Another Movie Guide

“The Nanny” Starring Betty Davis

Many films today seem to have a plot that is not only predictable, but also tends to leave the viewer on the outside. Many of these movies are nowhere near enjoyable because you are never allowed to truly experience the feelings and interactions of the characters. Unlike the characters on the screen, you know exactly what is going to happen, where it is going to happen, and when it is going to happen. That sense of dread, fear, or uncertainty you see on the actors’ faces never makes its way into your on psyche, thus leaving you with not only a sense of helplessness, but also boredom. Not so with the 1965 classic “The Nanny” starring Bette Davis and William Dix.

Davis plays the ever present nanny always ready at everyone’s beck and call. Whether it be cooking dinner for the family, nursing the mother back to health, bathing the children, or cleaning the house, there is not one part of the family’s life that is not touched. Without the nanny, one gets the impression that the whole family would crumble into oblivion.

Her antagonist is the 10 year old Joey (played by William Dix) who at the beginning of the movie has just been picked up from a reform school where he has spent the last two years. It seems his parents and the authorities have found him to be responsible for the death of his baby sister two years prior. The doctors at the institution have given up hope of Joey ever reforming and have placed him back in the care of his parents.

Once back at home, Joey immediately shows his disdain for the nanny by refusing to eat anything she fixes, by constantly exhibiting nothing but complete rudeness to her, and refusing to have anything to do with her. The mother responds to his rebellion by retiring to the bedroom feigning sickness while the father uses these opportunities as an excuse to visit the club. The nanny takes it all in stride, never getting angry, and showering the boy with nothing but love and an almost sick admiration.

We soon find out that the boy is positive that the nanny is responsible for his sister’s death, and has convinced himself that he is next on her list. No one believes his stories except the teenage girl who lives in the apartment upstairs, but even she has her doubts, and is powerless to help him regardless of what she believes.

By the time we get to the end of the movie two people have died, but who is really responsible for their deaths? Is the nanny really the wicked old murderer that the boy has come to believe that she is, or is Joey the one responsible for all the mayhem in the family? This film will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way up to the final credits.

Christian Jentz is a world traveler who has visited nine different countries, and has lived in three. His travels have taken him to seven countries in Europe, one in North America, and one in Asia. He is an avid film buff, and through his travels has developed a love for foreign movies. He has written several articles, as well as contributed to several blogs for http://bluecowboyfilms.com. He speaks English, Spanish, and Chinese. He currently resides in China where he is an English instructor at the University of Datong.