The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane (1976)

A 13 year old girl (Jodie Foster) with a poet father who is often absent stirs the suspicions of the small community where they have recently moved. Among the most suspicious are the landlady (Alexis Smith) and her son (Martin Sheen), who may be a pedophile. Based on the novel by Laird Koenig and directed by Nicolas Gessner. This is a hard film to categorize as it has elements of the mystery, thriller and horror genres without actually being one. Foster's character is quite mature for a 13 year old and shows the judgement of an adult which makes her a formidable match against the adults who attempt to intrude on her peaceful life. With the exception of the kindly cop played by Mort Shuman, the adults are a nasty bunch. Alexis Smith is a bitchy anti-Semite and Sheen has a history of going for underage girls. Still, Foster's character could be construed as a malevolent adolescent along the lines of THE INNOCENTS or THE BAD SEED if one read it that way. Initially the film's reviews were mixed but it has become a cult film in the ensuing years. I found it just okay, it seemed unsure of just what kind of film it was supposed to be and what it was saying. But the assured performance of Foster carries the film and establishing herself as one of best child actresses, not only of her generation but all time. The effective jazz score is by Christian Gaubert. With Scott Jacoby as the teenage boy who becomes Foster's confidant and lover.