The Nanny (1965)

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Highly Overrated But Still Good

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

. . . 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.

You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out who the nut job is in "The Nanny". This is Bette Davis in post "Baby Jane/Sweet Charlotte" mode. She's nanny to disturbed little Joey, (an excellent William Dix), who may or may not have drowned his little sister in the bathtub. Joey is a sulky little sod given to rather extreme practical jokes, (little pretending to hang himself), but one look at Mary Poppins Davis and you might be inclined to run a mile. That fine and underrated director Seth Holt directed his excellent psychological chiller well adapted by producer Jimmy Sangster from Evelyn Piper's novel. Davis is superb but so too are Wendy Craig and Jill Bennett as Dix's mother and aunt. It has now built up something of a cult reputation.

The Nanny is directed by Seth Holt and adapted to screenplay by Jimmy Sangster from the novel of the same name written by Evelyn Piper (AKA: Merriam Modell). It stars Bette Davis, Wendy Craig, William Dix, Jill Bennett, James Villiers and Pamela Franklin. Music is by Richard Rodney Bennett and cinematography by Harry Waxman.The Fane family, their Nanny, a tragedy and young Master Joey Fane just released from a school for disturbed children. Secrets will out...A psychological thriller of some substance from Hammer Film Productions, The Nanny thrives on deft story telling and acting of quality from Bette Davis.There's a slight annoyance that the mystery element of the story struggles to command interest, because the title of the film kind of tells us what is wrong in the Fane household equation, but the constant battle between young Joey (Dix excellent as a kid being stubborn and aggressive, but alienated) and Nanny Bette is riveting.Holt builds the core of the story patiently, the Fane house is a fraught place, Craig's mom is perched on the edge of a break down, Villiers' papa a stiff backed type not nearly at home enough and emotionally cut off from the worries of his wife and child. Hovering over them all is Nanny, smoothly weaving about them, holding sway with an unnerving calmness, it's a calm before the storm scenario and once the truths come tumbling out the best impact has been garnered due to the unfussy and unhurried work of the production team.Filmed suitably in black and white and primarily shot in the confines of one home, picture has atmosphere and oppressive feeling in abundance. The lack of that mystery intrigue, and a less than barn storming finale, stop it from being in the top tier of the Hammer-Psycho-Chiller list, but it's easy film to recommend to fans of the genre and especially to fans of the irrepressible Madame Davis. 7.5/10

A neat psychological study with heavily browed Bette Davis (as Nanny) prepared for the return of ten-year-old William Dix (as Joey Fane), after two years in an institution for the emotionally disturbed. The boy supposedly drowned his little sister in the bathtub, but Dix swears Ms. Davis was responsible. When you see Davis' marvelously perverse "Mary Poppins" demeanor, you'll understand why. Dix thinks he's next on her hit list. Distraught mother Wendy Craig (as Virgie) and father James Villiers (as Bill) side with Davis. Dix confides in teenage London apartment mate Pamela Franklin (as Bobbie). Showing how far you can go on a weak heart, visiting aunt Jill Bennett (as Pen) may not last the night... ******** The Nanny (10/27/65) Seth Holt ~ Bette Davis, William Dix, Jill Bennett, Wendy Craig