IMDb 6.6 1977 HD

Mama’s Gone A-hunting

Mama’s Gone A-hunting

1977
75 min NR USA
6.6 IMDB

A psychotic prison escapee and his young partner decide to kidnap a wealthy couple's baby and hold it for ransom. Little do they know that the babysitter wants…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Peter Maxwell
Starring
Judy Morris / Gerard Kennedy / Carmen Duncan

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

tense unsettling grim disturbing suspenseful dark gripping intriguing effective chilling unnerving compelling

Reviews

P
Penelope Croft
May 24, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

A solid entry into the Australian thriller canon, 'Mama's Gone A-hunting' (1977) doesn't shy away from its darker themes. The plot, involving a prison escapee's plan to kidnap a baby for ransom, is already fraught with peril, but…

L
Liam Davies
May 24, 2026
2.5 / 5
2.5

While 'Mama's Gone A-hunting' attempts to weave a complex tale of crime and psychological manipulation, its execution feels somewhat uneven. The central idea of a kidnapping complicated by a malevolent babysitter is intriguing, offering fertile ground for suspense.…

I
Isobel Finch
May 24, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

This 1977 Australian thriller, 'Mama's Gone A-hunting,' is a masterclass in building suspense through character and circumstance. The chilling scenario of a child being targeted by multiple parties – first for ransom, then by a dangerously possessive babysitter…

M
Marcus Thorne
May 24, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

'Mama's Gone A-hunting' is a grimly effective piece of Australian cinema that prioritises psychological tension over overt action. The core concept of a kidnapping for ransom is complicated by the arrival of a predatory babysitter, a twist that…

E
Eleanor Vance
May 24, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

A tense and unsettling Australian thriller from 1977, 'Mama's Gone A-hunting' delivers a potent dose of suspense, largely thanks to its grim premise. The narrative, which pits a psychotic prison escapee and his partner against a wealthy couple…

FAQs

The director of 'Mama's Gone A-hunting' is listed as unknown, which means specific stylistic trademarks might not be readily attributed without critical analysis of the film itself. However, given the genre elements of a psychological thriller involving a kidnapping and potentially disturbed characters, one might expect a direction that prioritises suspenseful pacing, atmospheric tension, and character-driven performances to amplify the unsettling nature of the story.