Baxter! (1973)

After his mother (Lynn Carlin) divorces his father (Paul Maxwell), a young boy (Scott Jacoby) unwillingly moves with her to London. It doesn't help that his mother is an abusive alcoholic and that he has a speech impediment that makes him self conscious. Based on the novel THE BOY WHO COULD MAKE HIMSELF DISAPPEAR by Kin Platt and directed by Lionel Jeffries. I've not read the source material but the film is a clumsy concoction. I felt bad that I didn't like the kid much which made it harder to commiserate with him. The movie goes into some very dark areas like the lack of empathy from his abusive mother yet we're also treated to some light hearted moments like Jacoby singing and dancing with Jean Pierre Cassel and Britt Ekland as a young couple who befriend him and take him under their wing. The contrast seems artificial. It's the kind of movie that telegraphs like when one of the characters suddenly starts coughing without an explanation and you know they'll croak before the movie ends. I didn't much like Jacoby's performance but the rest of the cast is good especially Carlin. With Patricia Neal as a speech therapist, Sally Thomsett (STRAW DOGS) and Ian Thompson.