Synopsis for
Willard (1971) More at IMDbPro »

Willard is a pleasant but lonely young man who is unable to relate well to other people, particularly to his aging mother with whom he lives in a run-down mansion, and to his boss, who stole the business from Willard's father several years before. At the office Willard is constantly belittled by Martin, finding understanding from Joan Simms. At home he is nagged by his mother, particularly to kill some rats she has seen in their backyard. In the process of exterminating the rats, Willard saves them and finds as he feeds and plays with them that he can train the animals, by feeding them, and setting himself in their instincts as a rescuer. He baits the rats onto a pillar in the center of a well, and removes the wood bridge that they crossed. Then, as he fills the well, they are frantic, and he replaces the wood bridge; thus he cements their allegiance, and, in effect communicates with them. The mother rat, whose life Willard saved, brings one of her off-spring to him. Willard learns that through Socrates, as he has named his pet, he can order the others in the pack to do his bidding, except for the mischievous Ben, who occasionally disobeys. Willard tests the rats' obedience by disrupting a dinner party Martin is hosting, and when Willard's mother dies, leaving him with the heavily mortgaged house, he uses the rats to help him steal money from one of his company's customers. Willard ha begun the habit of taking Socrates and Ben to the office and letting them hide in the storeroom where one day they are discovered. Martin kills Socrates while Ben escapes. That night Willard returns with Ben and an army of rats and confronts Martin who is attacked and murdered by the animals. Ben looks for approval but Willard locks the rat in the office and returns home. While Willard is having dinner with Joan, the angry Ben suddenly appears. Willard rushes the girl from the house and then faces Ben for the startling climax of the film.