| The Hand That Rocks the Cradle | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Curtis Hanson |
| Written by | Amanda Silver |
| Produced by | David Madden |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Robert Elswit |
| Edited by | John F. Link |
| Music by | Graeme Revell |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Pictures Distribution |
Release date |
|
Running time | 110 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $11.9 million[1] |
| Box office | $140 million[2][3] |
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is a 1992 Americanpsychological thriller[4][5] film directed byCurtis Hanson, written byAmanda Silver, and starringAnnabella Sciorra,Rebecca De Mornay,Matt McCoy,Ernie Hudson,Julianne Moore, andMadeline Zima. The plot follows the pregnant wife of aSeattleobstetrician, who dies bysuicide after he is accused ofsexual misconduct by some of his patients. The shock leads the wife tomiscarry, after which she poses as a nanny for one of her late husband's accusers and slowly begins to infiltrate the family. The film's title is taken from the 1865poem byWilliam Ross Wallace,[6] and it features several musical pieces featured from the 1879comic operaThe Pirates of Penzance.[7]
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle was theatrically released in the United States on January 10, 1992, byBuena Vista Pictures through itsHollywood Pictures label. The film was abox office success, grossing approximatelyUS$140 million worldwide against abudget of $11.9 million, subsequently becoming one of the year's most profitable films.[8] In thehome video market, it became the top rental in July 1992,[9] and was the seventh-most rented film of 1992 in the United States.[10] The film received numerous accolades, includingSaturn Award nominations forBest Horror Film,Best Actress (De Mornay), andBest Supporting Actress (Moore).
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle was remade as theBollywood filmKhal-Naaikaa (1993), and later adapted into anotherAmerican film (2025).
Claire Bartel, aSeattle housewife pregnant with her second child, issexually assaulted by her newobstetrician, Dr. Victor Mott, during a routine check-up. Her husband Michael encourages her to report Dr. Mott to the state medical board, which results in other women coming forward with accusations. After a news telecast reports these accusations, Dr. Mott commitssuicide to avoid arrest. His widowed wife is informed that he voided hislife insurance policy by committing suicide. Additionally, his assets have been frozen because of numerous law suits, leaving her penniless and forcing the sale of her lavish home. Traumatized, Mrs. Mott goes into pre-term labor and suffers amiscarriage that necessitates an emergencyhysterectomy. While recovering, she sees a news story identifying Claire as the first woman who came forward with allegations against her husband.
Six months later, Claire has given birth to her son, Joey, and is in the midst of building her own personalgreenhouse with the help of anintellectually disabled handyman named Solomon, who has bonded with their young daughter Emma. While searching for ananny, Claire is met by Mrs. Mott, who introduces herself as "Peyton Flanders" and makes a good impression. The couple hire her, unaware of her real identity.
Mrs. Mott begins taking revenge on the Bartels by degrees: She frequentlybreastfeeds Joey in secret, causing him to reject Claire's milk, manipulates Emma into keeping secrets from Claire, and surreptitiously destroys Michael's workplace proposal. After Solomon discovers Mrs. Mott breastfeeding Joey, she places a pair of Emma's underwear in his toolbox, resulting in Claire firing him, believing he is apedophile preying on Emma; Solomon's firing causes Emma to finally turn against her mother. Despite being fired, Solomon continues to return to the home secretly to watch over the family.
Mrs. Mott arranges a surprise birthday party for Claire, which is attended by Claire's friend, Marlene, areal estate agent and former girlfriend of Michael. Mrs. Mott steals Marlene's cigarette lighter and places it in Michael's coat pocket. On the day of the party, Claire finds the lighter and vocally and vulgarly accuses him of having an affair with Marlene, only to find her and the partygoers in the next room. Marlene leaves hurt and humiliated.
Saddened by these events, Claire begins to grow increasingly suspicious of "Peyton", and suggests the family take a vacation without her. Mrs. Mott overhears this conversation, and boobytraps the greenhouse, hoping to kill Claire. However, Claire doesn't go into the greenhouse immediately, but first goes into town to pick up some seedlings. Meanwhile, Marlene discovers Mrs. Mott’s true identity via a real estate listing of the Motts' residence. Marlene arrives at the Bartels' home, where Mrs. Mott lures her into the greenhouse and sets off her trap, collapsing the glass ceiling and killing her. Knowing that Claire has a history ofasthma, and that the sight of Marlene's dead body would likely trigger an attack, Mrs. Mott empties all of Claire's inhalers, then leaves the house with Joe. Claire returns and, upon discovering Marlene's body, triggers the attack. She attempts to use her inhalers, but with all of them emptied, she manages to call9-1-1 before collapsing, resulting in her being hospitalized.
