Willard (1971)

Willard: Directed by Daniel Mann. With Bruce Davison, Sondra Locke, Elsa Lanchester, Ernest Borgnine. A social misfit uses his only friends, his pet rats, to exact revenge on his tormentors.

“Made the mistake of reading the book before seeing the movie; the movie, as a consequence, couldnu0026#39;t possibly live up to my expectations. Nor did it. But thatu0026#39;s not a put-down. While there were some things that irked me (the mother ratu0026#39;s humble u0026quot;thanksu0026quot; at one point, the rubber rats all too much in evidence at the birthday party, etc.), Bruce Davidson and Ernest Borgnine deliver solid performances that help keep one focused on the twisted relationships that are the core of this film. (Elsa Lanchester as Willardu0026#39;s mewling mother also deserves mention.) I donu0026#39;t know how this one would hold up today, but, back in 1971, it was a must-see.”