I Don’t Want to Be Born

I Don’t Want to Be Born

JustWatch#9,4894

Year: 1975

Runtime: 95 mins

Language: English

Director: Peter Sasdy

HorrorThriller

Pray for the devil within her before it preys on you. After a woman gives birth, she discovers her newborn is not an ordinary child but appears possessed by the vengeful spirit of a dwarf she once rejected. A series of bizarre murders follows, each linked by the unsettling presence of the baby in its pram.

Where to Watch I Don’t Want to Be Born?

Find where to stream, rent, or buy I Don’t Want to Be Born (1975) in the US with current JustWatch availability, up-to-date pricing, and platform listings for subscription, rental, and digital purchase options.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen I Don’t Want to Be Born yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – I Don’t Want to Be Born (1975)

Trace every key event in I Don’t Want to Be Born (1975) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Hercules's confrontation in the dressing room

After the club's show, Hercules corners Lucy in her dressing room and gropes her. She is uncomfortable but tries to downplay the incident. Stage manager Tommy rushes in, ejects Hercules, and later begins an affair with Lucy.

Night of the show London club dressing room
2

Hercules's curse on Lucy

Hercules delivers a chilling curse to Lucy, warning that she will bear a monstrous child. The taunt hints at the dark events looming over her. The moment closes the incident in the dressing room.

Night of the show Dressing room, London club
3

Months pass and Lucy's life changes

Months pass and Lucy leaves her nightlife behind, marrying the wealthy Italian Gino Carlesi. The couple moves into a grand Kensington townhouse and starts a conventional domestic life. The shift marks a transition from showbiz to a privileged, uneasy stability.

Months later Kensington townhouse, London
4

The birth and the first signs of danger

Lucy goes into hospital to give birth to the baby, a notably heavy infant. The delivery is long and dangerous, and Lucy is left with a slashed cheek from the baby's abrupt grip. Dr. Finch explains the baby seemed alarmed by being held too tightly.

At birth Hospital
5

Home with the baby; the housekeeper's dislike

Lucy and Gino bring the baby home to their townhouse, where Mrs. Hyde quickly proves wary of the child. The housekeeper suffers a bite on the finger and later finds a dead mouse in her tea, signaling that something malevolent is at work. The atmosphere grows tense as mother and home feel unsettled.

Soon after birth Kensington townhouse
6

Mandy's visit and a haunted nursery

Lucy is visited by her friend Mandy to talk about motherhood, but their conversation is interrupted by crashes from upstairs. They discover the nursery in ruins with the baby still in his cot amid the destruction. The ominous scene foreshadows that the child may be more than mischievous.

Shortly after Mandy's visit Kensington townhouse nursery
7

Albana's arrival and the exorcism threat

Albana, Gino's nun sister, arrives from Italy and urges the family to pray for the baby. When they attempt prayer, agonizing screams erupt from the nursery. Dr. Finch is called in and orders a battery of tests on the infant.

Following Albana's arrival Townhouse
8

Nurse Jill Fletcher hired; a near-tragic bath

Lucy hires Jill Fletcher to help with the baby. During a bath, the nurse is pulled underwater in a near-miss incident. Later, while taking the baby for a walk in the park, Jill falls and drowns after cracking her head on a rock.

After the hospital events Townhouse; Park
9

Tommy's confrontation with the baby

Lucy visits Tommy at his strip club and hints that the baby might be his. He asks to see the child and goes to Lucy's house, where he peers into the cot and is struck by a bloody nose. The baby’s face briefly seems to morph into Hercules, deepening the fear.

After the nurse's death Strip club and Lucy's house
10

Gino's disappearance and death

Gino returns one night to check on the baby; the nursery is empty and a noose is found. He is hanged from a tree and his body is stuffed down a drain. Lucy spends the following day crisscrossing London in a frantic search for him.

Following the night of the missing baby Garden/House
11

Dr. Finch is killed

Dr. Finch visits again, sedating Lucy before heading to the garden to check on the baby. He is decapitated with a spade, a brutal sign that danger has entered the house.

Same night Garden
12

Lucy is murdered in the home

Back in the house, Lucy stumbles through a drugged stupor and pleads for her life, but is stabbed through the heart with a pair of scissors. The killer escapes into the night as chaos unfolds inside the townhouse.

Same night Kensington townhouse
13

Albana's exorcism and Hercules's death

Albana resolves to perform an exorcism on the baby, brandishing a crucifix and reciting Latin while the room trembles. The baby's demonic struggle seems to erupt in violent energy during the ritual. In the strip club, Hercules writhes in pain as the same dark force overtakes him.

