The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1977)

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

The 1970s is a decade chock-full of interesting and long-forgotten American and Canadian movies, many of them made for television, some not. THE LITTLE GIRL WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE is such a film, an astonishing tour-de-force for a youthful Jodie Foster, cementing her shocking role in TAXI DRIVER. She plays a weird and friendless 13-year-old who lives alone in a house; there's some mystery surrounding the fate of her parents which comes to light as the story goes on. This is set in a single room for the most part and feels like it was adapted from a play, although it's actually taken from a novel. It's a psychological thriller which remains thoroughly interesting thanks to strong writing and interesting, unique characters. Martin Sheen plays a completely sleazy character and there are a few shocking moments here and there, but for the most part this is slow-paced and almost surreal at times. It's certainly a film that leaves an impression and is ripe for re-discovery by modern viewers.

A forgotten masterpiece, "The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane" is a 1976 film by Hungarian director Nicolas Gessner. It stars Jodie Foster as Rynn Jacobs, a thirteen year old girl who lives in a secluded seaside home. Rynn's mother and father have died - to say any more would be to further spoil several key revelations - leaving the poor girl to fend for herself."Lane" drips with atmosphere. Set during Halloween, when ghouls and wizards roam the streets, Gessner creates a macabre world in which drizzle kisses shadows and menace lurks in every corner. Police, paedophiles, peeping-toms and pesky prowlers all knock on Rynn's door, each of whom threaten to stumble upon the girl's little secret: Rynn lives alone, and has been living so for quite some time.Today Jodie Foster typically plays fragile, uncertain, asexual women with the personality or demeanour of a child. Early in her career, though, Foster typically played the opposite: intelligent, resourceful, sexualised kids who were wiser than surrounding adults. Rynn is another such character. She's an adult trapped in a kid's body, forever sceptical of the stupid, lecherous grown-ups around her. More importantly, Rynn is preoccupied with protecting her autonomy. With protecting her right to live alone, on her own terms, in her own world.Whilst "Lane" celebrates Rynn's independence, and the strengths necessary to resist conformity, it also does the opposite. Rynn's unable to survive without the assistance of a kind local boy (Scott Jacoby), whose limping legs ironically counterpoint the vital support he provides the young girl. It is through this character that the film - based on a novel by Jewish author Laird Koenig - smuggles its politics. Here Rynn - an intellectual type who reads Hebrew - becomes emblematic of Jewish isolation and persecution. People knock on Rynn's doors like stormtroopers, search her basements and under her rugs, demand identification and entry, whilst Rynn clings to her identity and resists assimilation. This ethnocentrism, this strength in the face of quasi-anti-Semitic persecution, is both cherished by Koenig and critiqued, seen to be bound to feelings of smug and so unwarranted superiority. Yes Rynn knows it all, is wise and sees through lies, but even the strongest needs an outsider's helping hands. Or as historian Simon Schama once wrote: "Jewish history turns out not to be an either/or story - as in, either pure Judaism detached from its surroundings or else assimilation - but rather, for the vast majority, the adventure of living in between." Ryn learns to live in the in-between."Lane" works well as horror, drama, mystery and romance. Unfolding like a stage-play, it also has very strong melancholic qualities, thanks largely to an affective soundtrack by Christian Gaubert, and director Nicolas Gessner's simple but atmospheric visuals, which stress lonely homes, dank Maine surfaces and water-laden skies. A young Martin Sheen co-stars as Frank Hallet, a character who may or may not be a local child molester.8.9/10 – To assimilate or not to assimilate? Such was a question of inordinate importance to post-war novelists and film-makers. See "They Might be Giants", "Some Came Running", "The Gypsy Moths", "The Sandpiper", "Cool Hand Luke", "The Swimmer", "Goodbye, Columbus", "King Rat" and "A Thousand Clowns".

13-year-old Rynn Jacobs is a girl very smart for her age, but lives totally alone, aside from her beloved hamster, in a little house in a small Ontario/Quebec town. She has to endure the harassment of the landlady and her pedophile son living nearby. Her only means of avoiding the foster care system, cops and school is to kill. The soundtrack was my favorite part of the movie, it just somehow fit, creepy when it was supposed to be and at times almost whimsical, even romantic. Rynn meets Mario, a high school part-time children's entertainer (Mario the Magician). He can't be in sports like his brothers because of a condition with his leg that makes him walk with a limp. When he finds out about Rynn's murders he still remains best friends with her, even her lover, 'till the end. I actually read the book before viewing the film, the film follows the plot very closely. The Canadian small-town atmosphere was a great choice for the film, with the dark and dreary clouds and rain and charming houses. Martian Sheen pulled off the very convincing and disturbing role of Frank Hallet, the adult son of the landlady who is secretly a child molester. Rynn Jacobs' part and Mario's part were both done extremely well, and the cop, too. It's an excellent film, if you ever get to see it you'll love it.

Jodie Foster stars as Rynn Jacobs, a 13 year old girl who seems to live in seclusion with her father, who hasn't been seen recently. Unfortunately, her nosy landlady(played by Alexis Smith) and sleazy, despicable son(Martin Sheen) become intrigued by her(for different reasons) and determine to discover her secrets, which start a chain of events that threaten them all. Scott Jacoby plays her love interest Mario, an amateur magician, who assists in her plans.Well directed, acted, and written mystery holds a number of surprises for the viewer, since the plot isn't as obvious as described. Nice atmosphere at the seaside setting of her home and village, and you will root for Rynn to overcome her opposition. A real sleeper that deserves to be better known.