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This film was made in 1976, when thriller/suspense still had to have some semblance of a plot; innuendo rather than special effects; decent acting rather than explosions and violence.

And for that it is to be appreciated. Jodi Foster is very good as Rynn, a mysterious 13 year old who lives alone in a seaside town, somewhere off the coast of Massachusetts. Martin Sheen, as always, is excellent as a neighborhood creep, interested in Rynn, (he has some sort of criminal history against children).

Scott Jacoby is her peer, trying to help her live alone, and stay in the house her father has provided, although her father and mother have both mysteriously disappeared.

All in all an interesting theme, with some beautiful landscapes of the New England, and the beaches during winter. 8/10.

Wow, where has this little flick been? The Little Girl who Lives Down the Lane is an intriguing mystery, an intense character portrait and a dark, brooding thriller all rolled into one rather odd little package - and on a personal note, I liked it a lot! The film has gained some notoriety (although not as much as it would have if it was more seen) for the scene involving a thirteen year old Jodie Foster undressing - but that never offsets the point of the film, and besides that; it's hardly like the scene has just been thrown in to satisfy the perverts in the audience. Furthermore, the most shocking scene in the film involves a hamster with no naked teenage girl present! Anyway, The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane is about a young girl, living down a quiet lane with her poet father. Only nobody has ever this man, and it isn't long before nosey neighbours - such as the perverted Frank Hallet and his enquiring, power mad mother comes sniffing round, eager to upset her life. She's not quick to let them know the truth, however, and along with her boyfriend; a crippled young magician from the neighbourhood, she is forced to take steps to preserve her independence.

The most obvious theme running through the film stems from loneliness, and how being brought up on your own will ultimately leave you a different person to if things such as schools are allowed to take charge. This is interesting; as it preaches the idea of social conditioning makes up the person more than most like to admit. The film is often touted as being a horror, but this is incorrect. While the film does feature several macabre instances, and a foreboding and mysterious atmosphere that is present throughout the run time; there's very little in the way of actual horror. The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane is much more of a drama-come-mystery than a horror film. The film is probably most notable for it's lead performance. Jodie Foster had already impressed in 1976 with her role in Martin Scorsese's hit film, Taxi Driver - but here she is far better. Despite her young age, Foster commands the screen and despite being a child, her maturity and acting talent shine through to make this a more complete performance than most actresses manage in a lifetime.

On the whole, this film was once hard to come by; but with the new DVD currently doing the rounds, the film should be seen by everyone. The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane fits snugly alongside the rest of the classics of the seventies, and the fact that it has only just resurfaced is one of cinema's biggest injustices. Highly recommended viewing!

Unique suspense film made in Canada in the mid-1970s. It's a shame that no one has ever really noticed this little film. Well, TBS sure did and I first watched it on there in 1987 or 1988. Since, I have found it in a couple of video stores and eventually taped it off of TBS in 1990 or 1991. Nonetheless, it is a truly wonderful thriller featuring a spectacular performance from a young, gifted Foster. Sheen and Smith are quite nasty as her enemies, and Shuman and Jacoby are good as her friends. Altogether, a remarkable suspense film that has not received the praise it deserves.

"The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane" focuses on Rynn Jacobs (played by the brilliant Jodie Foster), a thirteen year old girl who lives in an old house a little outside of a small seaside town. The neighbors and townspeople are nosy, and always end up checking in on Rynn to find her all by herself, a very independent little girl. But where is her father? That is the question that everyone who visits the home has. Rynn has temporary excuses to her father's whereabouts, but soon Rynn has to resort to extremes - even murder - to hide a secret from the nosy people and the landlord who are invading her home and wanting to know too much information.

More of a drama thriller than a horror movie (as the film may seem), "The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane" is an interesting psychological thriller that is held very well with Jodie Foster's excellent performance (as always). She shows off her acting abilities in everything I've seen her in, and even in this, which is her earlier work, she still shows a high amount of potential. It's no wonder she's become such a celebrated Hollywood actress, she's good at what she does. Martin Sheen, also playing a nosy neighbor in this film, is also very good in his role. I liked the idea of this film - an isolated and lonely little girl who seems to be possibly living alone, but hiding a secret as to why her father has mysteriously disappeared. But where is her father, and why isn't he there? The premise is intriguing so I thoroughly enjoyed the film. And the idea of such a young child resorting to murder is plain disturbing, even though it has been done a number of times, it's done very well here.

