The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Nicolas Gessner

Writers:

Laird Koenig (novel)
Laird Koenig (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 December 1976 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Ask Her No Questions And Nobody Dies.

Plot:

A lone 13-year-old resorts to murder to protect her haven.

Plot Keywords:

Father | House | Landlady | Murder | Alone

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Jodie Foster	...	Rynn
Martin Sheen	...	Frank Hallet
Alexis Smith	...	Mrs. Hallet
Mort Shuman	...	Miglioriti
Scott Jacoby	...	Mario
Dorothy Davis	...	Town Hall Clerk
Clesson Goodhue	...	Bank Manager
Hubert Noël	...	Bank Clerk
Jacques Famery	...	Bank Clerk
Mary Morter	...	Teller
Julie Wildman	...	Teller

Directed by
Nicolas Gessner		(as Nicholas Gessner)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Laird Koenig		novel
Laird Koenig		screenplay

Produced by
Zev Braun	....	producer
Harold Greenberg	....	executive producer
Denis Héroux	....	co-producer
Eugène Lépicier	....	co-producer
Leland Nolan	....	co-producer
Alfred Pariser	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Christian Gaubert

Cinematography by
René Verzier

Film Editing by
Yves Langlois

Art Direction by
Robert Prévost

Costume Design by
Denis Sperdouklis

Makeup Department
Bob Pritchett	....	hair stylist
Mireille Recton	....	makeup artist
Joe Tubens	....	hairdresser: Miss Smith

Production Management
Claude Léger	....	production manager
Ginette Sénécal	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles Braive	....	second assistant director
Justine Héroux	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Jacques Chamberland	....	prop man
J.-P. Charette	....	carpenter
Ronald Fauteux	....	set dresser
Vianney Gauthier	....	property master
Georges Savard	....	set builder

Sound Department
Louise Coté	....	assistant sound editor (as Louise Côté)
Frank H. Griffiths	....	sound mixer (as Frank Griffiths)
Normand Mercier	....	boom operator
Marcel Pothier	....	sound editor
Patrick Rousseau	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Christophe Harbonville	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
John Berrie	....	second electrician
Yvon Boudrias	....	second grip
Jean-Yves Bruel	....	still photographer
Jean-Jacques Gervais	....	second assistant camera (as J.-J. Gervais)
Denis Gingras	....	first assistant camera
Serge Grenier	....	key grip
Richard Pronovost	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Blanche-Danielle Boileau	....	wardrobe assistant (as Blanche Boileau)
Ginette Magny	....	wardrobe (as Ginette Magny-Aird)

Editorial Department
Ion Webster	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Mort Shuman	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Pierre Gendron	....	driver

Other crew
Micheline Bonin	....	production accountant
Peter S. Buchanan	....	production executive
Connie Foster	....	double: Jodie Foster
Allan Hitelman	....	financial advisor
Robert A. Kanto	....	production executive (as Robert A. Kantor)
Lyse Lafontaine	....	location manager
Richard Lahaie	....	production assistant
Marie La Haye	....	continuity (as Marie Lahaye)
Christiane Laurin	....	unit publicist
Howard Lipson	....	assistant to producers
Richard C. Meyer	....	creative consultant
Jean-Guy Montpetit	....	production assistant (as J.-G. Montpetit)
Bernadette Payeur	....	production secretary
Jocelyn Simard	....	production assistant (as Jocelyne Simard)

Production Companies

• Braun Entertainment Group (as Zev Braun Productions)
• Carnelian Productions
• Filmel
• Filmédis
• ICL
• Zev Braun Productions (presents)

Distributors

• Astral Films (1976) (Canada) (theatrical)
• American International Pictures (AIP) (1977) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1979) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Japan (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Nacional Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2006) (Japan) (DVD)
• Vestron Video (1983) (USA) (VHS)
• Video for Pleasure (VFP) (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Industrial Music  music publishing
• Valentino  costumes: for Miss Smith

Also Known As:

La petite fille au bout du chemin (France)

Runtime:

100 min | USA:91 min

Country:

Canada | USA | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:AA (1976) | Germany:16 | UK:15 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Knowlton, Québec, Canada

Company:

Braun Entertainment Group

Trivia:

Jodie Foster was fourteen at the time of filming and refused to appear nude. Thus, her older sister, Connie Foster, was used as her double in the film's brief nude sequence.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Throughout the movie, the calendar in Rynn's kitchen disappears and reappears a few times.

Movie Connections:

References Mary Poppins (1964)

Soundtrack:

Piano Concerto No. 1 E-Minor

Not Your Typical Story Line! What a Terrific Off-Beat Thriller.

Great Suspense and Atmosphere. This movie instantly became one of my all-time favorites and is difficult to describe without giving too much away. More than most movies I can remember, reading too many comments about it's content beforehand can detract from the viewing experience (and a great one at that!) and ruin the suspense. I will try not to give too much about the film away beforehand.

First of all, I loved the production quality, atmosphere and locale. It would be a great movie to see on Halloween night for example, at least in my opinion. It really can be watched anytime however and will be just as great. The acting was high quality, all the way around but especially with Jodie Foster and Martin Sheen and the direction and score are excellent as well.

I had a problem with the plausibility of Jodie Foster's character behaving essentially as an adult. It was a little tough for me to buy into a 13 (or newly turned 14 year old) cooking gourmet meals, serving fine wines, listening to Chopin and generally acting much older than her chronological age.

Even taking into consideration the events in her life which apparently had shaped her personality, she seemed too mature for her age. If you put that concern aside however and accept it as a given premise of the movie you can sit back and enjoy the fun of trying to figure out what's going on.

And trying to figure out what's going on really *is* fun in this movie. Figuring out what's going on with her mysterious father is enough to keep you occupied in itself (if you think you've figured out what's going on with him you will find later that you probably haven't) and that's only one aspect of this complex scenario.

I hate when movies this good are not in general circulation any longer. Brian de Palma's "Sisters" and many other excellent movies also fall into this category. I can't figure out why studios can't figure out ways to continue to make them available to the public, after all...they went to the trouble to make them in the first place.

If you do get a chance to see "Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane" however, jump at it. You aren't likely to be disappointed.