The Bad Seed
7.5/10
jumps
4
gore
2
dread
6
Tap a dot to add your rating.
Where to watch: Not on major US streamers — check digital rental.
How it scared people
The vibe
Patty McCormack plays eight-year-old Rhoda with a pageant smile and no interior weather whatsoever, and the film's best sound effect is her tap shoes on a hard floor. It's stagey — most of the cast came straight from the Broadway run — and the Production Code forced an ending nobody believes, then had everyone take a curtain call.
The Bad Seed (1956) Parents Guide
| MPA rating | No MPAA certificate (released outside the US system) |
|---|---|
| Runtime | 129 minutes |
| Jump scares | 2/5 — on the gentler side — it favors mood and atmosphere over hard scares |
| Gore | 1/5 — almost no gore |
| Dread | 3/5 — a lingering atmosphere that stays for the evening |
| Themes | psychological distress |
The Bad Seed carries no MPAA certificate. We score it 2/5 for jump scares, 1/5 for gore and 3/5 for lingering dread, over 129 minutes. Better suited to teens than to younger children.
We rate what the film does — scares, gore, dread — not scene-level content like language or nudity, which we don't track.
Before you press play
- How scary is The Bad Seed?
- On our intensity scale, The Bad Seed rates 4/10 for jump scares and 6/10 for dread. It is on the gentler side — it favors mood and atmosphere over hard scares.
- How gory is The Bad Seed?
- The Bad Seed rates 2/10 for gore — expect almost no gore.
- How long is The Bad Seed?
- The Bad Seed runs 129 minutes (2h 9m).
- What is The Bad Seed rated?
- The Bad Seed has no MPAA certificate — common for films released outside the US. On our scale it rates 4/10 for jump scares, 2/10 for gore and 6/10 for dread.
- Where to watch The Bad Seed (1956)?
- The Bad Seed is not on major US subscription streamers right now — look for it on digital rental or purchase (Apple TV, Prime Video, or your usual store).
