Movies : Crime : DVD Full : English
An undeservedly neglected little gem, Never Take Candy from a Stranger is a gripping, absorbing drama about the difficult subject of child molestation.Set in Canada, this nasty little fable is about a respectable village elder (Patrick Allen) who is also a sexual deviate. Using candy as bait, he persuades two little girls to dance naked for him. When the girls complain to their parents, the old man is taken to court, but his prestige in town assures an acquittal. Inevitably, the man's perversities lead to the death of a child. The British title for this repellant film was Never Take Sweets From a Stranger; it was based on John Hunter's play The Pony Cart.
This is still strong stuff now: In the Eisenhower era, "Never Take Candy From A Stranger" didn't have a chance. I've yet to meet anyone who's ever seen it, even though it IS on video. Francis, who won the Oscar that year for "Sons and Lovers" & who would photograph "The Innocents" the following year, does a superb job here, especially in the gripping Moon Lake sequence. Faye, Watford & Allen are very good as Jean and her parents and Aylmer is downright spooky!
English subs included