Michael is distraught at Claire's hospitalization as well as by Marlene's death, but manages to resist Mrs. Mott when she attempts to seduce him. After Claire is discharged, she visits Marlene's office and also uncovers the truth about Mrs. Mott upon visiting the Motts' house and given a tour by the new agent who replaced Marlene. Enraged, Claire returns home and punches Mrs. Mott in the face before revealing the truth to Michael. The Bartels immediately fire her and order her to leave immediately. Fearing for their safety, they plan to spend the night in a hotel.
As the Bartels prepare to leave, Mrs. Mott breaks into the home and attacks Michael with a shovel, pushing him down the basement stairs and breaking his legs. She then attempts to fulfill her true goal: taking Emma and Joe for herself. After witnessing Mrs. Mott attack Claire, Emma turns against her and locks her in the upstairs nursery. Mrs. Mott escapes and finds Solomon in the attic, aiding in the children's escape. Mrs. Mott attempts to kill Claire, apparently triggering another asthma attack. Mrs. Mott mocks her before attempting to take Joey, but Claire, having faked the attack, lunges at Mrs. Mott when Solomon momentarily distracts her. Claire pushes Mrs. Mott out the attic window, fatally impaling her on thepicket fence below. Touched at how Solomon risked his life to protect her family, Claire welcomes him back, and they all leave the attic to help Michael as the police and paramedics arrive.
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle originated as Amanda Silver's film school thesis.[11] Silver completed approximately thirty drafts of the screenplay over a two-year period.[12] Commenting on her inspiration, she said: "I was fascinated with [the idea of] what happens when people give their trust over to someone who's out to destroy them."[12] The film takes its title from the 1865poem byWilliam Ross Wallace.[6]
In August 1990, it was reported Interscope Communications was preparing the film forHollywood Pictures. By October 1990 Curtis Hanson was hired to direct.[1] The setting and location was originally meant to be inAtlanta, Georgia, but was changed to theSeattle metropolitan area.[1]
Rebecca De Mornay read the screenplay for the film and sought to play the role of Peyton, as she was "haunted" by the story.[12] De Mornay commented that the producers considered her for the project because "they wanted someone who is likable" and the part was againsttype for the roles she had become known for.[12]
Principal photography ofThe Hand That Rocks the Cradle began on April 15, 1991, after being rescheduled from February 22.[1] The film shoot was delayed due to the casting of the female leads.[1] The film was shot on location inWashington state inIssaquah,Seattle, andTacoma.[1]
The Motts' residence is located at 2502 37th Avenue West in Seattle,[13] and the Bartels' residence at 808 North Yakima Avenue in Tacoma.[14]
Sneak previews forThe Hand That Rocks the Cradle were held in several cities in the United States on December 31, 1991[15][16][17] and on January 4, 1992,[18] before the film had its nationwide theatrical premiere on January 10, 1992.[1]
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle was released onVHS on July 8, 1992, onDVD on December 8, 1998, with the original theatrical trailer as the sole special feature.[19] On September 4, 2012Disney/Buena Vista released the film onBlu-ray disc with the same theatrical trailer as the previous releases.The film was presented in its original widescreen aspect ratio, approximately 1.85:1.[20]
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle grossed $7.7 million during its opening weekend,[21] ranking number one at the U.S. box office overHook, which had held the number one spot for four weeks. It remained the number one film at the U.S. box office for four consecutive weeks, then was upended byMedicine Man, which was also released byHollywood Pictures. By the end of its run, the film earned a total of $88 million in the United States and Canada[2][22] and $52 million internationally,[3] for a worldwide total of $140 million.
