Cry-Baby

1990
PG-13
1h 25m

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

66K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

3,021

Johnny Depp and Amy Locane in Cry-Baby (1990)

Comedy Musical

In 1950s Baltimore, a bad boy with a heart of gold wins the love of a good girl, whose boyfriend sets out for revenge.In 1950s Baltimore, a bad boy with a heart of gold wins the love of a good girl, whose boyfriend sets out for revenge.In 1950s Baltimore, a bad boy with a heart of gold wins the love of a good girl, whose boyfriend sets out for revenge.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

66K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

3,021

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos166

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
To find a young actor for the role of Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker, director John Waters bought thirty dollars 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 television teen idol.

Goofs
The tattooed teardrop on Cry-Baby's face at the end of the movie appears and disappears.

Quotes
Cry-Baby: That's right, Allison. My father was the "Alphabet Bomber." He may have been crazy, but he was my pop. Only one I ever had.
Allison: God. I heard about the Alphabet Bomber. Bombs exploding in the... in the airport and barber shop...
Cry-Baby: That's right. All in alphabetical order. Car wash... drug store... I used to lay in my crib and hear him scream in his sleep..."A,B,C,D,E,F,G... BOOM! BOOM!"
Allison: But your mom...
Cry-Baby: My mother tried to stop him. She couldn't even spell, for Christ's sake, but they fried her too.

Crazy credits
The film begins with an old-fashioned 50's style Universal logo. It's also accompanied by 50's doo-wop music. A stage curtain opens up the movie.

Alternate versions
The USA cable network version has a few extra scenes, including two extra songs, "Chicken" and "The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane":
Hatchetface's parents selling cigarettes by the school
Toe-Joe's does a "work-with-me" spiel instead of thanking his "Nudie Cutie"
an added act of a flexible little girl in the RSVP charm school talent show
extra footage of Hatchtface chasing Snaredrum and Susie Q around Ramona's front lawn
Lenora's "gunboats" are now "goldmines"
The third verse of Allison's song, "Teenage Prayer," is included
Extra footage of Cry-Baby driving his motorcycle to the charm school, a cop chasing him and an air raid drill that interupts Allison's act
Cry-Baby combs his hair instead of adjusting his crotch when he gets off of his motorcycle;
"Lay That Pistol Down" dance number is included
Cry-Baby arrives during "So Young" instead of before the song beginning, as in video version
In the movie, Hatchetface says, "Ain't ya got tits? Stick 'em out for God's sake!" In the USA Network version, she says, "Ain't ya got a figure? Show it!"
There is a longer scene with Wanda, her parents, and Inga, the Swedish exchange student
The showdown is at Turkey Point instead of at the press conference in front of the prison

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: I Love You to Death/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Cry-Baby/The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover/Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1990)

Soundtracks
King Cry Baby
Written by Doc Pomus and Dave Alvin
Performed by James Intveld
Additional vocals by Rachel Sweet
Produced by Dave Alvin

User reviews191

Review

Featured review

10/10

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.