretly destroys the gin of rival Silva Vacarro (Eli Wallach, in his film debut), who brings truckloads of cotton to Archie Lee's door. Silva sees Baby Doll, and then things get really complicated.

Well, not really that complicated. The suave Silva is just attracted to young Baby Doll... and he has suspicions that Archie Lee was behind his gin's destruction, but his attempted seduction of the married woman doesn't seem fueled by revenge. Nonetheless, that's exactly what happens during a shared afternoon together: Archie Lee's away from the house on business and leaves them alone together, where she eventually gives in to the Sicilian-American's forceful advances. Though hardly explicit -- likely due to Hays Code restrictions, which are tested every step of the way here -- it's implied that she has an affair and brutish Archie Lee smells it upon his return, where they share an awkward dinner prepared by Baby Doll's aunt Rose Comfort (Mildred Dunnock) and both truths finally come out. Baby's no baby anymore, and she's prepared to back up Silva's legal claims that Archie Lee destroyed his business.

Baby Doll is controversial for one thing, and one thing only: the title character's childlike nature is played to ridiculous heights, beginning with the fact that she sucks her thumb and sleeps in a crib. (The latter is justified when Archie Lee's furniture is repossessed, which makes it one of the only real places to sleep in the house.) Other than that, Baby Doll is mildly saucy at best, but the ick factor -- amplified by the film's original marketing, which includes the poster used for this Blu-ray's cover artwork -- is palpable at times and, if I'm being completely honest, really does nothing more than intensify her short growth cycle; after all, this entire movie takes place during the course of a day or two.

What's really memorable about Baby Doll are the great lead and supporting performances: everyone's perfectly cast and it's great to see Eli Wallach so early in his career, a full decade before his most famous role in Sergio Leone's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. That, and the capable direction by Elia Kazan (still riding on the strength of his previous two films, On the Waterfront and East of Eden), which is supported by great black-and-white cinematography by Boris Kaufman, whose next project would be 12 Angry Men. It's an intensely memorable show that's slightly hampered by its most notorious elements but still plays well enough today. Maybe even better, thanks to Warner Archive's excellent new Blu-ray: fans are treated to another top-tier A/V presentation and two DVD-era supplements, one of which features Eli Wallach (several years before his 2014 death) right around the same time he co-starred in The Holiday.

Baby Doll Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Sourced from an exclusive new master (which was likely a 2K scan of the film's interpositive), Baby Doll impresses on Blu-ray thanks to its stunning, silvery black-and-white cinematography by Boris Kaufman. Much of the film takes place in and around the run-down but still picturesque mansion owned by Archie Lee, from its long front staircase to the dark and dilapidated attic Baby Doll almost falls through. Simple but visually potent compositions keep things interesting from start to finish, bolstered by memorable sequences such as the initial cat-and-mouse meeting between Baby Doll and Silva, as well as the climactic nighttime shootout that's partially lit by a car's headlights. Deep silvery gradients and a huge amount of natural film grain adorn countless close-ups and mid-range shots alike (which run the gamut from deep blacks to whites that show no blooming), although some of the wider moments -- including a few establishing shots outside the mansion and a scene set within a segregated restaurant -- are extremely soft and much flatter in direct comparison. These are likely source material issues and nothing more. As a whole, Baby Doll looks remarkably consistent and purely vibrant in its visual proficiency, with Warner Archive's well-authored Blu-ray displaying no obvious signs of banding, edge enhancement, excessive digital noise reduction, or compression artifacts.

As usual, Warner Archive has uploaded several short YouTube video clips showing off their new remaster including the four-minute opening sequence and the first meeting of Baby Doll and Silva. The trailer can also be seen below.

Baby Doll Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Baby Doll's audio also impresses most of the time, although a number of badly-placed ADR lines -- many of which aren't even paired with lip movements -- distract in unlikely places. But that's no fault of the Blu-ray, which features crisp dialogue that blends well with background effects and Kenyon Hopkins' sultry original score. Source defects are few and far between with very mild hiss and crackle detected during a few brief exchanges, and no sync issues are present (aside from those unavoidable moments mentioned above). Dynamic range is in line with most one-channel releases from the era, as Baby Doll's narrow soundstage nonetheless gets the job done from start to finish.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the film only; they're formatted nicely with no sync issues.

Baby Doll Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Baby Doll arrives on Blu-ray in a standard keepcase with that controversial one-sheet poster as its cover artwork. The on-disc bonus features are limited in number but definitely worth a run-through.

• See No Evil (12:52) - This short but invaluable 2006 featurette, which includes interviews with Carroll Baker, Eli Wallach, and Karl Malden, focuses on the film's notorious reception during a very sanitized era in American history. All three naturally defend the film for its obvious anti-Puritanical merits while talking about other era-specific events such as the tragic 1955 murder of Emmitt Till, which occurred barely 50 miles from the film's production in Benoit, Mississippi. A few interesting on-set stories are also discussed, including Baby Doll and Silva's passionate close-up which was intensified by extremely chilly weather and well-placed heaters.

• Theatrical Trailer (3:00) - A sizzling vintage promotional piece that can also be seen here.

Baby Doll Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Elia Kazan's Baby Doll may be your grandfather's saucy Deep South drama, but it survives based on the strength of a solid script, great cinematography and direction, and strong early performances from soon-to-be established actors. Warner Archive's stunning Blu-ray serves up another fantastic A/V presentation and, though the recycled extras are brief, it's a very satisfying package overall. Heartily recommended to fans and first-timers alike.