Help! Did anyone see the Nanny? (1965)
I saw it last night, and the message board from this movie was not transferred over. I would love to discuss it, as I have some questions. Anyone? Thank you.
shareI've just rewatched it. (I've seen it many times.) What are your questions?
shareHi, Doctor Julia! I recognize you from the TZ board!!
Well, my main question is: what is your interpretation of her when she was "bathing" the little girl? I assumed she was at loose ends after just witnessing her dead, neglected daughter in a broken down apartment, and then directly after that, accidentally drowning the baby was too much, and she couldn't take it. Was she inherently evil or just snapped? I'm thinking the latter.
Also, why attempt to poison the mother?
Remember when the sister came over and was talking to Wendy Craig and they mentioned something about an accident when they were little? What were they referring to? I may need to watch it again. Oh, sigh, I miss discussing these things...
Thanks so much for responding!!!
Hi, puplover. I recognize you too from the IMDb message boards. Nice to find you here! Your interpretation of Nanny bathing Susy is correct. Nanny was detatched after seeing her own daughter dead. By the time she came home and started bathing the dead Susy (whose death she had no responsibility for), she had become totally unhinged.
The only attempt to poison the mother is when Joey gets blamed for poisoning his mother with the some of the contents of the bottle in Nanny's medecine chest. Nanny was behind that one. Again unhinged. With Joey's arrival home, Nanny started to snap again.
Joey's mother, Virgie, tells her sister Pen that Nanny stayed with them after their mother's death to look after them. Then Virgie refers to her "accident" as another reason why Nanny stayed on. However, this accident is very vague, indeed, and is never explained.
Did you notice during the opening credits how Bette is swinging that (obviously empty) cake box around? Especially, when she is buying flowers from the vendor. She totally turns the box on its side and towards its top. The cake would have been ruined! Yet, when she gets home and opens the box, there is a perfect cake with "Welcome Home Joey" written on it.
Ha, I didn't notice that cake box flinging. It's now on youtube (miraculously, a good copy, too) so I can watch it again.
Thank you for answering, DoctorJulia! And that little girl was positively adorable. She never acted in anything else apparently.The little boy was almost as irritating as those brats from Village of the Damned. And hey, even almost as irritating as Anthony from TZ's It's a good life (but that demon child takes the cake.) But The Nanny was quite disturbing, and seemed to be the precursor for many a ridiculous "crazy nanny" themed films that followed. But how I love insidious, slow creeping 60s and 70s horror. I've seen many, but if there are any you think are worth mentioning again, I'd love it.
Angharad Aubrey played "Susy" in "The Nanny". It's strange that she never made another film. William Dix, who played "Joey" in "The Nanny", popped up again in "Doctor Dolittle" (1967).
Oh, those brats in "Village of the Damned"! The main brat, "David", was played by Martin Stephens. He was excellent (and hilarious!) as the precocious "Miles" in "The Innocents" (1961).
If you like Made-for-TV thrillers, there are many on YouTube: "The House That Would Not Die" (1970 with Barbara Stanwyck), "A Taste of Evil" (1971 with Barbara Stanwyck), "She Waits" (1972 with Patty Duke), "Scream, Pretty Peggy" (1973 with Bette Davis), "When Michael Calls" (1973 with Elizabeth Ashley), "Reflections of Murder" (1974 with Tuesday Weld), "Death at Love House" (1976 with Kate Jackson). There is a crazy nanny TV Movie from the 1980s "The Babysitter" (1980 with Patty Duke).
Another crazy nanny movie, which is not on YouTube, is "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" (1992 with Rebecca De Mornay). It's not a Made-for-TV Movie. You might also enjoy another theatrical release "Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice?" (1969 with Ruth Gordon). It's on YouTube now. It's got an almost crazy nanny theme only it deals with the missing paid companion of an unbalanced woman.
Yes, I am aware of all of those movies save for Reflections of a Murder. Must check that out, thank you. I love the Innocents. Those old TV movies remind me of being a very small girl and being terrified. The one that did me in the most was Don't be Afraid of the Dark (1973) w/ Kim Darby. Good Lord!
share"Reflections of Murder" is a remake of the classic 1955 French thriller "Les diaboliques" (AKA: "Diabolique"). I must say, the remake isn't at all bad for a TV Movie.
I remember "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" from way back. Warner Archive released the DVD. The same thing with "Bad Ronald" (1974). I read the novel "Bad Ronald". It was sanitized for the TV Movie.