Who Has Seen "An American Crime"?

@anniepa (27955)
United States
November 3, 2009 11:05pm CST
Now and then a movie comes along that can really cause chills to run up and down my spine; "An American Crime" is one of them. It's horrifying to begin with but when you realize it was based on a true story it's beyond that! It's about young teen Sylvia Likens, played beautifully by Ellen Page who is tortured and murdered by Indianapolis housewife Gertrude Baniszewski, played by Catherine Keener, in the sixties. Sylvia and her younger sister Jennie are left in the care of Gertrude "Gertie" Baniszewski by their parents, who are carnival workers. Gertie already has six children of her own, including a small baby, and it's clear from the beginning that she's disturbed and only agreeing to take the girls in for the extra $20 she'll get each week. There are times when this movie is very hard to watch. Sylvia and Jennie are beaten with a belt for the first time when the payment from their parents is late. After that, Jennie is spared but Sylvia's subjected to unbelievable torture at the hands of Gertie and her children and other children in the neighborhood at her urging. She is beaten, burnt with cigarettes and even branded while being held prisoner in the basement. Has anyone here seen this movie, which was quite good and very well done, by the way? If so, what did you think and were you as disturbed by it as I was, even long after the movie had ended? Annie
1 response
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
4 Nov 09
I've never heard of it before now. It sounds interesting but, I really don't like movies that are based on true stories. They usually show how twisted people really are and I like to live in my fantasy world
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
7 Nov 09
This is one of those movies that really creeps you out. The idea that people that evil even exist is VERY disturbing, even the kids who helped to torture her. I don't blame you, Hon, stay in that fantasy world! Annie