Cry-Baby (1990)

Director:

John Waters

Writer (WGA):

John Waters (written by)

Release Date:

6 April 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

Too young to be square... Too tough to be shocked... Too late to be saved

Plot:

"Drape" (or Greaser) Wade Walker, also known as Cry-Baby for his ability to shed a single tear, falls...

Plot Keywords:

Juvenile | Dysfunctional Family | Eyeglasses | Judge | Friendship

Cast

Johnny Depp	...	Cry-Baby
Amy Locane	...	Allison
Susan Tyrrell	...	Ramona
Polly Bergen	...	Mrs. Vernon-Williams
Iggy Pop	...	Belvedere
Ricki Lake	...	Pepper
Traci Lords	...	Wanda
Kim McGuire	...	Hatchet-Face
Darren E. Burrows	...	Milton
Stephen Mailer	...	Baldwin
Kim Webb	...	Lenora
Alan J. Wendl	...	Toe-Joe
Troy Donahue	...	Hatchet's Father
Mink Stole	...	Hatchet's Mother
Joe Dallesandro	...	Milton's Father

Runtime:

85 min | USA:91 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:L | Spain:13 | Chile:14 | Peru:14 | Sweden:15 | Puerto Rico:PG-13 | Venezuela:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:13 | Finland:S | Netherlands:AL | USA:PG-13 | UK:12 (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating) (1990) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (2005) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

To find a young actor for the role of Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker, director John Waters bought $30 worth of teen magazines, all of which showed Johnny Depp of "21 Jump Street" (1987) on the cover. Depp thought the script was funny and strange, and took the offbeat role to avoid being typecast as a TV teen idol.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the opening of the film we see Wanda from a far with the girl in red that she growls at behind her. Yet when the camera comes closer the girl in red is in front of Wanda.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Wanda's mother: Hi Kids. Remember, always look both ways before crossing.
Wanda: [embarassed] Mother!

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Grease (1978)

Soundtrack:

A TEENAGE PRAYER

Troubled Love

The movie "Cry Baby" is about a young boy and girl from opposite sides of the track falling in love. Wade "Cry baby" Walker (Johnny Depp) is considered a drape and a juvenile delinquent, and Alison (Amy Locane) is considered a square and a perfect angel. In their time Drapes and Squares were not seen together. Cry Baby fights with all his heart going up against an ex-boyfriend, a concerned grandmother, and even jail to keep his love with Alison.

Baldwin (Stephen Mailer), Alison's ex-boyfriend, does everything in his power to keep Alison to himself and away from Cry Baby. He picks fights and gets his gang together to vandalize the drapes property.

Alison's grandma (Polly Bergen) is like the leader of the squares and in the beginning worries that Cry Baby will be the downfall of her grandchild. Since she is left with Alison's care, she is over protective; but she wants Alison happy more than anything. In the end she comes around and tells Alison to choose the man her heart loves.

I believe director John Waters made a new twist to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and this provides a happy ending. Through his movie, Waters tells us that love happens when it happens and that no matter what background we come from, we should fight for love with all our hearts.

I love this movie. The first time I saw this movie as a four year old girl, I said I was going to marry Cry Baby. I recommend this movie to everyone. It has action for men and romance for women. I think that it transports us back in time and helps us see the conferences of the two social classes and feeds our belief that love really can conquer it all. I have probably watched this movie a thousand times and will probably watch it a thousand more. It definitely is worth the eighty-five minutes it takes to watch.