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15 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
Fourth, final, delightful entry in the terrific "Nancy Drew' Series, 12 October 2002
10/10
Author: sdiner82 (sdiner82@aol.com) from New York City, USA

From 1938 to 1939, Warner Bros. produced four entries in its "Nancy Drew" series. Each is a perfect delight; why didn't the studio continue making more of them? Perky, blonde, vivacious Bonita Granville is perfection as the feisty teenaged sleuth. John Litel is equally solid and dependable as her tolerant dad. Rene Riano is a joy as the Drews' long-suffering but devoted housekeeper. And the underrated Frankie Thomas outshines them all with his droll, engaging, All-American-Boy niceness as Nancy's would-be boyfriend Ted, whom Nancy drags reluctantly into each of her outlandish crime-solving schemes. This final entry packs more fun, suspense, and twisty plot turns into a mere 60 minutes than most of today's bloated bombs manage to squeeze into two hours. The Drew's home, nestled on a cozy small-town American street, complete with picket fences and old-fashioned street lights, could be a block away from the Hardy family's domain. Although done on a B-budget, the production values of the entire Nancy Drew series are first-rate (craftily utilizing the sets of Warners' big-budget films of the era). Watch "Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase" (and spend the night in a "haunted" house, shivering along with Nancy and Ted) and I guarantee you'll be hooked--and searching TCM's listings for showings of the other three entries in the series. Mystery, wry comedy, spine-chilling suspense, first-rate writing, crisp direction, and endearing performances by actors with charisma to spare--movies of any generation don't get any better than this! The Drew series quartet is a fascinating forerunner of the teenagers-in-jeopardy genre revived in 1978 by "Halloween" (and a thousand imitators) for a more blood-thirsty generation. There's not one single drop of blood to be seen in the entire Nancy Drew series, but the suspense and chills are no less palpable. Catch these unsung classics as soon as possible. After 60-some years, they are still fresh as if newly minted, and thoroughly irresistible.

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13 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
Ditto, 28 November 2002
Author: westegg from New York

I stumbled upon this series, courtesy of TCM, and was pleasantly surprised by their almost effortless charm. Bonita Granville was especially well cast as Drew, and cohort Frankie Thomas shared a good onscreen chemistry with her. I too wish there were more episodes in this underrated series; one can still appreciate its breezily innocent yet often witty qualities--all too rare to find let alone do nowadays. It remains a homage to the skills of workaday backlot Hollywood, circa 1939, showcasing plenty of talent for an otherwise unassuming footnote in the Warner Bros. vault. Thanks again, TCM.

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9 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
Overly energetic Nancy still heads a solid, fun film, 21 March 2007
7/10
Author: John Esche from Jersey City, New Jersey

Long before Harry Potter arrived to slake the thirst of voracious young readers, the factory minted Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mystery series were getting regular readers.

While straight forward and relatively uncomplicated in their mystery plotting, they were basically solid "B" level templates, and at the height of the 30's Hollywood mystery vogue, Warner Brothers jumped on the bandwagon with a creditable four film series of Nancy Drew's - this final effort arguably the best (and the only one to share a title and a couple plot elements with an actual Nancy Drew book).

Bonita Granville makes a borderline silly Nancy, with a mad energy level approaching Betty Hutton levels and (plot-wise) causing as many problems as she solves, but once accepted, her chemistry with John Litel's warm Carson Drew (the father figure) and Frankie Thomas' guileless comic foil/boyfriend Ted Nickerson is outstanding. Had the series tried for more, these solid supporting performances might well have kept it around for a longer run, but Granville's frequently charming caricature and Frank Orth's even sillier Police Captain Tweedy (who never listens to ANYONE once he hears half a clue) firmly place it in limited audience "B" territory - above the cartoonish "Dick Tracy" series, but several steps below the longer running "adult" Charlie Chan's, Mr. Moto's, Sherlock Holmes', Thin Man's or even the solid Saint's, Falcon's or Lone Wolf's.

