DramaThriller

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle

- Trust is her weapon. Innocence her opportunity. Revenge her only desire.

A suburban family chooses seemingly sweet Peyton Flanders as their newborn's nanny. Only much later does the infant's mother, Claire Bartel, realize Peyton's true intentions -- to destroy Claire and replace her in the family. The nail-biting suspense builds quickly in this chilling psychological thriller about deception and bitter revenge.

Release Date : 1992-01-10

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Hollywood PicturesInterscope CommunicationsNomura Babcock & Brown

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Claire Bartel

Original Name : Annabella Sciorra

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs. Mott / Peyton Flanders

Original Name : Rebecca De Mornay

Gender : Female

Character Name : Michael Bartel

Original Name : Matt McCoy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Solomon

Original Name : Ernie Hudson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Emma Bartel

Original Name : Madeline Zima

Gender : Female

Character Name : Marlene Craven

Original Name : Julianne Moore

Gender : Female

Character Name : Dr. Victor Mott

Original Name : John de Lancie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marty Craven

Original Name : Kevin Skousen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lawyer

Original Name : Mitchell Laurance

Gender : Male

Character Name : Woman in Park

Original Name : Jane Jones

Gender : Female

Character Name : Botanical Gardens Worker

Original Name : Brian T. Finney

Gender : Male

Character Name : Female Lab Worker

Original Name : Julie Clemmons

Gender : Female

Character Name : Policeman

Original Name : Patrick Ryals

Gender : Male

Character Name : Realtor (as Chip Lucia)

Original Name : Charles Lucia

Gender : Male

Character Name : Emma's Friend (uncredited)

Original Name : Rachel Glenn

Gender : Male

Reviews

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2021-06-23

***The nanny from hell in the Seattle area*** A well-to-do couple in the Puget Sound region (Matt McCoy & Annabella Sciorra) hires a nanny not knowing that she has axes to grind (Rebecca De Mornay). Ernie Hudson plays a mentally challenged laborer while Julianne Moore is on hand as the wife’s best friend. "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle" (1992) is a drama/thriller in the mold of contemporaneous flicks like “The Stepfather” (1987) and “The Crush” (1993). The events even take place in the same area as those. While it’s the least of these, it’s not far off in overall quality. It has a bit of a Lifetime movie vibe and the serviceable Sciorra doesn’t trip my trigger while De Mornay’s character is a turn-off because she’s obviously nutzoid. Meanwhile Moore superbly plays a biyatch while McCoy is ineffectual as the hubby. The locations are fabulous, however. The movie runs 1 hour, 50 minutes, and was shot in Seattle, Tacoma and Issaquah, Washington. GRADE: B-/C+

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-09-18

For a while, Rebecca de Mornay is quite menacing as the live-in nanny "Peyton". She is hired by "Claire" (Annabella Sciorra) and her husband "Michael" (Matt McCoy) to look after their baby. Initially all kind and helpful, we soon begin to suspect that she has another agenda - and that she will stop at nothing to attain it! Sadly, after about twenty minutes the story rather settles into a predictable pattern as she gradually manipulates the family, exploits and creates some cracks in the marriage (or tries to, anyway) before a denouement that is really rather weak and takes just a bit to long to arrive. The production is maybe just a bit too pristine, too sterile, to sustain the sense of peril and the dialogue is just too wordy with scenarios taking too long to cook. Still, it's quite watchable film just one that I think has dated rather over the last thirty years into a mediocre television thriller.