mjtsmm2027 I can't believe I have never heard of this until today when I accidentally came across it on YouTube. A true British 'oddity' which is a term mainly used for much more well known films such as The Wicker Man. However no mistaking, this is simply nuts. In fact, despite the fact that you spend the whole time thinking how much better this could be, you end up loving it and I don't think it will leave my mind for some time. Whilst this is far from a great film, it is the actual premise that carries so much dramatic weight. This is the Texas Chainsaw family transported to gentile post-war Britain. Tea cups, tea cakes and knitting are the British version of dead chicken heads and bones. Far more civilised and polite and yet this family are just as deranged and deadly. The decaying mansion could contain Miss Havisham and indeed Mumsy quotes Dickens from her bed - a wonderful set-up with Nanny sleeping at the foot of her bed as a satirical comment on the desperation experienced by the wealthy holding on to their servants as the class system started to disintegrate. Indeed the mansion itself probably represents what happened to so many of England's great 'homes' as the Gentry suddenly found themselves having to pay their way.Girly herself, drawn up as the ultimate hetero male fantasy, is a startling mix of Alice in Wonderland, a St Trinian pupil and an axe-wielding maniac. It is perhaps surprising that she hasn't become more iconic but perhaps as it quite spectacularly goes against the aims of the women's Lib movement that was rising at the time, she would have been considered unfashionable.Whilst Sonny is less of a character, he is still enthusiastically and athletically played by the actor and Ursula Howells is regal enough to convince. Altogether, unforgettable.

Bribaba Little Miss Girly has a brother called Sonny and together they invite random pick-ups to their home to meet Mumsy and Nanny. There's chocolate biscuits and nice cups of tea on the menu, but only medicine for dessert. "It's the rule" as Mumsy points out to a reluctant diner. "Sod the rules" he barks, in one of the many Pinteresque exchanges, "where's my teacake?" The house, already seething with sexual repression amidst the children's games and nursery rhymes, heats up considerably when one 'guest' (or 'friend' as they are known) seeks a way out of the madness by playing the women off against each other. Sonny captures this and worse on his Super 8 camera and in doing so evokes the spirit of Peeping Tom, a film which preceded this by nine years.'Little Miss Girly Packs Her Bags And Another One's Off To The Angels' sings Girly herself (to the tune of Nellie the Elephant) after the latest atrocity. Such rhymes and rules are designed to protect the residents from the ravishes of London, swinging away outside. Some have likened the story to some of Tennessee Williams work particularly Baby Doll, a description well suited to Girly. Despite being full of English eccentricity rather than Deep South nut jobs, this is a credible comparison. I'm not a big fan of Freddie Francis (as director) but he does a great job here, making the mental seem almost normal and ensuring things don't get too camp.

The_Void What we have here is a bizarre mix of psycho horror and pitch black comedy that actually works much better than I thought it would. The film is based on a stage play by Maisie Mosco and follows a so-called 'happy family' who all happen to be lunatics. The film is directed by Freddie Francis who of course has a lot of experience in directing cult and horror movies having done a number of films for Hammer Horror and numerous other projects. The film is not very well known and was considered lost for a number of years. I have to say that doesn't really surprise me - this flick is a bit too weird to have a great deal of mass market appeal! The plot focuses on a family made up of four people - unsurprisingly calling themselves; Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly. This clan has a habit of kidnapping people, subjecting them to torturous games for a little while and then "sending them to the angels" once bored of them. This all goes well until they kidnap a New Friend, who is not happy to join in with the games and decides to play some of his own...The film is very 'British' in style and execution and Freddie Francis does well in elevating the film away from it's stage play origins - although it's still clear that this story was originally a play from the settings and the way most of the scenes play out. Almost the entire film takes place in and around the large house that is the living area of the central characters. The lack in variation for locations doesn't harm the film however as the house matches the plot brilliantly and the way that it all takes place around one area helps to enforce the unfortunate kidnapped characters' situations and lack of escape routes. The acting is spot on, with all four of the title characters being brought to life convincingly - Vanessa Howard is particularly good as the mischievous 'Girly'. Michael Bryant is probably the best known member of the cast and he fits in well with the rest of them. The humour on display is so black that a lot of it will be missed - I have to say that I didn't find the film particularly 'funny' myself. Still, this is an excellent slice of cult cinema and well worth seeing if you can get your hands on a copy!

aimless-46 Fans of British horror and black comedy should definitely track down this Freddie Francis film, which was not imaginatively marketed at the time of its release and was never able to connect with its proper audience. I saw this at the base theatre during my Air Force days. Most films on base only ran for one day (three shows) and this was one of a handful that drew capacity crowds to the second and third shows due to "word of mouth" praise by those who attended the first screening. If you liked Jack Hill's "Spider Baby" (1968) you will love this film as it appears to have served as Francis' inspiration. Originally titled "Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly", the title was shortened to just "Girly", appropriate since Girly is the main character. It is definitely a product of its times. Imagine mixing "The Beguiled" with the television shows "The Avengers" and "The Prisoner". Francis was primarily a television director.Like those shows, much of the humor comes from presenting extreme characters and situations as if there they are nothing exceptional. In this case a nutty family of four (insert original title here) which includes a brother and sister far to old for their school uniforms.Vanessa Howard plays the title character with a lot of sizzle and will remind viewers of Tisha Sterling, especially Sterling's portrayal of Ma Parker's daughter Legs on the Batman television show. She has a lot of fun with this role alternating instantly between playful child, coquettish flirt, and violent psychopath. Howard is a genuinely fine actress, although in "Girly" her short skirts and provocative scripting make it hard to concentrate on her acting skills.This happy family lives on a large estate just outside London and amuse themselves by luring men there to serve as the children's playmates in various games supervised by Mumsy (Ursula Howells) and Nanny (Pat Heywood). When these new friends outlive their usefulness they are dispatched in novel ways and "sent to the angels". The last new friend believes himself a murderer and in time actually wants to become part the family, or anything else involving Girly. This sets things up for a cute twist at the end as Francis examines the fragility of sanity.The best scene is a slick little seduction sequence around the pool table. As the new friend looks on Howard places a doll in each pocket and calmly circles the table, driving a ball into each doll's face. At the same time she keeps up a monologue about the punishment her playmate will receive if he should try to leave. Very cool.Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.