The best thing about the series 70 years after it was first shown (and which should still hold the attention of the serious film lover) is its beautifully observed picture of life in small town America just before World War II, when icemen actually did deliver blocks of ice to the actual ice boxes which adorned most kitchens (and the standard system for calling for delivery) both of which form interesting plot points.

We're not talking great art here. Consider the drop in quality of the still decent 3rd and 4th Harry Potter films - as the books got better, "movie-movie" directors made the films less faithful and less effective. At least the Nancy Drew series ended on a high note as they edged closer to the source material.

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10 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
NANCY DREW LIVES ON FOREVER, 12 October 2002
Author: whpratt1 from United States

It always was a great joy to read Nancy Drew books and being able to see "The Hidden Staircase" was a wonderful thing Hollywood was able to give to the public in the 1940's. Bonita Granville, Frankie Thomas and John Litel gave excellent performances and made the Drew characters come to life. Films in those days had a limited budget and it was an innocent age without all the blood and gore in todays films. No criticism is necessary for these Classic Films with Classic actors which are still being shown in the year 2000 and forever.

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6 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Who Wants Those Little Old Ladies to Leave, 15 June 2007
5/10
Author: bkoganbing from Buffalo, New York

Wills like this one are usually only found in mystery novels. Two spinster sisters were left property by their father on the condition that at least one of them remain there every night for twenty years at which time they can sell out. Otherwise it reverts to the city. That certainly must have cramped their social life, no wonder they remained spinsters.

But when the family chauffeur is murdered and other strange things happen our teenage heroine goes to work. As usual Bonita is helped by Frankie who it seems she can talk into just about anything in these films including having all American football player Thomas lose his clothes and have to get into drag which was an offense back in the day.

In three of the four films law enforcement is represented by Frank Orth as the local police captain. Seeing Orth in what was his career role as the bumbling Captain Tweedy, no wonder they need Granville's help whenever a serious crime occurs.

There would be no more Nancy Drew films after this as Granville left Warner Brothers. It was a nice series and I'm sure the kids in the Saturday matinée crowd enjoyed it. Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler were not threatened by Carolyn Keene though.

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5 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Nancy Drew Captured, 1 December 2005
10/10
Author: lorenzo212 from huntington beach, ca

I think Warner Bros. captured the spirit of the Nancy Drew novels, and presented them in great style. The give and take between Nancy and her father is actually better than the books, and Ted Nickerson, as played by Frankie Thomas, makes the character stand out far more than in the books, where he was just a straight man for Nancy. And Bonita Granville as Nancy gives a phenomenal film portrayal of the heroine of millions, without going over the top, and she is especially likable and memorable. We have to remember this is a film portrayal of a book, it is not the book, nor was it meant to be, and it captures exactly the feeling of Nancy Drew mysteries. I wish the Hardy Boys had been done like this! I gave it a 10 not because it was the best movie ever made, but because it was a great interpretation of the book that lost nothing in the translation to screen, and gained in the character given by superb actors.

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
Bonita shines, 9 June 2007
10/10
Author: tday-1 (tday11@cox.net) from Tucson,Az

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

When I was growing up I loved kid's adventure books but passed on Nancy Drew,she was for girls only. When I actually read one I was surprised how phony the whole thing seemed, Nany was perky and perfect with an ideal life style. A widowed,indulgent father,a loving housekeeper,a generous allowance ,her own car,no home work and no chores. The Warner Bros. series wisely trimmed the fat,eliminating Nancy's girlfriends who helped her in cases,making Ted,not Ned,more prominent. In a couple of the movies he tries to avoid her and her schemes but she gets him involved anyway. It's highly unlikely the series could have continued,both leads were maturing out of the teen-age stage,Bonita left Warner bros. for MGM,so that was that. Interestingly,the series involved murders,not missing treasure or stuff like that. Bonita plays Nancy like a real girl,not perky and perfect with every step,she messes things up even with her enthusiasm.