But the real strong point of this film is what happens in the audience's point of view. We, just like the landlord and her son, and all of the other nosy people that are invading her home, don't know the secret behind why Rynn's father is gone either. The audience is put in the position of these characters, and it's a really fun experience to try and figure it out for ourselves.

Overall, "The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane" is a sometimes eerie and interesting thriller. It keeps the audience guessing along with it but holds onto our interest the entire time and doesn't fail with the storyline. Very well executed and very well acted, with a strong atmosphere to go along with it. Don't expect a gory slasher film though, because this is nothing even close to that. 7/10.

I could rate this movie a 9 or a 4, or something in between. It's very, very difficult to decide. What a strange movie! From the first to the last minute There is always a dark, bizarre, disturbing air. The plot is strange, but it grips you. The performances are spectacular. Jodie Foster and Martin Sheen are Amazing, really. But it's definitely not the kind of movie I would recommend to anyone, so I leave the warning that, in order to enjoy the movie, you have to be open-minded to something strange and disturbing. I repeat: it could be evaluated with a 4 or a 9, depending on the mood of the viewer.

Went into this film expecting a horror flick, for that is one of its genres according to IMDb. "Horror" does not fit this movie. "Creepy", perhaps?

Anyway, wrong expectations can lead to disappointments. Luckily, this film was not. Solid picture with strong performances from Jodie Foster and Martin Sheen.

New to a seaside village, a young girl and her poet father seem to live an isolated existence, until curious neighbors get nosy and always seem to find the fiercely independent girl on her own... Unwisely advertised as a horror movie, "Little Girl" is instead an amazing psychological thriller, rich with atmosphere and featuring a lead performance by Jodie Foster that is deft and incredibly assured. The sequence where Foster, troubled by the sickness of a friend, eats alone at a hamburger counter (actually, she hasn't touched her food), then wanders down the street studded with marquee lights has to be one of the most beautiful Foster moments put on film. Well-directed and written, the movie is very cognizant of the way adults condescend to or ignore children, and allows leading character Rynn to use her intelligence as a tool--and maybe a weapon as well. Those looking for slasher-type jolts may be disappointed with the picture; it's more subtle than something like "Halloween", creating suspense out of tension and mood instead of outré violence. Foster was at a personal peak at this time in the movies, having just completed "Taxi Driver" and "Bugsy Malone". This isn't the harrowing character study of "Taxi Driver", but it is a remarkable portrait of a terribly uncommon child dealing with very grown-up issues. Due out on DVD in October 2005.

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.

The first thing that strikes me about this is how adult Jodie Foster's character is. At only 13, she talks like an adult and handles adult situations. Granted, on some occasions she is awkward and does not always think consequences through. But, hey, neither do some adults. One could argue that Foster had adult characteristics in "Taxi Driver", too. Did she reach adulthood at 12?

Anyway, not a bad movie. Some have called it horror, and I am not sure if it really fits in with that genre. I can see it -- death, a stalker trying to get in the house, a girl who has little contact with the outside world... but does it ever fully cross from drama to horror? Hard to say.

Martin Sheen also appears as the pedophile who seems all too comfortable walking into houses without being invited. Judging his acting is difficult. I mean, he did a really great job convincing me that he was a child rapist. But it is hard to really congratulate someone for that... nice work being a creeper.

Rynn Jacobs is a lonely, but well equipped 13-year old girl who lives with her poet father, while keeping a dark secret in the cellar. Although whenever somebody dropped by she would tell him or her that her father was too busy to greet his or her guests, or that he was out of town. But her life in solitaire is interrupted when she gets a visit from her snoopy landlady and her perverted son who takes a real shinning to Rynn. This is when Rynn goes to any lengths to keep this lifestyle with the help from a local crippled boy Mario, to herself.

