The Nanny (1965)

This is obviously not Mary Poppins from the very start. Nanny is so sticky sweet that you suspect something's wrong. On the other hand, she may just be that nice. Joey, who's coming home after being away for a couple of years, is revealed to be either an insufferable brat, or a terribly disturbed and frightened boy of 11 or so. Joey, who despises and harasses all middle-aged women, says Nanny is trying to kill him. Sweet Nanny is afraid someone may believe the child's irrational ravings. Mother Virgie, herself on the verge of total mental collapse, can't cope. Father Bill is too busy with business and travel, and too much the authoritarian parent to concern himself. Even the supporting characters are flakey: frail Aunt Pen(elope), the 14-year-old nymph Bobbie upstairs, Bobbie's boyfriend, and even the milkman! And what happened to Susie, who may be the key to everything, but isn't in the cast list? Something's terribly wrong. Who or what is it?

A deeply disturbing story, difficult even to watch, but exceedingly well done for the genre. Difficult to rate because it has zilch entertainment value, but I finally decided to go mainly for the "cinematic" value and give it an 8.

Fmovies: "The Nanny" probably just started out as an attempt to cash in on the immense success of lead actress Bette Davis (who starred in "Hush … Hush, Sweet Charlotte" and "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane" the previous years) and – who knows - maybe even the profitable concept of "Mary Poppins", since that classic also revolved on the nanny/children relationship; albeit a much happier and cheerful one. By no means, however, this means that "The Nanny" is an inferior thriller production. Quite the contrary, this is a hugely atmospheric and very suspenseful pot-boiler and perhaps even one of Hammer's most underrated efforts ever. The legendary British horror studio is mainly known for its grueling takes on classic monster stories ("Dracula", "Frankenstein"…) and stupendous Sci-Fi movies (the "Quatermass" trilogy), but they were also responsible for several gore-free but spirited and story-driven psychological thrillers with a film-noir type of atmosphere, and "The Nanny" is unquestionably one of the highlights in this often overlooked sub category alongside "Hysteria" and "Paranoiac".

Our lead actress, with her uniquely creepy charisma and eyes that were sung about specifically (Bette Davis Eyes – Bette Davis' Eyes), stars as an exaggeratedly polite and overly dedicated nanny in a household full of neurotic outcasts. Mommy is an emotional wreck since the death of her cherubic daughter; daddy is a senseless prick who's never there when needed and ten-year-old son Joey just left a mental institution because he's suspected of drowning his sister. Joey hates Nanny with a passion, claims she killed little Suzy and now openly accuses her of wanting to do the same to him. No matter how patient and loving she tries to be, Joey's behavior grows increasingly aggressive and uncontrollable. Admittedly no one, not even the most inexperienced and/or unintelligent horror viewer, will have much trouble figuring out what's really going on quite early in the film already, but Hammer veterans Seth Holt ("Taste of Fear") and Jimmy Sangster ("Fear in the Night") nevertheless maintain the tension level high and the delivers the chills on a very regular basis. It's a slow-paced but non-stop ominous film, with the photography in good old black & white – which always adds to the atmosphere – and a truly depressing depiction of certain uptight British social classes. It's praiseworthy how, even though the denouement is transparent from the beginning, Holt and Sangster still manage to occasionally make you wonder who speaks the truth: the little boy who acts like Dennis The Menace on acid and simply asks for a thorough spanking … or the stoically cold but unimpeachable nanny? Davis is sublime, but young actor William Dix definitely doesn't have to yield to her persona as he gives away a marvelous performance. It even is truly incomprehensible and unfortunate that he just appeared in only one more movie after this.

So many people associate Wendy Craig with comedy roles only; many are either too young, or simply don't remember that she played along side such diverse actors and Hollywood Greats as Dirke Bogarde and Bette Davis. In this - probably her greatest Movie, she gives an award-winning performance as the neurotic wife of a Queen's Messenger with a disturbed ten year old son.

This Movie could not go wrong with such a strong cast which included so many familiar greats as; Maurice Denham, Pamela Franklin and Jill Bennett to just mention one or two of them. Each actor gives their best in this gripping thriller from the outset. This Movie is not least made so great by no less than three wonderful child stars of the time - a feat that cannot be matched today, partly due to the fact that the age of the traditional Child Star has long left us... Angharad Aubrey, who plays the little dead girl Suzy in flashbacks is exceptionally talented at such a tender age, and surprisingly is never seen in Movies ever again. Not so surprising I suppose, when one considers that William Dix who plays Joey disappeared just a couple of years later, along with the famous Pamela Franklin who vanished from the Silver Screen never to return in 1976...

This Movie was difficult to get hold of when on Video release, and has only ever been done on DVD as a 'double' feature release with 'The Blue Lamp' which was a cheap and nasty way of issuing any Great British Classics.

I think the least one is told about this film, the better. The Viewer is best kept completely in the dark in order to enjoy it at its best. It's certainly a Movie I've savoured in my collection; having viewed it no less than thirty times to date, and still not tired!

There's nothing worse than an American attempting an English accent, or the other way round if not truly accomplished, but here, Bette Davis surpasses herself when she acts and sounds truly British. One ought to note that it is far more difficult to 'drop' an American accent, than it ever is to pick one up. Even the smaller parts are taken by well-known actors such as Alfred Burke and Harry Fowler.

Jill Bennett thoroughly enjoys herself in her dramatic role as the sickly sister; she always said that her idea of heaven was forever rehearsing - what a time she must have had here! Think about that one when you watch her in The Nanny!

Not to be missed!

The Nanny fmovies. This 1965 thriller starring Bette Davis as the Nanny is pretty much a perfect thriller. This follows her great performance in another classic "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte". Much different in theme than that movie or "Baby Jane", "The Nanny" is non-stop suspense and tension right from the beginning until the twisty ending. With a superb story, excellent direction, and great performances, including William Dix as Joey, a 10 year old terror of a kid, who was suspected in the death of his little sister and put in an institution for a couple of years, and now has been returned home. His neurotic Mother is not too well herself, and the overbearing Father make this family a little dysfunctional, making the Nanny to be the most sane of them all. But is Joey's action and constant nagging at the Nanny and everybody else, actually the only truth going on, or is he just a truly bad seed? By the end of the movie, that is all too clear. Excellent movie in all departments, and for Bette Davis fans especially, this is a must-have. Seeing this way back when, it was also a pretty scary movie.

Bette Davis gives her most chilling performance in this film. Her restraint is remarkable, following Baby Jane as this film did. If you ever want to see what passive aggressive looks like, watch this movie. I've seen it twice, and would want to see it again.

The Nanny (1965, Dir. Seth Holt)

With Joey Fane (Dix) back home, all Virginia (Craig) and Bill (Villiers) Fane want is a calm and respectful atmosphere amongst the house. Only something is still disturbing Joey and that one thing is Nanny (Davis). Whilst Nanny is a loving woman who helps around the house, Joey sees her as someone else someone who believes is responsible for the death of his sister (Aubrey).

Wonderful classic British thriller which still keeps you hooked in now. Bette Davis creates a wonderful 'Nanny', which really gets you involved in the character. With a wonderful supporting cast, Horrors don't involve you anymore like this did.

What was so bad about Mrs. Griggs? – Nanny (Bette Davis)

She was like you. – Joey Fane (William Dix)