By Melissa Antoinette Garza
It seems as though everyday another piece of human garbage is being arrested for unmentionable abuse perpetrated on young children. Despite how sadly common the stories have become, it never seizes to shock me to the core when I hear tales of parents locking their children in cages, starving, beating, and essentially torturing them. How a grown adult can abuse the trust and faith a child has in them is beyond me.
Though these accounts are depressing and disturb me greatly, I am still drawn to them. Even those that are fictional or loosely based on truth, like those on the Law & Order series captivate. Still, the most compelling are those that are non-fiction and provide accurate depictions of real events. I remember becoming physically ill and crying inconsolably upon reading “A Child Called ‘It’. Some tales of abuse are just so vile and almost demonic in nature that it emotionally affects anyone with a moral compass.
An American Crime definitely fits that mold. Prior to watching, I had never heard of Gertrude Baniszewski. Nor had I ever heard of the victim, a young girl by the name of Sylvia Likens. What happened to Sylvia is absolutely despicable as she was forced to endure every type of cruelty imaginable. It has to be one of the worst cases of abuse ever recorded.
In 1966, the case made national news and was recognized as the “the single worst crime perpetrated against an individual in Indiana’s history.” It’s no surprise that many people are unaware or have long forgotten Sylvia’s story. The horrific pain Sylvia endured should be remembered and her life should be honored. When watching one can’t help but hope if there is an afterlife that Sylvia has long found her peace.
In contrast, the evil that lived in Gertrude is more frightening than anything ever created in a horror movie. As the viewer will be inclined to hope for Sylvia’s peace, one will be equally hopeful that Gertrude is punished for her mistreatment of the girl.
The majority of the information shown in the film is taken from court documents. Interestingly, it was shot in chronological order to give the actors a small sense of what Sylvia went through.
The plot is simple and terrifying. Sylvia (Ellen Page) and Jennie (Hayley McFarland) are two young teenagers who are placed under the care of Gertrude Baniszewski (Catherine Keener) while their parents were working as travelling carnies. Gertrude targets Sylvia. The thrashings began nearly immediately. At first, Gertrude claimed the money that was supposed to come from the girls’ parents never arrived. As punishment she beat Gertrude who volunteered to take the abuse intended for her sister as well.
The abuse became worse and worse. She forced Sylvia to violate herself with a glass bottle, carved insults into Sylvia’s stomach, and encouraged her children to take part in the abuse. Both Gertrude’s children and their friends who came over would burn Sylvia with cigarettes, soak her with water, punch her, kick her, and do other unbelievable acts of torture.
The movie is captivating and well put together. It’s disturbing and definitely worth watching. My one grievance is that the film attempts to invoke slight sympathy for Gertrude who deserves none. I think a woman who inflicts that type of cruelty on someone deserves nothing but contempt.
The acting was topnotch. The pace of the movie was great and overall it was a very respectful piece.
Scared Stiff Rating: 8/10