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Gotta love that Frankie, 20 March 2009
6/10
Author: blanche-2 from United States

Bonita Granville has the title role in "Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase," the final entry into the Nancy Drew series. It also stars Frankie Thomas and John Litel. This particular film is based on one of the actual books, but how closely it sticks to the story - well, I haven't read Nancy Drew in nearly 50 years, so I can't remember. Since in the books, Nancy had two girlfriends, missing in the series, it probably doesn't stick all that closely.

In this one, Nancy is determined to make sure that two elderly sisters keep to their father's will so that the house can be donated to a hospital. That won't happen unless at least one of them is in the house every night for twenty years. With only two weeks to go, and their chauffeur shot dead in the house, the ladies want out - fast.

Nancy manages to drag Ted Nickerson, her quasi-boyfriend, into all kinds of trouble, and that's where the fun happens. Thomas is a riot. Nancy always got into deep water in the books, but I remember her as more serious and perfect. That wouldn't have worked for the films, so Nancy is kind of a Lucy and Ted is Ethel, an unwilling participant in her schemes.

Bonita Granville was a fine movie Nancy, very lively, wacky, and likable. It's a shame there are only four "Nancy Drew" films. It is a very good series.

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"Holy Pancakes.", 19 December 2008
5/10
Author: Robert J. Maxwell (rmax304823@yahoo.com) from Deming, New Mexico

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

The entries is this series are pretty much alike. Nancy Drew (Bonita Granville), a teen-aged girl, finds some mystery in Riverside Heights and pursues it, despite the warnings of her father and friends, to its happy end. Everything is shot on the cheap on the Warner's back lot.

The startling feature of this film, and the others, is Bonita Granville. While not strikingly attractive, she has what might be called a presence. Oh, she overacts outrageously but so does everyone else.

But she flits from place to place like a hummingbird, flounces flouncing, both hands held in the air like Fred Astaire, whipping along, subject to speech pressure like a hypomanic. Except when whispering -- "There's a hidden door somewhere." And even that deserves an exclamation point which I refuse to give it.

Her friend, confidant, and unwitting fool, is Ted Nickerson, a gawky adolescent boy. Nancy Drew inveigles him into so many questionable enterprises, after most of which he winds up humiliated, and she shows so little interest in him, that at some point he must ask himself, "What have you done for me lately?" Oh, Ted. You poor schmuck. Another few years and you'd be wearing a brown uniform in a brown milieu while Nancy was back home forgetting all about you.

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"Some day I'm gonna get psychoanalyzed and find out why I'm such a dope.", 4 April 2008
6/10
Author: bensonmum2 from Tennessee

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Nancy Drew, with the invaluable assistance of her friend Ted Nickerson, comes to the aid of two old spinsters about to lose their home. As part of their father's will, the old women must live in the house for 20 years or its ownership will change to the city. But the death of the chauffeur, a theft in the middle of the night, and voices in walls have the sisters ready to abandon their home and their legacy. It's up to Nancy and Ted to find out what's going on and, in the process, unmask a killer.

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase is probably my least favorite of the series. That's not to say it's a bad, unentertaining movie, it's just not as good as the three movies that came before it. If I had to point to any one thing that bothered me about the movie it would be the complete lack of reality. While I realize that none of the four movies in the series is set in what I consider the real world, Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase takes it a bit too far. For example, while Nancy is quite often misleading about what evidence she may have found while investigating a case, she crosses the line in this movie when she fabricates a suicide note and/or fails to tell the police about a bullet casing she's discovered. I don't care whose daughter she is or how much she has helped the police in the past, you get into real trouble when you start tampering with evidence.

But enough of my preaching. Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase is still a lot of fun. Bonita Granville and Frankie Thomas are as enjoyable as ever. The movie is well paced and at an hour in length there's not enough time for a wasted scene. The comedy is often quite funny. I found myself chuckling at more than one scene (the ice piling up on the ice box for example). While there's no real mystery as to the killer's identity, watching Nancy and Ted discover the how's and why's is a lot of fun. Finally, I'm a sucker for a movie set in an old house with moving walls and secret passages. They're just too much fun!

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