This noteworthy gem of small-scale, mystery-thriller incorporates a fascinating slow-drifting character study that has certain believability in its characterizations and manipulative suspense. The macabrely, lurid context of the film could have over-step the mark, but it keeps it mostly under-wrapped with it being more hinted, than aiming for anything really illustrative. But that in mind, it doesn't lose any of that unnerving effect that's spun out, because the confronting performances and crafty dialogues are extremely effective in underlining the disquieting horror that lurks within the film's make-up. What sweeps you along is that the script is lyrically dense and quite thoughtful, while it still generates psychological tension in certain scenes without needing to go out with a bang. There's nothing big or powerful about it, because it plays it cards close to its chest and grafts away with it's involving story and sedated handling. The compelling plot is incredibly well defined by touching on many different aspects that Foster's character encounters. These range from loneliness to her approach on life through an adult perspective and finally that of her estrange relationships with some of the town's folk. It's all about her finding her feet and living her life the way she wants to without the intrusion of others (the adults) enforcing their resolutions onto her because she's "just" a child. Life is what you make it and she's not going to play their game. It's just really hard to categorise this unique film (which, was originally intended to be a TV movie), because it goes down oh so many paths, but it's successful in gelling them together.

Jodie Foster in the lead role makes the character her own by providing a maturely astute performance as the independent girl Rynn Jacobs. Her professionalism really does take hold in this picture and she does so with great control. Martin Sheen is equally as good and believable by playing his villainous character in a very subtle way, but still able to bring a creepy and vile presence to this predator Frank. Scott Jacoby is likable as Mario; Alexis Smith is great as the intrusively stern landlady Mrs. Hallet and Mort Shuman as the caring local officer gives a moving performance. What makes these performances so great is that they have vivid characters to feed off and shape.

Since it was intended to be a TV movie it does feel and look like one, but none of that took away from the elegant looking production. You could tell it was low-key because most of the film did take place in or around Rynn's isolated house. The direction by Nicolas Gessner is carefully crafted and from the outset he paints a mysteriously brooding atmosphere. The simple layout of photography is crisp and beautifully demonstrated. While, the stirring score is quite a strange one with it's heavy handed approach, but it has some sort of a hypnotic trance because it likes to play around with the moody and quite edgy situations.

This under-appreciated find of the 70's is a surprisingly focused and innovative treat that grips you from the very opening.

Josie Foster is immense in the titular role showing the kind of form that would go on to net her two Oscar's in later life.

Is has to be said that from the outset, this is a profoundly disturbing film. This is mainly because of Martin Sheen who is beyond creepy as the, to put it politely, antagonist.

This must have been shocking when it came out in the seventies because watching it now, fifty years later, is quite jarring.

It's not perfect by a long way. It feels like a play adapted for the screen as the film is set largely in the main room in Fosters house. The editing is par for the course for the 70's, poor. But I can forgive a lot with the way that the film crashes toward its conclusion.

Nicolas Gessner is very special director:an Hungarian,he made most of his career in France where he is today virtually forgotten,although his sentimental series "le château des oliviers" was a smash some fifteen years ago.

After directing Mireille Darc in "la blonde de Pekin" which is pleasant but not very absorbing,he made his two best works in the seventies:"quelqu'un derrière la porte "(1971) and "little girl...." These works have many similarities:both feature American stars ,Bronson and Perkins in the former,Foster and Sheen in the latter;both sometimes look like filmed stage production,although "little girl" was not,unlike "quelqu'un ...' a play;and murders;and a mysterious character in both :Foster's and Bronson's ones.

I would favor "little girl" over "quelqu'un" though.Part of the reason can be found in the fact that Foster was already a whizz kid and she carries the whole movie on her shoulders ,and it's not a small feat to make us forget the numerous plot holes.To think that at 15,she was already able to dub herself in French -like co-star Mort Shuman,who was enjoying a very successful career in France after writing for Elvis,Spector and many more-.Sheen is also impressive as a disturbing pedophile.In "quelqu'un..",Bronson was miscast and Perkins just gambled on his "psycho " prestige.

