Taglines: He’s a doll. He’s a dreamboat. He’s a delinquent.
Cry-Baby movie storyline. Allison is a “square” good girl who has decided she wants to be bad and falls hard for Cry-Baby Walker, a Greaser (or “Drape” in John Waters parlance). Spoofing Elvis movies and Juvenile Delinquency scare films of the ’50s, this movie follows the adventures of Cry-Baby who, though he is sent to juvie, is determined to cross class (and taste) boundaries to get Allison back.
Cry-Baby is a 1990 American teen musical romantic comedy film written and directed by John Waters. It was the only film of Waters’ over which studios were in a bidding war, coming off the heels of the successful Hairspray. The film stars Johnny Depp as 1950s teen rebel “Cry-Baby” Wade Walker, and also features a large ensemble cast that includes Amy Locane, Polly Bergen, Susan Tyrrell, Iggy Pop, Ricki Lake, and Traci Lords, with appearances by Troy Donahue, Joe Dallesandro, Joey Heatherton, David Nelson, Willem Dafoe, and Patricia Hearst.
The story centers on a group of delinquents who refer to themselves as “drapes” and their interaction with the rest of the town and its other subculture, the “squares”, in 1950s Baltimore, Maryland. “Cry-Baby” Walker, a drape, and Allison, a square, create upheaval and turmoil in their little town of Baltimore by breaking the subculture taboos and falling in love. The film shows what the young couple has to overcome to be together and how their actions affect the rest of the town.
About the Story
In 1954 Baltimore, Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker is the leader of a gang of “drapes”, which includes his sister Pepper, a teenage mother; Mona “Hatchet Face” Malnorowski, who is facially disfigured; Wanda Woodward, who is constantly embarrassed by her post World War II normal parents; and Milton Hackett, Hatchet Face’s devoted boyfriend. Walker’s ability to shed a single tear drives all the girls wild.
One day after school, he is approached by Allison Vernon-Williams, a pretty girl tired of being a “square”, and the two fall in love. That same day, Cry-Baby approaches the “square” part of town to a talent show at the recreation center where Allison’s grandmother hosts events, and introduces himself to her, who is skeptical of his motives. Cry-Baby invites Allison to a party at Turkey Point, a local hangout spot for the drapes.
Despite her grandmother’s skepticism, Allison accompanies Cry-Baby to Turkey Point and sings with the drapes. As Cry-Baby and Allison tell each other about their orphan lives; Cry-Baby’s father was sent to the electric chair after being the “Alphabet Bomber” – a killer who bombed places in alphabetical order and his mother tried to stop him, but also got sent to the electric chair as a result; Allison’s parents took separate flights to avoid orphaning her if they crashed, but both their planes went down. Allison’s jealous square boyfriend, Baldwin, then starts a riot. Cry-Baby is blamed for the fight and sent to a penitentiary, outraging all his friends and even Allison’s grandmother, who is impressed by Cry-Baby’s posture, manners, and musical talent.
As Lenora Frigid, a loose girl with a crush on Cry-Baby, but constantly rejected by him, claims to be pregnant with his child, Allison feels betrayed and returns to Baldwin and the squares, though her grandmother advises her against rushing into a decision. Meanwhile, in the penitentiary, Cry-Baby gets a teardrop tattoo. He tells the tattoo artist, fellow drape Dupree (Robert Tyree): “I’ve been hurt all my life, but real tears wash away. This one’s for Allison, and I want it to last forever!”.
Cry-Baby (1990)
Directed by: John Waters
Starring: Johnny Depp, Ricki Lake, Amy Locane, Susan Tyrrell, Polly Bergen, Iggy Pop, Traci Lords, Kim McGuire, Stephen Mailer, Kim Webb, Troy Donahue
Screenplay by: John Waters
Production Design by: Vincent Peranio
Cinematography by: David Insley
Film Editing by: Janice Hampton
Costume Design by: Van Smith
Set Decoration by: Virginia Nichols, Chester Overlock
Art Direction by: Delores Delux
Music by: Patrick Williams
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Release Date: April 6, 1990
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