ThiefHott Too much of everything

StunnaKrypto Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Yash Wade Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Michael_Elliott The Nanny (1965) *** (out of 4)Joey (William Dix) is a ten-year-old boy who was accused of killing his younger sister and he's been spending time away at a home for troubled children. He comes back home and right off the bat he is terrified by and hates the nanny (Bette Davis).THE NANNY is a mildly effective film from Hammer that proved they were able to touch on some risky subjects as well as trying to expand their credibility by having someone like Bette Davis appear in their film. Davis, still riding the success of WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?, is quite excellent here and is certainly the main reason to watch the picture.For some reason horror fans always have to compare things. They compare one death scene to another or compare one Frankenstein to another. I guess it's fun to do this because it starts up debates but for some reason this film is always compared to WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? and I personally think that's a shame. Davis was masterful in that film and she's quite great here. There's really no point in comparing the performances because they are so different and the only thing the two prove is how great Davis was.Whereas the Baby Jane character was crazy and over-the-top, this nanny character is so much more calm, cool and collective. The entire point of the film is its mystery as to what exactly the kid did and what exactly the nanny did and Davis makes it believable because of her brilliant performance. She's sinister and yet there's a calmness about her that makes you think that perhaps she's just an innocent part. A lot of credit can also go towards Dix as he's quite good as is the supporting cast.With that said, the film works as a slow burn meaning it takes a while for it to get where it's going. I thought the first hour was quite good and held you attention but the film somewhat started to lose my interest before building back up to its fine climax. I'd also argue that the boy was so annoying that I think a lot of people will be cheering for something to happen to him. All in all, THE NANNY is certainly worth watching even with it not being overly thrilling for such a thriller.

Tad Pole . . . and Youthful William Dix as Leader Donald Trump in this "Fair and Balanced" preview of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election Campaign. As this saga would later unfold in Real Life, THE NANNY amounts to a "He said\She said" conflict. Just as all of Leader Trump's stalwart Legions resounded with visceral chants of "Lock her up! Lock her up!! Lock her up!!!" Master Dix's "Joey" makes sure that NANNY's prototypical Witch Hillary cannot drown, poison, smother, or otherwise strangle the Spirit of America using her Evil Wiles. Fox deftly contrasts Leader Trump's Youthful Masculine Dynamic in the person of Joey with Hillary's addled dementia calling out to be unplugged from Life Support as embodied by Bette the Butcher (documented on her biography page elsewhere on this site as having committed AT LEAST SIX abortions in Real Life, to go with the doubly fatal infanticide THE NANNY's daughter "Jenny" succumbs from here). "Bobby," Joey's girl upstairs, symbolizes the millions of American women standing up for Leader Trump's Truth while remaining stubbornly impervious to NANNY Hillary's Falsehoods. No doubt Fox's THE NANNY was a telling if subliminal Factor putting Leader Trump over-the-top for his plurality among authentic, American-born U.S. Citizen Voters.

LeonLouisRicci Hammer Studios was a class act. They could make anything look good and had a way of putting together a film that had audience appeal and did it with the efficiency needed because of financial restraints. They seemed to match bigger studios and rarely made films that were completely bad or disappointing.The Nanny is no exception. The Studio managed to concoct a semi-effective Gothic thriller but this one is so laid back and restrained that it sometimes sputters and it becomes a bit of a bore. This combined with some confusing flashbacks and a very convoluted ending result in a rather pedestrian picture with few shocks and even fewer flamboyances. This was probably done for effect but ultimately unseats this from becoming a taut thriller and results in some interest but can't maintain its mood for the duration. All the performances are above expectations and Davis fans can marvel at her even handed approach but she never manages to escape or emerge from her one note portrayal of a not very interesting friend of the family.It's a good looking evenly paced, if forever slow, movie that is not bad but fails to make much of an impression considering some of the aberrant behavior and some eccentric takes on the upper middle class lives of these stiff and stifling Brits.

JasparLamarCrabb Surprisingly dull considering the promising premise & the participation of Bette Davis in the title role. Davis is nanny to the seemingly incorrigible Joey (William Dix), who may or may not have killed his little sister. His parents are befuddled (in the case of mom Wendy Craig, completely neurotic) as to what to make of little Joey. The boy proclaims his innocence to anyone who'll listen. It's a shame that this Hammer film isn't better...or at least scary. Davis affects an odd English accent and Craig is fairly hysterical, but there's no suspense or action just a lot of explication. Dix is very unappealing and so is young Pamela Franklin as his confident. Jill Bennett does add some spark as Joey's saucy aunt, who proves to be swifter than the other adults in the film (and regrets it). Directed by Seth Holt and based on the Evelyn Piper novel. Otto Preminger had better luck the same year with BUNNY LAKE IS MISSING (also penned by Piper).