Michael_Elliott Nancy Drew--Detective (1938) ** 1/2 (out of 4) The first of four films in Warner's Nancy Drew series has Bonita Granville playing the teenage detective. In this film the wannabe detective tangles with gangsters over a missing old woman who was about to donate money to Nancy's school. The only other one in the series that I've seen is the second one and I really enjoyed it more than this one. The 66-minute running time goes by fairly slowly due to the middle section that really drags. The story really isn't all that interesting and none of the supporting characters have any flair. Granville is terrific in the lead and the main reason for watching this.

ard_vrk I've tried looking it up but can't seem to find any reference to the importance or usage of that particular number: 2380 - twenty-three eighty.They'd use it like, "I'll bet you twenty-three eighty that..." or "It was twenty three eighty million miles away" or something of that sort, but always as twenty-three eighty.Does anyone know what that term refers to?As for the movie itself, it was just OK.I always pictured Nancy Drew as more sure of herself and less bungling and helpless girlie-like.

lehartter Nancy Drew, Detective, turns very serious drama campy, which is actually one of the best ways to handle serious drama. The real novels in the series depict Nancy as sophisticated, intelligent, multi-talented, (read: Mary Richards of MTM) and, up until about 1965, dressed like a model in heels, suits, tailored dresses and hats while she completes the majority of the legwork for her sleuthing.The film depicts a less-than-perfect, giddy, and at times, juvenile Nancy. Based on "The Password to Larkspur Lane," Nancy's sidekicks Bess, George (a girl), and Helen, are written out of the movies, in favor of boyfriend Ned (re-named Ted in the films). This obviously promotes a Garland/Rooney type relationship.The plot unevenly blends in comic relief from the original story, now at an outlandish angle, and makes intelligent sophisticate Nancy into a typical teen. The change in characterization killed all hopes for this series to run for more than the brief four films involved. Fans of Nancy, and, the publishing icon Harriet S. Adams, were both disappointed with Warner Brothers' treatment of the famous teen. So much so, that when Harriet regained the film rights, the famous sleuth wasn't filmed again until 1977.

blanche-2 Bonita Granville plays smart, courageous, spunky Nancy Drew in this programmer based on the novels by Caroline Keene. It's been a long time since I read any Nancy Drews, or since my mother read the books, but one remembers every detail. The roadster, her friend named George, her boyfriend named Ned, and the Drew housekeeper named Hannah. For reasons known only to the studio, Ned is now Ted (guess they didn't like the alliteration), there's no George (guess they didn't want a girl with a boy's name) and the housekeeper is named Effie (you tell me why). Nancy still has her roadster.The Nancy Drew mysteries are wonderful reads, and this film was fun to watch, even with the little changes. Bonita Granville, who, as Bonita Granville Wrather became the producer of the "Lassie" TV series, certainly looks like Nancy (who in the books was always having "luncheon"). I had always envisioned while reading the books a more sophisticated, less madcap Nancy, but Granville's energetic (almost hyper) characterization fits a film portrayal well. Ned is a little bit of a goof, but a smart one. John Litel was right casting as Carson Drew, Nancy's father, a widower who didn't date.The plot can be figured out in the first ten seconds, but these movies were for the teen-aged audience who knew the books. Very enjoyable, and a slice of '30s life which is no more.