Final confrontation Nursery (townhouse) and Strip Club
14

Demons cast out and the monster slain

As the exorcism reaches its peak, the demon is expelled and Hercules dies on stage in front of the stunned club audience. The immediate danger ends, but the household is left haunted by the night’s horror and its price.

Climax Nursery; Strip Club

Last updated: October 05, 2025 at 11:20

Was this helpful?

I Don’t Want to Be Born (1975) Timeline Questions Answered – Chronology FAQ

Find frequently asked questions about the I Don’t Want to Be Born (1975) timeline, including chronological order, nonlinear jumps, cause-and-effect links, and scene sequence clarifications. This timeline FAQ helps explain when key events happen, how moments connect, and why the story unfolds in that specific order.

Q1

Why is the baby evil and commits murders?

A.

The baby is possessed by the vengeful spirit of Hercules, a dwarf performer whom Lucy rejected after he attacked her in the club dressing room. Hercules cursed her before she left, promising she would bear a monstrous child. The baby is the vessel for his malevolent spirit, which drives the violent events and murders throughout the film. The exorcism performed by Albana is the only thing that can expel this demon and break the curse.

Hercules delivers his chilling curse to Lucy in the dressing room, warning she will bear a monstrous child.

babydemonpossessedcurseHerculessupernatural
Q2

How does Hercules die in the end?

A.

Hercules dies on stage at his strip club during Albana's exorcism of the baby. As the ritual reaches its peak and the demon is expelled from the child, the same dark force overtakes Hercules in the club. He writhes in pain and dies in front of his stunned audience, linking his fate directly to the baby he cursed.

The curse connects Hercules to the baby spiritually, so his fate is tied to the child's.

Hercules deathexorcismstrip clubfinal scene
Q3

What happens to Gino, Lucy's husband?

A.

Gino is killed after discovering the baby is missing from his cot. He searches the house and finds a noose in the nursery. That night, he is hanged from a tree in the garden and his body is stuffed down a drain. Lucy spends the following day frantically searching London for him, but he is already dead.

The empty cot and noose hint at the danger awaiting Gino.

Gino deathhangedgardenmurdered
Q4

How does Lucy die?

A.

Lucy is killed in her Kensington townhouse on the same night as the other murders. Dr. Finch sedates her before going outside, but she stumbles through the house in a drugged stupor. She pleads for her life before being stabbed through the heart with a pair of scissors. The killer escapes into the night, leaving Lucy dead in her own home.

Dr. Finch sedating Lucy removes her ability to protect herself or escape.

Lucy deathstabbedscissorstownhouse
Q5

Why does the nurse Jill die?

A.

Jill Fletcher is hired to help with the baby and experiences two dangerous incidents. First, during a bath, she is pulled underwater by the baby in a near-drowning. Later, while taking the baby for a walk in the park, she falls and cracks her head on a rock, then drowns in the water. Both incidents suggest the baby has supernatural strength and malevolent intent.

The bath incident demonstrates the baby's dangerous capabilities.

nurse Jilldrownedparkbaby attack
Q6

What is the connection between Hercules and the baby?

A.

Hercules's spirit possesses the baby as part of his revenge for Lucy rejecting him. When Tommy visits the baby and looks into the cot, the child's face briefly morphs into Hercules's face, revealing the spiritual link. The curse literally comes true, the baby becomes the vessel for Hercules's vengeful soul.

The face transformation confirms the supernatural connection between them.

Hercules spiritpossessioncurseTommyface morphs
Q7

Why does Albana try to perform an exorcism on the baby?

A.

Albana is Gino's nun sister who arrives from Italy specifically to help the family. She recognizes the baby is possessed by a demonic force and believes prayer and religious ritual can save the child's soul. Despite the terrifying screams that erupt during the attempt, she persists until Dr. Finch calls for medical tests.

Albana's arrival from Italy and her religious background set up the exorcism attempt.

Albananunexorcismprayerreligious ritual
Q8

How does Dr. Finch die?

A.

Dr. Finch visits the house after the prayer incident and orders medical tests on the baby. That same night, after sedating Lucy, he goes to the garden to check on the infant. He is decapitated with a spade, a brutal killing that demonstrates the demon's willingness to murder anyone who threatens it or tries to intervene.

The earlier tests suggest the doctor is getting too close to understanding the truth.

Dr. Finch deathdecapitatedspadegarden
Q9

Why does the baby attack the housekeeper Mrs. Hyde?