A distant relative of Jack Clayton's "our mother's house" (1967),but not as haunting though.

This year's hyped-to-the-skies Internet-predator flick "Hard Candy" owes a great debt to its 30-year old precursor, "The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane." A young, well-versed Jodie Foster plays the titular character, who inhabits a lonely house in the woods without any apparent parental supervision. She attracts the attention of the bitchy landlady, her pedophile son (a strong early performance by Martin Sheen), a local cop, and his mischievous son. While the film's central focus is the cover-up of a murder, it also carefully delves into the perceptions adults have of children (and vice versa), not to mention the shifting dynamics of relationships under extreme circumstances. "Little Girl" has a well-developed, almost literary quality to its suspense and characterization--while it delves into some potentially distasteful alleyways, it does so with an admirable restraint that helps heighten the tension.

I would have to say that the young Jodie Foster's rebellious child and Martin Sheen's mega creepy pedophile acting performances outshines everything else in this movie. If you took them out, you wouldn't have a worthy movie. It has some pacing problems i think which made the movie feel longer than it actually is. But its an overall enjoyable thriller.

A girl living alone in a big house facing problems created by the adults living in that town.

Even though I have heard and read about this movie for over 20 years, I never actually saw it until the newly released widescreen DVD. THE LITTLE GIRL WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE is one of the best written and well acted films I have ever seen!! Although you will most likely find this title in the "horror" section at your video store, it is a solid mystery / suspense story. I have to say I was so impressed with the intelligent screenplay that I never lost interest even for a minute. The fact that the film is rated PG should not let that sway you either. There are some dark, chilling moments and innuendo that would probably gain the film an R rating today. By the way this DVD is the European cut which has a few moments absent from most U.S. prints! Also the soundtrack contains some funky heavy bass driven music that totally reminded me of Goblin! One of my greatest pleasures in life is to discover or re-discover old movies through the magic of DVD. Thank you MGM for making this title available!

There's not too much to recommend here, except that JODIE FOSTER was always an interesting actress, even as a young girl, but the story could have been much more gripping and taut with suspense.

She never seemed to play the wholesome types, and this is no exception. She's a bright thirteen year-old, living ostensibly with her poet father in a seaside house, very adult in her manners and interests.

She doesn't like the snooping of others who ask too many questions about her quiet life in a house where her father is never seen. ALEXIS SMITH (her landlady) and MARTIN SHEEN (her lecherous son) are among those who do ask too many questions and threaten her isolated and very private existence. Like Miss Foster, their performances are just fine.

All of this keeps the audience interested in finding out what has happened to her father--and what are the dark secrets she is hiding. There are a few unexpected plot twists, but most of the story is told in a very understated way in a style that is not likely to connect with today's audiences who want films with a faster pace.

However, there is a certain subtlety to the proceedings and it does get under your skin if you let yourself fall under the spell of some very good acting. It seems like ideal material for Alfred Hitchcock, who, in this very same year, came up with his poorly received FAMILY PLOT. By comparison, this one rates more attention.

For me, the highlight of the story came when Foster confronts her angry landlady, played in fine form by the still lovely Alexis Smith. Their tense confrontation is well staged and beautifully acted.

There are some films which strike a chord immediately upon seeing, and stay in one's mind over many years. They act as a reference point for your life and experiences.

For me, this film was one such. I saw this about 4 times when it was released. I was aged 14. Jodie Foster played Rynn, a 13 year old in the film. I was an only child. Rynn was an only child.

(I think this was the first and only time I had a crush on a fictional character - the shots of the birthday cake with facial close-ups are still vivid. The - at the time - exotic kaftans added to the ambience.)

The murders and threatened child abuse aside (!), this is a story of survival, of independence, and of a growing realisation of a need for others.

There are many levels to this movie, and I would love to see this again. Perhaps a DVD release is overdue - even if only to satisfy my own nostalgia.

