An unusual thriller that’s constantly on the edge
of becoming a full-on horror movie, The
Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane plays a clever game of making the
audience wonder whether the title character is a victim or a villain. Jodie
Foster, who wasn’t even 15 when she made the picture, gives a characteristically
precocious performance as Rynn Jacobs, a teenager occupying a remote house in a
coastal Maine town. Most of the picture comprises attempts by local residents
to determine the whereabouts of Rynn’s father, whom she alternately claims is away
on business or home but unavailable to receive callers. Some of the people
poking around Rynn’s house have good intentions, including fellow teenager
Mario (Scott Jacoby), and some have nefarious designs, such as pedophile Frank
(Martin Sheen).
Written by Laird Koenig (from his novel of the same name) and
directed by Nicolas Gessner, The Little
Girl Who Lives Down the Lane does a lot with a little, concentrating most
of the action in one location (Rynn’s house) and creating a great deal of Edgar
Allen Poe-styled tension from the creepy premise of a young girl living alone
with mysteries and shadows. The presence of Sheen’s character ups the anxiety
level considerably, and Sheen creepily delivers many lines in a seductive
whisper—watching such a good actor incarnate a predator is genuinely
disturbing. Furthermore, the fact that young Foster is so formidable only makes
the overall situation more believable. Some elements of The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane are formulaic, such as the
nosy neighbor who pays a price for searching inside the basement of Rynn’s
house, but Koenig’s use of stock components helps answer logic questions before
they become problematic; for instance, the presence of a diligent local cop
(Mort Shuman) explains how Rynn’s resourcefulness has kept authorities from
digging too deeply into her circumstances.
The final revelation of how Rynn
found herself alone is a stretch, and the payoff to Mario’s character arc is
even more outlandish, but The Little Girl
Who Lives Down the Lane ultimately pays off well with a climactic
confrontation that’s satisfying and unnerving at the same time. Since the
picture was made as a low-budget French-Canadian production, it’s easy to see
how a bit more Hollywood polish could have smoothed off the rough edges, but
it’s impossible to imagine anyone surpassing either Foster or Sheen in their
roles. So, while The Little Girl Who
Lives Down the Lane might not meet the criteria for anyone’s list of the
best ’70s shockers, it’s at the very least an atmospheric diversion with memorably
grim nuances.
The
Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane: GROOVY
Sheen's hair was *fantastic* in this one, almost up there with Redford's and Beatty's.
ReplyDeleteIt's finally crafted and would make a sensational play. Jodie Fosters beautifully nuanced performance is stunning. Sheen seems to be channeling his son Charlie's creepiness here. A minor masterpiece
ReplyDeleteFoster is so amazing in this. Unbelievable performance.
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