The Babysitter (1980)

Liz Benedict, a very protective mother, seeks help for her energetic daughter, Tara. She hires 18-year-old orphan Joanna Redwine as a housemaid and live-in companion. Liz's husband, Jeff, is hesitant but agrees. Soon, his worries are justified as Joanna displays an unsettling ability to manipulate everyone in the family, gradually disrupting their lives. As the Benedict family experiences growing conflict, their neighbor, Dr. Linquist, investigates Joanna’s past and discovers a disturbing history explaining her unusual behavior. This discovery leaves the family questioning whether they can trust someone who has so deeply integrated into their lives and is now causing lasting harm. The film explores themes of trust, manipulation, and the repercussions of impulsive choices as a family falls apart under the influence of a mysterious newcomer. The suspenseful story keeps audiences guessing about how far Joanna will go in her pursuit of control.