Review of Nancy Drew... Reporter (1939) by Jesse L — 25 Jun 2004

(DVD) (First Viewing, 1st Clemens film).

No, it's not a particularly good film, but I'd by lying if I didn't admit it was the most fun I've had watching a movie in a long while. A long-time fan of the book series, I have always wanted to see the several films that Warner Bros. made in the late 1930's and early 40's.

And it didn't disappoint. The girlish Bonita Granville is not at all how I had always pictured the cool, intelligent and sophisticated Nancy, but her unbridled enthusiasm is ultimately hard to resist. The story isn't based on any of the actual books by Carolyn Keene (and I think I read most of them), and a lot of the names, characters, etc., are changed, but it has the same kind of energy and excitement that I always got from reading the books.

I suppose I could have spent an hour of my time watching a much more important film, but somehow I don't think I would have enjoyed that hour nearly as much as I did.