Being the most pure mystery of the bunch, Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase is arguably the most enjoyable entry of the four-film franchise, even if the leads’ antics are entirely rote by now. The important thing is, they still amuse, and go out on a high note. It’s kind of a shame there weren’t … Continue reading Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (1939)→
Nancy Drew’s third big-screen adventure gets under way when her lawyer father (John Litel) is alerted to come help Matt (Aldrich Bowker), a crabby old farmer accused of murdering a neighbor. Matt says the sheriff is “a gol darn liar.” Mr. Drew frames their sudden getaway as a farm vacation so Nancy won’t stick her … Continue reading Nancy Drew … Trouble Shooter (1939)→
As the title so blatantly gives away, Nancy Drew … Reporter finds America’s sweetheart sleuth giving journalism a try. Not for altruistic reasons, but for the local newspaper’s prize of “$50 and a gold medal.” Leave it to Nancy (Bonita Granville) to pull a switcheroo so she can cover a front-page murder investigation. Ignoring all … Continue reading Nancy Drew … Reporter (1939)→
In her first screen outing, Nancy Drew — Detective, Carolyn Keene’s all-American teen she-Sherlock (Bonita Granville) is out to solve the sudden disappearance of an old biddy who was due to donate a bundle of cash to the local girls’ club to build a swimming pool. And Nancy sure as shit wants that swimming pool! … Continue reading Nancy Drew — Detective (1938)→
One of the weapons utilized in Scream for Help is a Swiss Army knife — fitting for the film’s all-purpose refusal to commit to one genre. Ultimately, it’s a thriller, as sleazy as it cheesy. Would you expect anything less from Death Wish director Michael Winner? At 17, Christie Cromwell (Rachael Kelly) is a regular … Continue reading Scream for Help (1984)→