Is Desperate Living appropriate for children?

# Parental Guide: Desperate Living This NC-17 rated film contains strong violence, language, sexual content, and disturbing imagery throughout. It's an adult-oriented dark comedy with no redeeming content for children. Strongly avoid for anyone under 17.

What age is Desperate Living suitable for?

Our verdict for Desperate Living is: Not recommended. See the age grid on this page for specific recommendations by age group.

Is Desperate Living safe for children? | ScreenWise Parent Guide

Content breakdown

🔫

Violence

Strong

🗣️

Language / Profanity

Strong

🔞

Sexual Content

Strong

👻

Horror / Scary

Strong

About this movie

Type

Movie

Released

1977

Rating

NC-17

Genre

Comedy, Crime

Synopsis

After killing her husband, Peggy Gravel and her murderous maid Grizelda wind up in the crazy town of Mortville, where Queen Carlotta presides over a sleazy collection of misfits.

Cast

Mink Stole

Peggy Gravel

👤

Jean Hill

Grizelda Brown

Susan Lowe

Mole McHenry

Liz Renay

Muffy St. Jacques

Full cast on IMDb ›

Age suitability

Under 6

Not yet

Ages 6–8

Not recommended

Ages 9–12

Not recommended

Ages 13+

Not recommended

Where to watch

🎬 Find on Amazon

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Parents also checked

The Wolf of Wall Street

Not recommended

Ratings based on MPAA/TV classification and TMDB metadata. Updated March 2026.
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