Not even heavy names like Sidney Lumet, James Mason and Beau Bridges can make of "Child's Play" everything that it should be. Halfway through a more experienced viewer like me will think of similar and better executed examples of the same story: the disturbance between the students of a boy's school after one dangerous incident after another involving injured students are deeply concerning among teachers who'll investigate the case to later find out things are not what they appear, and one of them might be the source of all this trouble. In this grandfather of films like "The Faculty", we follow the rivalry between a tyrant teacher (James Mason) hated by everyone versus a more likable guy (Robert Preston), and in the middle of this is the new PE teacher (Beau Bridges) former student of the place, now trying to uncover the mystery involving the students and their deadly beatings on some of their classmates, and also the threatening letters given to the menacing master. A movie with such divided line of classes shouldn't keep distant at one of them and focus mainly on the other. This should be like "Gosford Park", following from the top of the pyramid to the lowest level. But no. The frightening students are given one horrific scene here and there, most of the time they're in the background of the whole action and let's face it, they suck as actors with those emotionless expressions that doesn't cause anything after a while. One dimensional at its worst. And while we have time to see the teachers and the headmaster dealing with the case everything is incredibly slow, sickening and overplayed. Bridges gets sympathy from us because like him we're entering into a new thing, wanting to get answers on events that seem unexplainable; Mason gets more credit than he ever deserved it, not only from the titles giving him as a lead when he's not but also credit from many critics who praise his performance. Not only his character isn't sympathetic (even when he should be after getting more and more death threats, we should feel something for him but we don't due to its emotional overreactions) but we sense that he is too performatic, representing on a play and never being the character. He's a trained dictator and not the dictator, lack of embodiment ruined his acting in this film. If "Child's Play" deserves a little of recognition is because of Robert Preston playing the cool teacher. The more the film develops, the more he changes into something he's not, a part rarely played that grows on you. Probably the good remembrances after watching this film is because of him. I disliked this yet it was almost enjoyable. First of all there's no lesson learned in here. Movies with teachers in the main roles commonly features some rewarding (or not but they do try) lesson or a useful teaching. By those standards, what do we get? There's little devils in the school working for a great devil with a noble purpose? Quite alright. Unappealing drama, stiff horror with few pleasant and thrilling moments but it doesn't go too far with a predictable plot underworked ruined by its lack of action. This proved to be a wrong project for Lumet, he's good in conducting filmic play adaptations but this one adds almost nothing to his resume. He didn't had the touch for the horror and it's a meaningless play so why do it. Might have been successful on Broadway (as it was played at one time) but as a film doesn't deliver much. Doesn't deliver at all. Just leaves a sour taste in the mouth. 5/10

Apparently at this exclusive Catholic prep school even the civilian teachers have to be officially celibate. In Child's Play the focus of the film is on an intense rivalry between a pair of civilian teachers who have no outside attachments, save for James Mason and his dying mother. So they indulge in this rivalry for the approval of the students. And Robert Preston who dusts off a bit of his Harold Hill persona from The Music Man is winning hands down.Child's Play, a David Merrick Production on stage ran 342 performances during the 1970 season and starred Pat Hingle and Fritz Weaver in the roles that Preston and Mason essay here. Preston is a charmer as Professor Harold Hill was, but his charm is laced with malevolence. For reasons I'm not sure whether for money or prestige Preston turns the students against Mason, he wants Mason out to move up in some kind of seniority system.Mason makes it real easy. A stiff demanding pedagogue he's Mr. Chips before Robert Donat's marriage to Greer Garson humanized him. He's way past the age of retirement, but other than a terminally ill mother this guy has no life. Going to teach gives him an excuse to get up in the morning. Both these guys are a pair of real closet cases. Both are obsessed with the young male preppy kids they teach, Mason just does not know how to relate to them. Preston does and he uses his influence with them to produce some terrible consequences. Caught in the middle of all this is new gym teacher Beau Bridges who once went to this school. He knows both men from his years there, but learns a whole lot more once he becomes a faculty member and learns disturbing stuff about both.Child's Play is smartly directed and photographed by Sidney Lumet. Pay attention to some of the deep focus cinematography involving all three of the players I've named in joint scenes. All three register facial expressions that help move the story along immensely.I think a lot was left out of the play coming over from Broadway, but still Child's Play is a fine film with great performances from the leads.

This is an excellent film. Unfortunately the word subtle, which applies to this film, is used as a negative by the only (at this date) other comment on "Child's Play." Subtle it is, and those who like character studies and evocative camera work, a sustained mood and a finely wrought battle between good and evil will be delighted. If you like the garbage that passes for horror in most of today's bloodfests and loud, non-stop, effects-driven films, well - don't bother. Robert Preston and James Mason, two A-list actors, knew good material and both give performances that rank highly with the best of their careers. This film was directed by the great Sidney Lumet, and reveals what is usually best about Lumet's work: great acting, sustained mood, the ability to confine the action to one setting and exploit it for all it is worth, attention to detail and precise pacing that builds exactly as it should. This unheralded gem deserves a DVD release soon!

Chances are you will never have an opportunity to see this film as it hasn't been on TV for ages. However, I wouldn't say it is as bad as some of the comments. I thought it was well acted, but the ending left the viewer confused about exactly what had happened with the boys. The fates of two of the three major characters are also left to the viewer's imagination. Robert Preston and James Mason made interesting foils. Mason managed to make his character a man to be despised and pitied. Preston was also quite capable in his role - all sweetness and light with increasingly malevolent undertones.If it had been as dull as described in some of the other comments, I probably wouldn't have been able to stay awake since I watched it in the wee hours of the AM.