The film concerns about a rare thirteen years old little girl(Jodie Foster: Bugsy Malone) and whose father is never at home . She receives various visits, an old woman(Alexis Smith) owner her rented house, a child molester(Martin Sheen), a patrolman(Schuman)and a young boy(Scott Jacoby) dressed as magician. Meantime, the young girl starring hides something in her cellar.

This is an offbeat and intelligent drama-suspense with good performances, though some moments is slow moving. Based on a novel written and penned by the screenwriter Laird Koenig. Casting is really magnificent with sensational main actors and supporting cast. Jodie Foster as premature nubile is outstanding, the film belongs her period when played turbid characters such as ¨Taxi driver¨ and ¨Foxes¨, counterpoint her sweets characters such as,¨Tom Sawyer¨ and ¨Napoleon and Samantha¨. Martin Sheen is very fine as nasty children lover and the veteran Alexis Smith, famed actress who played with Errol Flynn, is excellent as distrusted proprietary. The movie displays a glimmer cinematography and nice soundtrack accompanied by classic music score by Shuman and piano concert by Chopin. The motion picture is professionally directed by Nicolas Gessner. He's a mediocre director, this one is his best movie, he directed to Ben Gazzara in ¨Quicker than the eye¨and to Charles Bronson in ¨Someone behind the door¨. The film will like to Jodie Foster fans.

This story is best described as a dramatic thriller. It's not a horror film per se (not even remotely in the same vein as a modern slasher flick). I felt a little tense, but definitely not scared while watching it. With that being said, I think it's appropriate to keep the "horror" tag associated with this film for the simple fact that I personally found the story developments with Martin Sheen's character to be more than a little horrifying. I was incredibly uncomfortable whenever Frank (Sheen's character) was on screen.

I think the acting in this movie was quite good. Jodie Foster is excellent in this movie and I'm not surprised that she won an award for her role. Her character is resourceful and resilient, while reminding you at times that she still is a vulnerable little girl. Martin Sheen's creepy character was not very subtle, even from his very first appearance in the film, but Sheen still manages to make him very credible. Scott Jacoby also did a decent performance in his supporting role as Mario.

As for the plot, it moves rather slowly but deliberately. The setting rarely changes (and I mean *rarely*), but I didn't find myself noticing that so much because I found the plot rather gripping. For those in my generation and younger - if you are not old enough to have seen this film during its original release, I'm talking to you - *please* remember that this is a dramatic thriller from 1976. As such this is a plot driven movie, not an action driven movie. Things do happen during the course of the film, but don't expect excessive blood and guts, nuclear explosions, random car chases, alien robots, or other special effects creations that are commonly used in modern films. While I do like movies that contain those things and I'm not knocking them, I can tell you with certainty that they are not present in this film. If you have found that you require state-of-the-art special effects or fast-paced action in order to really enjoy a movie, you will do yourself a favor by skipping this film. You're almost guaranteed to find this movie to be slow, boring, and action-less.

Now, as much as I applaud this movie for its strengths, I did only rate it a 5 out of 10 for a few reasons. First, some of the characters' actions, Mario's in particular, just didn't seem like normal human reactions to the situations that were unfolding. Secondly, I didn't feel like there were any dynamic characters. The plot certainly pulled back a couple of layers of truth so that the audience understands more at the middle and end of the film than we do at the beginning. However, I didn't feel like there were any character changes (for better or for worse), important realizations, or growth/development for any of the characters in the film.

I didn't know what to think at the film's abrupt end, other than repulsion. I couldn't find anything exactly to take away from the film, whether a moral message or a thought-provoking concept or a sense of ambiguity and wonder. While something in my psyche enjoys being scared by films, I don't particularly care for films when the only major reaction they elicit from me is disgust. I tend to prefer psychological thrillers (basically those are the ones that make the audience say at the end "wow that was a mindf*** - for lack of a more sophisticated expression). Perhaps I've been poisoned by the "Saw twist" that modern horror movies try to duplicate, but I just felt like there was something lacking in this film. I felt empty at the end. I'm not sure if that was the point, but if it was, then it explains why I will not be watching this movie again.