Harockerce What a beautiful movie!

Spoonixel Amateur movie with Big budget

Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

alan-nutter If you're the type of movie watcher who prefers to be entertained without having to really invest in the film (and that's absolutely fine) then this movie is probably not for you. I'm fortunate in that I enjoy all types of film from juvenile slapstick such as Top Secret to classic epics like The Godfather. This particular film builds very slowly and although there's little "action" in the first third, it's well written and acted and the you can feel the tension build. Without giving too much away, it's brilliant how convincing one of the main protagonists is due to the quality of the lines attributed to him in the screenplay. Although I personally believe this movie deserves a wider audience, I fully understand that it will not appeal to a significant number of viewers. Recommend if you appreciate slow paced, well acted drama.

Rodrigo Amaro Not even heavy names like Sidney Lumet, James Mason and Beau Bridges can make of "Child's Play" everything that it should be. Halfway through a more experienced viewer like me will think of similar and better executed examples of the same story: the disturbance between the students of a boy's school after one dangerous incident after another involving injured students are deeply concerning among teachers who'll investigate the case to later find out things are not what they appear, and one of them might be the source of all this trouble. In this grandfather of films like "The Faculty", we follow the rivalry between a tyrant teacher (James Mason) hated by everyone versus a more likable guy (Robert Preston), and in the middle of this is the new PE teacher (Beau Bridges) former student of the place, now trying to uncover the mystery involving the students and their deadly beatings on some of their classmates, and also the threatening letters given to the menacing master. A movie with such divided line of classes shouldn't keep distant at one of them and focus mainly on the other. This should be like "Gosford Park", following from the top of the pyramid to the lowest level. But no. The frightening students are given one horrific scene here and there, most of the time they're in the background of the whole action and let's face it, they suck as actors with those emotionless expressions that doesn't cause anything after a while. One dimensional at its worst. And while we have time to see the teachers and the headmaster dealing with the case everything is incredibly slow, sickening and overplayed. Bridges gets sympathy from us because like him we're entering into a new thing, wanting to get answers on events that seem unexplainable; Mason gets more credit than he ever deserved it, not only from the titles giving him as a lead when he's not but also credit from many critics who praise his performance. Not only his character isn't sympathetic (even when he should be after getting more and more death threats, we should feel something for him but we don't due to its emotional overreactions) but we sense that he is too performatic, representing on a play and never being the character. He's a trained dictator and not the dictator, lack of embodiment ruined his acting in this film. If "Child's Play" deserves a little of recognition is because of Robert Preston playing the cool teacher. The more the film develops, the more he changes into something he's not, a part rarely played that grows on you. Probably the good remembrances after watching this film is because of him. I disliked this yet it was almost enjoyable. First of all there's no lesson learned in here. Movies with teachers in the main roles commonly features some rewarding (or not but they do try) lesson or a useful teaching. By those standards, what do we get? There's little devils in the school working for a great devil with a noble purpose? Quite alright. Unappealing drama, stiff horror with few pleasant and thrilling moments but it doesn't go too far with a predictable plot underworked ruined by its lack of action. This proved to be a wrong project for Lumet, he's good in conducting filmic play adaptations but this one adds almost nothing to his resume. He didn't had the touch for the horror and it's a meaningless play so why do it. Might have been successful on Broadway (as it was played at one time) but as a film doesn't deliver much. Doesn't deliver at all. Just leaves a sour taste in the mouth. 5/10

bkoganbing Apparently at this exclusive Catholic prep school even the civilian teachers have to be officially celibate. In Child's Play the focus of the film is on an intense rivalry between a pair of civilian teachers who have no outside attachments, save for James Mason and his dying mother. So they indulge in this rivalry for the approval of the students. And Robert Preston who dusts off a bit of his Harold Hill persona from The Music Man is winning hands down.Child's Play, a David Merrick Production on stage ran 342 performances during the 1970 season and starred Pat Hingle and Fritz Weaver in the roles that Preston and Mason essay here. Preston is a charmer as Professor Harold Hill was, but his charm is laced with malevolence. For reasons I'm not sure whether for money or prestige Preston turns the students against Mason, he wants Mason out to move up in some kind of seniority system.Mason makes it real easy. A stiff demanding pedagogue he's Mr. Chips before Robert Donat's marriage to Greer Garson humanized him. He's way past the age of retirement, but other than a terminally ill mother this guy has no life. Going to teach gives him an excuse to get up in the morning. Both these guys are a pair of real closet cases. Both are obsessed with the young male preppy kids they teach, Mason just does not know how to relate to them. Preston does and he uses his influence with them to produce some terrible consequences. Caught in the middle of all this is new gym teacher Beau Bridges who once went to this school. He knows both men from his years there, but learns a whole lot more once he becomes a faculty member and learns disturbing stuff about both.Child's Play is smartly directed and photographed by Sidney Lumet. Pay attention to some of the deep focus cinematography involving all three of the players I've named in joint scenes. All three register facial expressions that help move the story along immensely.I think a lot was left out of the play coming over from Broadway, but still Child's Play is a fine film with great performances from the leads.

preppy-3 I haven't seen this in years but here's what I remember.Dull horror film about the strange behavior of students at an all boys school. James Mason as a teacher thinks Robert Preston (another teacher) is trying to drive him out (or crazy). Beau Bridges tries to figure it all out.You think that a film which has young students attacked (one is blinded, another is tied up and hung from a statue) might at least be disturbing...but it's not. It's dull, slow and it's pretty obvious who the villain is (he's always lit to look evil). Also, for a PG film, this is pretty grim stuff. It all leads to an unsatisfying ending which never truly explains what's going on. Also Preston, Mason and Bridges are at their worst. I caught this on TV years ago and had trouble staying awake! A rightfully forgotten horror film. Skip it.