The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane

The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane
Promotional poster for U.S. release
Directed byNicolas Gessner
Written byLaird Koenig
Based onThe Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane
1973 novel
by Laird Koenig
Produced byZev Braun
Starring
CinematographyRené Verzier[1]
Edited byYves Langlois[1]
Music byChristian Gaubert[2]
Production
companies
  • Claremont Productions
  • Zev Braun Productions
  • I.C.L. Industries
  • La Societe Filmel
  • Ypsilon Films[2]
Distributed by
Release date
Running time
91 minutes[5]
CountriesCanada
France[1][2][6]
LanguageEnglish

The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane is a 1976 cross-genre film directed by Nicolas Gessner and starring Jodie Foster, Martin Sheen, Alexis Smith, Mort Shuman, and Scott Jacoby. It was a co-production of Canada and France and written by Laird Koenig, based on his 1974 novel of the same title.

The plot focuses on 13-year-old Rynn Jacobs (Foster), a child whose absent poet father and secretive behaviours prod the suspicions of her conservative small-town neighbours. The adaptation, originally intended as a play, was filmed in Quebec on a small budget. The production later became the subject of controversy over reports that Foster had conflicts with producers over the filming and inclusion of a nude scene, but a 21-year-old body double (Foster's sister) was used. After a screening at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival, a court challenge was launched regarding distribution, and a general release followed in 1977.

Initially released to mixed reviews, with some critics finding the murder mystery plot weak but Jodie Foster's performance more meritorious, the film won two Saturn Awards, including Best Horror Film and Best Actress for Foster. It subsequently attained cult status, with later critics positively reviewing the screenplay. Writers and academics have interpreted it as a statement on children's rights and variously placed it in the thriller, horror, mystery or other genres.

  1. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference cffd was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference afi was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference BAFTA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Chunovic 1995, p. 35.
  5. ^ "The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976)". British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on 30 December 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  6. ^ "La Petite fille au bout du chemin". Bifi.fr. Archived from the original on 17 March 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2017.