Leroy was kinda stupid! - The Bad Seed (1956) Discussion

[–] w0304577 10 years ago

He didn't seriously believe she really killed Claude. He was teasing her the whole time. When she said she put her shoes down the incinerator, he made up the story about finding them just to get her mad. Then, when she starting freaking out about it to the point where she was about to blow up, he suddenly realized that it was all true. He gets a horrified look on his face and says something like, "I was fooling before, but now I believe you killed him!" Then he goes down to the incinerator and finds the shoes. He didn't even know they were really down there until that moment.

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[–] JCrewgirl 10 years ago

That look on his face was hilarious to me it was like "Oh crap this girl is really crazy!" LOL!

"Don't they know they're making love to one already dead?!"

Love Les Miserables!!!

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[–] genevaporter 10 years ago

Leroy was a bit of a shady character who probably had his own run-ins with the police. He may not have fostered the most trustworthy reputation for them.

Imagine how seriously anyone would take him if he ran into the police station with tales about how the polite, wholesome-looking nine-year-old girl that lives in his building is a murderer.

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[–] ElectricWarlock 10 years ago

I agree. It seemed that no one in the entire film liked him or took him seriously. Whereas everyone (with the exception of Christine and Mrs. Daigle) loved Rhoda and thought her to be a sweet, innocent angel. Nobody would've believed him anyways.

Death lives in the Vault of Horror!

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[–] prettynoose69 10 years ago

Leroy should have given those damn shoes back to Rhoda as soon as he found them in the incinerator.. Wrapped then them up nice and pretty and handed them over, then gotten the hell out of there. Certainly it was no time for a nap!

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[–] necoleman 10 years ago

I am formerly known as Hillieboliday.....Member since May 2006:

In the book, Leroy's wife warned him to stay from the Penmarks; that he was going to get himself into some serious trouble! He was obsessed with them, and jealous of their social/economic standing. Also, in the book, Leroy had some very lewd, ideas about Christine Penmark, and was always fantasizing what he would do to her sexually if given the chance!

"OOhhhooo....I'M GON' TELL MAMA!"

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[–] kaskait 10 years ago

I haven't read the book, I did read the play adaptation the film was based on.

Interesting that the film has turned Rhoda into Leroy's object of obsession not Christine. The way he acts toward Rhoda and tries to talk to her is extremely creepy. And his scene where he says they are alike was just horrifying.

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[–] necoleman 10 years ago

I'm formerly known as HillieBoliday.....Member since May 2006:

I'm thinking maybe he directed his obsession/attention to Rhoda because she indulged him more in dialogue, whereas Christine did not. Plus, I'm also thinking because Leroy had such a dark side to himself.....he recognized and was fascinated by the dark side he saw in Rhoda.

All very creepy indeed. Every aspect of this movie just reeks of death, darkness, depression, disbelief and despair.....including the sound track!

"OOhhhooo....I'M GON' TELL MAMA!"

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[–] DaveMattia 9 years ago

Leroy was a simple-minded idiot. Monica even says as much -- and how she is surprised that he even was able to raise a family. He had the mind of a child and that's why he pits himself against Rhoda. How could you people not know this???
The universal dreamer rises up -- above his earthly burdens.

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[–] necoleman 9 years ago

I am formerly known as HillieBoliday.....Member Since Ma 2006.

I think we do get it, for those of us who've read the book; but it's so much fun to indulge in dialogue analyzing the characters, especially Leroy. This movie is so compeling, and just makes you want to apply your own amateur, sitting around the kitchen table.....psychologist skills.

"OOhhhooo....I'M GON' TELL MAMA!"

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[–] singjohn 9 years ago

Wasn't he supposed to be mentally handicapped? That's the impression I always got.

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[–] lrdcharlton 9 years ago

No, he wasn't intellectually challenged, he was actually quite smart but not sophisticated. He did however, have a somewhat perverse obsession with Rhoda. He, unlike other adults, could see through her and knew she wasn't as nice as she led others to believe. I also think he saw what other children saw in her. It seems that his pat time wa merly just annoying her, and she, while having little regard for him, indulged him. He just didn''t know what he was really dealing with and it led to his demise.

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[–] jim_85258 8 years ago

People who do bad things and get away with it think they are being smart. Leroy wasn't book smart and but his mind was mischievous and diabolical and he used excuses like being clumsy to get away with his bad behavior. There are lots of Leroy's in the world. Most of us know one or two of them, some more extreme than others like Rhoda.

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[–] necoleman 8 years ago

I am formerly known as HillieBoliday....Member since May 2006

In the book, LeRoy had a sexual, fantasy obsession with Christine. Also in the book,
LeRoy would come home and talk incessantly about the Penmark's; especially Rhoda.

His wife warned him profusely that if he didn't stop talking to Rhoda he was inviting trouble; and she was absolutely right!

"OOhhhooo....I'M GON' TELL MAMA!"

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[–] MsLadybird99 8 years ago

Leroy was creepy and of limited intellect.

Walking in their apartment unannounced. Hanging around and teasing a little girl. He was probably on some predator list.