OnRotten Tomatoes, 67% of 54 reviews are positive. The consensus summarizes: "Thanks largely to Rebecca De Mornay's delightfully villainous turn in the central role,The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is an entertaining—albeit rather silly—domestic thriller."[23] OnMetacritic, the film has a score of 64 out of 100, based on reviews from 26 critics.[24] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.[25]
Gene Siskel stated that he "had trouble accepting the premise of this picture because of the casual way in which the nanny is hired in an early scene by the mother," citing that the premise is unrealistic. However, he gave praise to Julianne Moore's character, saying, "Much more believable is the supporting character of the mother's best friend" and that "the friend is a terrific character, it's too bad she doesn't have more scenes in the picture." He mentioned that his "biggest objection toThe Hand That Rocks the Cradle is to its scenes with the children in jeopardy or psychic pain." Siskel finally remarked that "there are some fun thrills inThe Hand That Rocks the Cradle to be sure, but I found a lot of it distasteful, too."Roger Ebert had a higher opinion of the film, stating that he "found this film worked" and that "It touches on a fear and that's why it appeals to us." Ebert praised De Mornay's performance in the film, saying, "She does, I think, a very good job, a very, very sound job of being the villainess in this film and I think it's an effective performance", a statement which Siskel agreed with, and that he found the scenes of the children "very interesting because I saw them as a portrait of the evil of that woman."[26]
Vincent Canby ofThe New York Times said of the film that "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is meant to scare audiences more or less in the way that the patrons of the early nickelodeons were frightened when they saw the image of a train rushing at them. Audiences aren't asked to think, only to react" and that "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle proves again that not thinking isn't especially easy even today. Though Mr. Hanson is a slick movie maker, he is not an especially persuasive one here. Don't be gulled by those who would compareThe Hand That Rocks the Cradle toFatal Attraction, which features three strong characters who, in one way or another, are ready to answer for their actions." He added that "Mr. Hanson creates the occasionally effective shock effect to satisfy those who want to squeal in mock fright. More often the devices he uses are such tired tricks as the crosscutting between two sets of simultaneous, often innocent, actions to create the illusion of suspense that can't be sustained."[27] Rebecca Hawkes ofThe Daily Telegraph gave the film a rating a 3 stars out of 5 and said that "It's a tense, viscerally unsettling moment, that helps make the film into something more than just a fun, formulaic thriller",[28] while Sue Heal ofThe Radio Times rated the film 4 stars out of 5, stating that "This is pure unbridled hokum, of course, but extremely effective until the last 30 minutes, when the plot rapidly self-destructs."[29]
In 2006, the film was included inBravo's special30 Even Scarier Movie Moments, placing at #24.[30]
Dread Central reported that, in the years since the film's original release, it has garnered acult following.[31]
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle received criticism from some feminists for its depiction of sexual assault and violence between women.[12]The Washington Post reviewer Rita Kempley criticized the film, arguing that it isanti-feminist.[11] De Mornay challenged these accusations, saying: "This is a compelling story, and a compelling thriller... We have a lack of women writers and a lack of good roles for women. Because of this shortage, there's the belief in some circles that when women are portrayed in the film, they must always be portrayed as wonderful human beings. This is a kind of minority thinking I don't like. It's counterproductive."[12]
| Award/association | Year | Category | Recipient(s) and nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards | 1993 | Top Box Office Film | Graeme Revell | Won | [32] |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | 1992 | Best Actress | Rebecca De Mornay | Nominated | |
| Cognac Festival du Film Policier | 1992 | Best Actress | Won | [33] | |
| Grand Prix Award | Curtis Hanson | Won | [34] | ||
| Audience Award | Won | ||||
| MTV Movie Awards | 1992 | Best Villain | Rebecca De Mornay | Won | [35] |
| Best Female Performance | Nominated | ||||
| Saturn Awards | 1993 | Best Horror Film | The Hand That Rocks the Cradle | Nominated | [36] |
| Best Actress | Rebecca De Mornay | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actress | Julianne Moore | Nominated | |||
| Young Artist Awards | 1993 | Best Young Actress Under 10 in a Motion Picture | Madeline Zima | Nominated | [37] |
The film was remade asKhal-Naaikaa, an Indian film which was released on August 6, 1993.[38]
In 2014, it was announcedSupernatural writer Daniel Loflin was set to executive produce and write an adaptation for the film alongsideTed Field, a producer on the original film.[39] The remake was reportedly in development atABC Family, but it did not move forward.
On September 26, 2024, it was announced that a newremake was in development withWalt Disney Studios Motion Pictures under20th Century Studios, starringMaika Monroe withMichelle Garza Cervera directing and Micah Bloomberg writing the script.[40] The film was released directly to streaming onHulu on October 22, 2025.[41]