A.

Mrs. Hyde is the first to notice something wrong with the baby. She receives a bite on her finger from the infant and later finds a dead mouse in her tea, apparently placed there by the baby. These incidents establish early on that the child is not just normal but actively malevolent toward those around it.

The housekeeper's immediate wariness signals the baby's true nature to the audience.

Mrs. Hydehousekeeperbitemouseattack
Q10

What happens during Mandy's visit to the nursery?

A.

When Lucy and her friend Mandy talk about motherhood, they hear crashes from upstairs. They discover the nursery in complete destruction, furniture overturned, belongings scattered, yet the baby remains calmly in his cot amid the chaos. This event confirms the baby is responsible for supernatural mischief and is not merely a normal, fussy infant.

The timing of the destruction during a conversation about motherhood adds ironic weight.

nursery destroyedMandysupernaturalbaby attack
Q11

Why is the baby's birth so difficult and dangerous?

A.

Lucy's labor is long and dangerous, resulting in a notably heavy infant. During delivery, the baby grips Lucy's cheek so tightly that it leaves a slash mark. Dr. Finch explains the baby seemed alarmed by being held too tightly, but this abnormal strength at birth foreshadows the supernatural nature of the child.

The heavy birth and immediate physical abnormality hint at the curse's manifestation.

birthheavy babydeliveryslashed cheekdangerous
Q12

What happens when Tommy visits the baby?

A.

Tommy, the stage manager who helped Lucy after Hercules attacked her, visits the baby after Lucy hints he might be the father. When he peers into the cot, he is struck by a sudden, violent bloody nose. More terrifyingly, the baby's face momentarily transforms into Hercules's face, revealing the supernatural connection and frightening Tommy away.

Lucy's hint about Tommy being the father adds complexity, but the demonic possession supersedes any biological link.

Tommybloody nosecotHercules facevisit
Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems - dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about evil children like I Don’t Want to Be Born

Stories where the ultimate symbol of purity becomes a vessel for malevolence.If you were chilled by the premise of I Don’t Want to Be Born, you'll find similar terrifying stories here. This collection features movies where infants or children are the sinister center of supernatural horror and brutal events, exploring the dark theme of corrupted innocence. These films share a heavy emotional weight and a consistently dark, unsettling tone.

sinisterunsettlingterrifyingoppressivegoryparanoidsupernatural dreadinfant peril

Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically begin with a joyful event like a birth, which quickly curdles into terror as the child exhibits sinister behavior. The plot follows the parents' or guardians' gradual, horrifying acceptance that the child is possessed, evil, or a conduit for a vengeful force, leading to a series of violent confrontations and a struggle for survival against an unimaginable threat.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped together because they all pivot on the profound violation of the parent-child bond. They share a high-intensity, dark tone focused on supernatural dread and the psychological torment of those responsible for protecting the very thing that threatens them. The pacing is often steady, building dread as the true nature of the child is revealed.

Supernatural revenge stories like I Don’t Want to Be Born

When a past transgression summons a deadly, spectral retribution.Fans of I Don’t Want to Be Born will appreciate these tales of supernatural payback. These movies feature a vengeful spirit or curse, born from a specific past injustice, that methodically targets those responsible. The stories are straightforward, dark, and intense, focusing on the inescapable consequences of a buried sin.

vengefulsinisteranxiouschillingsupernaturalmurdercursedretribution

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a protagonist being targeted by a supernatural entity directly linked to a wrong they committed. The story is a straightforward chain of cause and effect: the past transgression is revealed, the curse is activated, and a series of bizarre or brutal events unfolds as the entity seeks its revenge, often affecting the protagonist's loved ones to maximize their suffering.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a core plot mechanism: a vengeful spirit driving the horror. They are united by a dark tone, a steady pacing that logically unfolds the revenge plot, and a high intensity born from the personal nature of the threat. The emotional weight is heavy, as characters are forced to confront the deadly consequences of their own history.

Unlock the Full Story of I Don’t Want to Be Born

Don't stop at just watching - explore I Don’t Want to Be Born in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending - every page helps you truly understand what I Don’t Want to Be Born is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

I Don’t Want to Be Born Summary

Read a complete plot summary of I Don’t Want to Be Born, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

I Don’t Want to Be Born Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in I Don’t Want to Be Born

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape I Don’t Want to Be Born. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning - ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in I Don’t Want to Be Born

More About I Don’t Want to Be Born

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about I Don’t Want to Be Born: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links - all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About I Don’t Want to Be Born