The true story of suburban housewife Gertrude Baniszewski, who kept a teenage girl locked in the basement of her Indiana home during the 1960s.The true story of suburban housewife Gertrude Baniszewski, who kept a teenage girl locked in the basement of her Indiana home during the 1960s.The true story of suburban housewife Gertrude Baniszewski, who kept a teenage girl locked in the basement of her Indiana home during the 1960s.
- Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy
- 3 nominations total
Elliot Page
- Sylvia Likens
- (as Ellen Page)
Hannah Leigh
- Shirley Baniszewski
- (as Hannah Leigh Dworkin)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe real-life daughter, Paula Baniszewski, was released from prison and changed her name. She ended up getting a job as a guidance counselor aide in an Iowa school and worked there for 14 years before anyone found out about her real past. She was immediately fired.
- GoofsIn a scene set in 1965, a character rushes into a phone booth and dials for an operator without inserting a coin. The free operator call feature was not instituted until many years later.
- Quotes
Sylvia Likens: Reverend Bill used to say, "For every situation God always has a plan." I guess I'm still trying to figure out what that plan was.
- Crazy creditsThe final credit states "Sylvia Likens, 1949-1965".
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 60th Primetime Emmy Awards (2008)
- SoundtracksDowntown
Written by Tony Hatch
Performed by Petula Clark
Courtesy of Disques Vogue and Sony BMG Music Entertainment (France)
By Arrangement with Sony BMG Music Entertainment
Featured review
My opinion - Does not portray how horrible this crime really was.
I rate the movie a 7, as it does introduce individuals to this most horrible series of events. However, in my opinion the movie does not portray the abuse of Sylvia Likens to the extent to fully represent the horror and suffering of her torture. In researching this case, I find the movie "light" on the true depth of this crime. Sylvia Likens had at least 100 burns, contusions, and cuts on her body when she was found. She was starved, placed in scalding baths, and suffered extreme and prolonged abuse. I'm not voyeuristic, but I think that the film really lacks the details of the sequence and scope of events to provide the emotional and intellectual impact that the Likens case calls for. In contrast, "The Girl Next Door" appears to go a little too far in portraying a couple of events that may not have happened (I hope!) - but I believe that "The Girl Next Door" will leave you with a better sense of the true nature of the tragic murder of this young girl.
helpful•758
- wayneswords
- Jun 30, 2009
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $2,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross worldwide
- $1,306,875
- Runtime1 hour 38 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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