I saw this movie at a drive in, it was the early to mid 70’s. It was in color, it was in English. What I remember about the film is this, the boy in the movie has issues, mentally I believe. Most of what I remember I believe is toward the end of the movie. There’s a baby that disapears and there’s a search and there suspiciously is a rope coming down from the barn ceiling with a bucket hanging from the end. Some of the men searching come across it and look in it. The baby is hacked up and in the bucket. Somehow they figure out its the trouble boy. Who they lock in the basement of the farmhouse, while they decide what to do with him. When the boy’s mother who I believe has been protecting her son through out the movie opens the door or the basement carrying an oil lantern. She throws the lantern setting the basement and the boy essentially on fire, then she purposely jumps or falls into the fire. Dieing with the son she protected and loved but could not save. The mom of the boy, may or may not of been the mother of the baby as well. This is all I recall about this movie I saw as a boy 40 years ago give or take a few years. Please help me find the name of this movie. Thank you
“The Other”(1972)
http://www.imdb.com/title/0069050/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Here is a trailer from youtube.
So, Phoenix mike, did I jog your memory?
The other(1972) has a similar idea with the baby and the woman burning the boy in the basement. But this looks more like a low budget version of what I saw. In the movie I saw the baby was found in a metal bucket hanging about 4 to 5 feet off the ground the rope went either up to the roof or at least to a cross beam. And there was no gasoline at the end, just a lantern. The woman first throws it in, then purposely falls or jumps into the fire. The woman in the other pours gasoline then purposely falls in with the lantern. And in the movie I’m looking for the boy is older, and blonder. And he talks to the woman, who I believe was his mother. The woman just stands there silent holding the lantern. The boy was locked in the basement because of what he has done to the baby, not hiding. Thanks for trying, you gave me a lead, the endings are similar enough that the movie I’m thinking of is probably an American version of this Swedish movie. But it unfortunately has a different name, I already did a search on IMDB and no luck. Well if you or anybody else comes up with anything, please let me know, thank you, Mike
“The Other” is an American movie, it’s just that the family is Swedish. It’s based on the first novel from American actor Thomas Tryon. I really can’t think of any other movie having this exact chain of events, that’s why this thriller was so shocking at the time.
I can visualize the parts I remember like I just saw it, Been driving me nuts for years. It’s obviously a twin movie. Similar story line but different title. Well hopefully someone realizes what it is I’m talking about