Menu

Discover

Genres

Appearance

  • light/dark mode
powered by
moviedb

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle

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

R 1992-01-10 Drama 1hr 50m

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.

More
Trailer
Apple TV

Watch on Apple TV

close
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
Apple TV

Watch on Apple TV

Storyline

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.

  • Released
    1992-01-10
  • Revenue
    $88,036,683
  • Budget
    $11,700,000
  • Runtime
    1hr 50m
  • Genre
    Drama, Thriller
  • Status
    Released
  • Language
    English
  • imdb-logo
    6.7
  • Production
    Hollywood Pictures, Interscope Communications, Nomura Babcock & Brown

Crew

Curtis Hanson
Director
Amanda Silver
Screenplay
David Madden
Producer
Keywords:
rage and hate loss of loved one nanny destroy family's daily life infant childlessness malice desire to have children child

Stream and watch The Hand that Rocks the Cradle

similar movies

Even Dwarfs Started Small

Even Dwarfs Started Small

After This Our Exile

After This Our Exile

Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing

Suburban Girl

Suburban Girl

Keane

Keane

Ropa Blanca

Ropa Blanca

Bambi II

Bambi II

Reason to Die

Reason to Die

Soundless

Soundless

Corrina, Corrina

Corrina, Corrina

Dead Calm

Dead Calm

Gilles

Gilles

Fly Away Home

Fly Away Home

Presumed Innocent

Presumed Innocent

Der Clown - Tag der Vergeltung

Der Clown - Tag der Vergeltung

Grace Is Gone

Grace Is Gone

Needful Things

Needful Things

Hamlet

Hamlet

Angst

Angst

Darkness Falls

Darkness Falls

Cast

Annabella Sciorra

Annabella Sciorra
Claire Bartel
Rebecca De Mornay

Rebecca De Mornay
Mrs. Mott / Peyton Flanders
Matt McCoy

Matt McCoy
Michael Bartel
Ernie Hudson

Ernie Hudson
Solomon
Madeline Zima

Madeline Zima
Emma Bartel
Julianne Moore

Julianne Moore
Marlene Craven
John de Lancie

John de Lancie
Dr. Victor Mott
Kevin Skousen

Kevin Skousen
Marty Craven
Mitchell Laurance

Mitchell Laurance
Lawyer
Jane Jones

Jane Jones
Woman in Park
Brian T. Finney

Brian T. Finney
Botanical Gardens Worker
Julie Clemmons

Julie Clemmons
Female Lab Worker
Patrick Ryals

Patrick Ryals
Policeman
Charles Lucia

Charles Lucia
Realtor (as Chip Lucia)
Rachel Glenn

Rachel Glenn
Emma's Friend (uncredited)

Videos and Photos

video-bd
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle

Movie Reviews

Reviews for The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
reviewer avatar

A Review by Wuchak 6

Written by Wuchak on 2019-12-19

***The nanny from hell in the Seattle area*** A well-to-do couple in the Puget Sound region (Matt McCoy & Annabella Sciorra) hires a nann... read more

***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+

reviewer avatar

A Review by Geronimo1967 7

Written by Geronimo1967 on 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... read more

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.

Read Full Review (The thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely those of the reviewer.)
A Review by Wuchak

***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 challeng...

reviewer avatar

A Review by Wuchak 6

Written by Wuchak on 2019-12-19

***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)...

read more
reviewer avatar

A Review by Geronimo1967 7

Written by Geronimo1967 on 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 ...

read more