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[–] necoleman 8 years ago

I am formerly known as HillieBoliday....Member since May 2006

That definitely describes LeRoy. Only....back in 1954, when author, William Marshall, (who died one month after publishing his riveting book), the stage play debuting in 1955; and the movie hitting the big screen in 1956; I don't know if there were any predator lists in effect.

Can't remember when law enforcement agencies started these lists...(1980's/1990's maybe)? But if they did have one back then.....maybe LeRoy would've been a prime candidate.

"OOhhhooo....I'M GON' TELL MAMA!"

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[–] lrdcharlton 8 years ago

I doubt he was a predator in the way you describe him. He was a bit obsessed with the Pennmarks, but in a jealous way. He liked picking on Rhoda because he saw through her perfect act and was attracted to Christine because she was apparently very beautiful. Even Reginald and Emory sort of have a creepy attraction towards Christine. In the book I recall Monica inviting Christine over as a distraction for her brother and Tasker so she could shake down some rich sisters for money. He was teasing Rhoda because he could get away with it with her as she never told on him, heck she defended him a few times, so he was just going after an easy target, there was no pedophilic feelings toward Rhoda.

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[–] zxdex88 8 years ago

I was doing online research about William March and (now I can't remember where I read this) Mr. March implied that Leroy was indeed attracted to Rhoda in a way because he felt they were so much alike. But it was a subliminal attraction, not overt. So there was some kind of strange attraction going on with Leroy for Rhoda (this of course all refers to the novel since Mr. March died one month after it was published.) All of this confirms what I've long felt about Leroy's relationship with Rhoda. Before he found out she actually was a murderer he kind of secretly admired her and was attracted to her. That's why he sprayed her with the hose, said Mr. March. Weird, I know. I just read that at some site tonight -- darn it I wish I could remember where. I tried to find it again but can't. This article explained a whole lot about Leroy.

What I've always liked about Leroy is that even though he is ridiculed and looked down upon by everybody, he is the only one smart enough to see right through Rhoda. Only he didn't suspect she was actually evil. I kind of like Leroy. He was sleazy sure, but he was smart. I always did like Henry Jones the actor. He was on everything on television in the 1950s and early '60s.

William March based Bessie Denker on real-life serial killer Belle Gunness.

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[–] lrdcharlton 8 years ago

Yes, he did admire her and had an attraction. I was just saying that the attraction wasn't sexual in nature like other people are implying. Someone on another thread reasoned that, though she didn't like him, she liked talking to him because she could be herself as she knew he saw through her. Also, that he provided her with useful information. I was always fascinated that no matter how much he harassed her, that she never considered killing him until he unwittingly found out her penchant for killing people and posed a threat to her.

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[–] zxdex88 8 years ago

Yes, he did admire her and had an attraction. I was just saying that the attraction wasn't sexual in nature like other people are implying. Someone on another thread reasoned that, though she didn't like him, she liked talking to him because she could be herself as she knew he saw through her. Also, that he provided her with useful information. I was always fascinated that no matter how much he harassed her, that she never considered killing him until he unwittingly found out her penchant for killing people and posed a threat to her.

I agree completely with your assessment of their relationship. Leroy was useful to Rhoda, in a way. And it was fun to see how Leroy was the only one who knew how to 'get under her skin'. He knew how to rattle her. Nobody else could or would even think of that. That's because no one else suspected anything bad of this 'perfect little angel'. Leroy should have listened to his wife (in the novel) and had nothing to do with Rhoda or her Mom. But he couldn't resist it.

That article I read (I will copy/paste it here if I can ever find it again) was talking about how heavily influenced by Freudian psychoanalysis some of The Bad Seed novel was.
It was the Freudian analysis of repressed sexuality that it was referring to. Monica had an obsession with that kind of thing, as you recall.

I just got a Blu Ray wide screen copy of the movie. All I had before was a very old VHS video tape copied off of TV. Not very good quality.

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[–] InherentlyYours 8 years ago

I doubt he was a predator in the way you describe him.

I agree; it's our new-age mentality for people to call every man who looks or acts different a predator or a pedophile. Leroy was intelligent, and seemed quite innocent. It's too bad people today need to imagine the nastiest sexual things about people and things. (and think they're being so hip doing it)

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[–] kentry 8 years ago

I thought Leroy was smart because he waa one of the main adults who could see that Rhoda definitely wasn't a sweet good girl and mentioned how mean she actually was. Funny how the adult meant to be a dumbass was the main one to see how evil she really was. Her mother slowly came to grasps with how cold Rhoda was, but Leroy always thought she was cold.

Drake is repetitive. He just raps the same thing over and over as if he is in an insane asylum!LOL:D

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[–] jim_85258 8 years ago

Agreed Kentry. Sometimes it takes one to know one and Leroy knew Rhoda was like him as he mentions in the movie. There are different kinds of smart. Some people are highly educated but have no street smarts or common sense and some people who are very street smart have no education at all. Leroy was smart in a sneaky mischievous prankster kind of way.

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[–] 8 years ago

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[–] franzkabuki 7 years ago

Not to mention monumentally annoying. And the occasions when he faced the camera with his corny monologues were the lowest points in an already shaky affair, real facepalm moments.

"facts are stupid things" Ronald Reagan

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