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August 24, 2006
17 Films / 17 Child Actors / 17 Great Performances
(1) Ana Torrent, Spirit of the Beehive (age 6 at time of filming)
(2) Yûya Yagira, Nobody Knows (age 13)
(3) Jean-Pierre Léaud, The 400 Blows (age 14)
(4) William Eadie, Ratcatcher (unknown, but character is 12)
(5) Victoire Thivisol, Ponette (age 4)
(6) Vinícius de Oliveira, Central Station (age 12)
(7) Ivan Dobronravov, and (8) Vladimir Garin (R.I.P.), The Return (ages 13 and 15)
(9) Scarlett Johansson, Manny & Lo (age 11)
(10) Linda Blair, The Exorcist (age 13)
(11) Mary Badham, To Kill a Mockingbird (age 9)
(12) Adan Jodorowsky, Santa Sangre (unknown)
(13) Judith Vittet, The City of Lost Children (age 8)
(14) River Phoenix, Stand By Me (age 14)
(15) Arno Frisch, Benny's Video (age 14)
(16) Patty Duke, The Miracle Worker (age 15)
(17) Mohsen Ramezani, The Color of Paradise (unknown)
Posted by scottheim at August 24, 2006 12:24 AM
Comments
What about little Patty McCormick in The Bad Seed?
Posted by: UserSimon ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://heim.etherweave.com/weblog/nav-commenters.gif)
at September 19, 2006 02:20 AM
What about Henry Thomas as Elliot in E.T.? He was only 11 at the time and completely carried the emotion of that film. It's a beautiful performance.
Posted by: Chris at August 30, 2006 03:17 AM
Scott,
Funny story -- you made such a kind and enthusiastic comment on my blog that I was sure it was a friend mocking me by creating a blogger profile and pretending to be you. You see, I really love your writing and several of my friends and writer acquaintances know this. I actually had to ask Dennis Cooper to confirm that the Blogger "Scott Heim" was THE Scott Heim. I unfortunately don't know how to take a compliment. Thank you so much for even giving my scribblings the time of day.
matt
Posted by: matthew at August 26, 2006 02:45 PM
Being French and a huge fan of Truffaut, I'm SO glad to see Jean-Pierre Léaud on that list :) As for River Phoenix, he was amazing in "Stand By Me" and just every single movie he starred in. God knows what a huge actor he would have become.
Very good selection :)
Posted by: clarisse at August 25, 2006 04:36 PM
All perfect choices! Aleksei Kravchenko gave the most devastating and beautiful performance in Come and See (in my opinion, the greatest child performance ever!).
Posted by: Michael at August 25, 2006 11:37 AM
what? no tatum o'neal? no little kid from the shining?
Posted by: jeremy at August 25, 2006 09:37 AM
Jesus, Scott I can't believe you''ve seen "Benny's Video"! Such a screwed up movie. Have you seen Funny Games? Arno Frisch was incredibly disturbing in that one. (Haneke's remaking "Funny Games" with Naomi Watts, and Tim Roth!").
Posted by: Erik Miller at August 25, 2006 09:12 AM
These are such great selections! I have an affinity for films about childhood, too -- as I think I've mentioned before. I'm still hoping you somehow get around to seeing Lucile Hadzihalilovic's 'Innocence.' I just read that it won't be officially released on NTSC Region 1 DVD until ... 2011 (perhaps around the time they finally get around to releasing season two of 'Twin Peaks')! Bah.
Posted by: Amanda at August 24, 2006 01:00 PM
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