The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane (1976)

(New England; contemporary)
IMDb

Based on Laird Koenig's novel, this was originally intended to be a TV movie, but ended up being released theatrically. That's a good thing too, because otherwise this odd little gem might be largely lost to us. Jodie Foster is Rynn, the only daughter of a famed poet, who has moved from England to stay with her divorced father in his isolated country home. Shortly after her arrival her sickly father dies, but not before leaving behind money and instructions, that should allow Rynn to live, pretty well undisturbed, for years hence. The artifice of her fathers continued, but isolated living, is kept up so as to protect the 13 year old's preferred lifestyle. Of course anyone who might try to disrupt things for the girl has a tendency to end up dead, be it Rynn's estranged mother, bigoted landlady (Alexis Smith), or the latter's pervert son (Martin Sheen). Rynn does manage to befriend a local policeman (Mort Shuman) and his semi-crippled nephew (Scott Jacoby). I may have spoiled the big surprise for you (don't go in the cellar), but the restrained yet kitschy performances by the surprisingly good cast, combined with the deliberate pace and beautiful score (about half of which is Chopin), makes this movie worth seeing if you can find it.