The Bad Seed

1

- Be right out, sergeant.

- Yes, sir.

- Car's here, sweetheart.

- All right, darling.

Rhoda.

Rhododendron, pal.

That's a mighty pretty piece.

It's Au Clair de la Luna, Daddy.

In English, that means

"By the Light of the Moon."

Well, I hate to tune you off, but have

you got time to come say goodbye?

Of course, Daddy.

- Will you write Mother every day?

- I'll write both my girls every day.

And will you put in a special page

just for me?

Oh, she has to have a very special page

all her own, you know.

- Ha, ha.

- A special page with lots of X's.

Oh, Monica, how nice.

Yes, here's your effusive landlady from

upstairs, darlings, come to say goodbye.

No life of my own,

so I need other people's.

I speak for my brother Emory as well.

He had to go to meet Reginald Tasker.

He's the speaker

at our psychiatry club this evening.

Emory never gets a chance

to speak when I'm around.

Oh, dear, I've talked enough.

You say something, colonel.

I'm afraid it'll just have

to be goodbye, Monica. I'm taking off.

Do something about not having a war.

I'm not ready to be turned

into a piece of chalk just yet.

Well, by... By gum, I'll try.

You said "by gum" because I'm here.

- You're right. I did.

- Don't worry about your two darlings.

If either of them begins to look peaked,

I'll send smoke signals.

- Thanks, Monica.

- Rhoda, dear, let's you and I stay here...

...so Mommy and Daddy can say goodbye

by themselves.

- Besides, I have a surprise for you.

- Presents?

Rhoda.

All right.

I'll take my goodbye present here.

Now, what'll you give me

if I give you a basket of kisses?

Ha, ha. I'll give you a basket of hugs.

I'll miss your hugs.

I'll miss your kisses, Daddy.

You're so big and strong.

See my effect on girls?

Goodbye now, sweetheart.

- Take care of Mommy?

- I will, Daddy.

- Goodbye, Monica.

- Goodbye.

Come on, darling.

What have you got for me, Aunt Monica?

Let's see if you can guess.

- Good morning, sergeant.

- Morning, Mrs. Penmark.

Thanks, sergeant.

Darling, when you see Daddy

in Washington...

...will you have him come

and pay me a visit?

Sure, I will.

Oh, Kenneth.

- We've lived through this before.

- Oh, I know it.

I'm just not in any mood

to shout "hooray," that's all.

- Smile, girl.

- Ha, ha.

My girl?

Oh, yes, forever and ever.

Bye, darling.

Look, Mommy.

Oh. Monica,

what have you given her now?

It's a pair of dark glasses to keep the sun

out of those pretty blue eyes...

...and the rhinestones to frame them in.

My, my, who is this

glamorous Hollywood actress?

Ooh, I like them.

- Where's the case?

- Here it is, dear.

Didn't you ever hear

about spoiling people?

Nonsense.

Now, here's something else.

This was given to me

when I was 8 years old.

- It's a little young for me now.

- Ha-ha-ha.

But it's still just right

for an 8-year-old.

Monica, Monica, I just don't know

what I'm going to do with you.

However, there's a garnet set in it, so we'll

have to change that for a turquoise...

...since turquoise is your birthstone.

Could I have both stones?

The garnet too?

- Rhoda. Rhoda.

- Ha-ha-ha.

What a way to behave. Now...

- Why, certainly you may, of course.

- Tsk, tsk, tsk.

How wonderful to meet

such a natural little girl.

She knows what she wants

and she asks for it.

Not like these over civilized little pets

that have to go through analysis...

...before they can choose

an ice cream soda.

- Ha, ha.

- Aunt Monica. Dear, sweet Aunt Monica.

Darling, I know I'm behind the times,

but I thought children wore blue jeans...

...or play suits to picnics.

Now, you, my love, look like a princess

in that red-and-white dotted Swiss.

Aren't you afraid you'll get it dirty or

that you'll fall and scuff those new shoes?

- Uh-uh.

- Oh.

She won't soil the dress

and she won't scuff the shoes.

Rhoda never gets anything dirty,

although how she manages it, I don't know.

I don't like blue jeans. They're not...

You mean blue jeans are not quite ladylike,

don't you, my darling?

Oh, you sweet, old-fashioned little dear.

Am I to keep this now?

You're to keep it until I can find out

where to get the stone changed.

- Put it in my treasure drawer.

- Rhoda, we'll be leaving in a few minutes.

Is your room all straightened?

Yes, Mother.

Unnecessary question.

Leroy.

- Leroy.

- Yes, Miss Breedlove?

What on earth

do you think you're doing?

I'm just trying to hurry

with my chores, ma'am.

Well, ring first and wait.

If nobody answers, then use your key.

Morning, Mrs. Penmark.

I left my chammy and pail...

...doing the inside windows yesterday.

Very well, Leroy. They're in the bathroom.

Does he always crash in that way?

Only when we're up and about, I think,

trying to prove his individualism.

- Leroy doesn't mean any harm.

- Has the mind of an 8-year-old...

...but he's managed to produce a family,

so I keep him on.

Monica. Ha, ha.

Morning, Miss Uppity.

When I was in school,

we didn't have no picnics.

I don't care what you didn't have.

Oh, we'll go right along, dear.

I just wanna write

this tuition check for Miss Fern.

Yes, Mother.

Excuse me.

You sound like Fred Astaire

tap-tapping across the room.

What have you got on your shoes?

I run over my heels...

...and Mother had these iron pieces

put on them so they'd last longer.

I'm afraid I can't take any credit.

It was Rhoda's idea entirely.

I think they're very nice.

They save money.

Oh, you penurious little sweetheart.

You think of everything,

take everything so much to heart.

That's one reason why I thought

you should have some presents today.

You wanted to win that

penmanship medal very much, didn't you?

It's the only gold medal Miss Fern gives,

and it was really mine.

Everybody knew I wrote the best hand

and I should've had it.

I just don't see how Claude Daigle

got the medal.

Oh, Rhoda, Rhoda.

These things happen to us all the time...

...and when they do,

we simply accept them.

Now, I've told you,

darling, try to forget it.

I'm sorry. I know you don't like

people pawing over you.

It was mine! The medal was mine!

It was mine! The medal was mine!

Hey!

Leroy, have you lost your senses?

Look at Rhoda's shoes.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Breedlove, but she had

to come running out just as I was...

Leroy! RHODA:
Hey!

- Sorry, ma'am.

- Leroy, I own this apartment house.

I employ you. I've tried to give you

the benefit of every doubt...

...because you have a family.

I've thought of you as emotionally

immature, torn by irrational rages...

...a bit on the psychopathic side.

But after this demonstration,

I think my diagnosis was entirely too mild.

You're definitely a schizophrenic

with paranoid overtones.

I've had enough

of your discourtesy and surliness...

...and so have the tenants in my building.

My brother has wanted to discharge you.

- I've been on your side.

- Monica...

- I shall protect you no longer...

- Monica.

He didn't mean it. It was an accident.

- Sure, it was...

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