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That Cold Day in the Park

That Cold Day in the Park

Drama · Thriller · 1969

Frances Austen, a young, wealthy spinster, invites a mute teenager into her apartment after finding him freezing in the park next to where she lives. Despite her best efforts, their lack of communication only increases her sense of loneliness, as her possessiveness spirals into frightening new realms.

Movie details

That Cold Day in the Park

“How far will a woman go? How far will a 32 year-old spinster go to possess a strange, 19 year-old boy?”

1969 Drama · Thriller 1h 47m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.6 / 10

Community rating

Frances Austen, a young, wealthy spinster, invites a mute teenager into her apartment after finding him freezing in the park next to where she lives. Despite her best efforts, their lack of communication only increases her sense of loneliness, as her possessiveness spirals into frightening new realms.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over That Cold Day in the Park?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane

The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane

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13-year-old Rynn Jacobs lives in a New England beach town. Whenever the landlady inquires after Rynn's father, she claims that he's not available. But when the landlady's son, Frank, won't leave Rynn alone, she teams up with a neighbor Mario to maintain the dark family secret that she's been keeping to herself.

Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Robert Altman

Written by

Gillian Freeman

Sandy Dennis

Sandy Dennis

Frances Austen

Michael Burns

Michael Burns

The Boy

Susanne Benton

Susanne Benton

Nina

David Garfield

David Garfield

Nick

Luana Anders

Luana Anders

Sylvia

E

Edward Greenhalgh

Dr. Stevenson

D

Doris Buckinham

Mrs. Ebury

Court is in session

Put That Cold Day in the Park on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.