By Melissa Antoinette Garza
As a child, I loved the movie THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE (1992). I still love movies of this genre. SINGLE WHITE FEMALE (1992), OBSESSED (2009), THE BOY NEXT DOOR (2015), PLAY MISTY FOR ME (1971) are just a few of the films that I own and love.
I rented THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE from the library. The premise of the film is that Claire Bartel (Annabella Sciorra) goes to a new doctor while she is in her third trimester. He touches her inappropriately and after she comes forward other women do to. The doctor kills himself and his wife Mrs. Mott (Rebecca De Mornay) is so distraught over losing her husband and losing his money to lawsuits, that she miscarries her own child.
She blames Claire for her life crumbling and when she finds out that the Bartel family needs a nanny, she assumes the identity of Peyton Flanders and applies for the position.
Claire and her husband Michael (Matt McCoy) take a liking to Peyton and immediately hire her. Claire’s daughter Emma (Madeline Zima) also adores Peyton.
Petyon attempts to take over Claire’s life. She wants to be mother to her children and wife to Michael.
Now here’s where the Mandela Effect may come into play. I distinctly remember two scenes that are not on the DVD and both are love scenes. I remember Michael making love to Claire right after Peyton was hired and I remember Michael having sex with Peyton when Claire was in the hospital. I then remember the scene that remains in the film when Peyton goes to Michael and he tells her there’s only one woman for him.
At first, I thought these scenes were cut out of the DVD I had. I rented it from the library and I thought that it could have been an early copy from Wal-Mart or Blockbuster as they sometimes would demand edited copies. Oddly, I looked it up and can’t find those scenes mentioned anywhere or pictures of them anywhere.
It’s the strangest thing. Mandela Effect believers or skeptics, let me know if these scenes exist somewhere or if you remember them existing. I remember distinctly De Mornay wasn’t shown naked but her back down to the top of her crack was. I also remember that Mike and Claire were really hot and heavy in their love scenes.
Anyways, even without the missing scenes, the film is fantastic. I love De Mornay. She has always been one of my celebrity girl-crushes and still is. She encompasses everything an actress should be. In this film where Peyton is wickedly evil, yet has to convince the Bartel family she’s nice, De Mornay’s talent shines. She emotes so well hinting all of her evil deeds to the audience while smiling innocently into the camera.
If you haven’t seen this or if it’s been awhile, track it down. It’s fun, silly and hardcore all at the same time.
Scared Stiff Rating: 8.5/10
