|
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? (1972)A demented widow lures unsuspecting children into her mansion in a bizarre "Hansel and Gretel" twist. Director:Curtis Harrington |
| 0Share... |
Share this Rating
Title: Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? (1972)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
Photos
Edit
Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Shelley Winters | ... |
Mrs. Forrest
|
|
| Mark Lester | ... |
Christopher Coombs
|
|
 |
Chloe Franks | ... |
Katy Coombs
|
| Ralph Richardson | ... |
Mr. Benton
|
|
| Lionel Jeffries | ... | ||
| Hugh Griffith | ... |
Mr. Harrison
|
|
|
|
Rosalie Crutchley | ... |
Miss Henley
|
|
|
Pat Heywood | ... |
Dr. Mason
|
| Judy Cornwell | ... |
Clarine
|
|
| Michael Gothard | ... |
Albie
|
|
|
|
Jacqueline Cowper | ... |
Angela Barnes
|
|
|
Richard Beaumont | ... |
Peter Brookshire
|
|
|
Charlotte Sayce | ... |
Katharine Forrest
|
|
|
Marianne Stone | ... |
Miss Wilcox
|
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
This is a retelling of the old tale of Hansel and Gretel, but set in England in the 1920s. To the children and staff at the orphanage, Auntie Roo is a kindly American widow who gives them a lavish Christmas party each year in her mansion, Forrest Grange. In reality, she is a severely disturbed woman, who keeps the mummified remains of her little daughter in a nursery in the attic. One Christmas, her eye falls upon a little girl who reminds her of her daughter and she imprisons her in her attic. Nobody believes her brother, Christopher, when he tells them what has happened, so he goes to rescue her. Written by Mark
Taglines:
The hand that rocks the cradle has no flesh on it! See more »Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents »
Edit
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
1 April 1974 (Turkey) See more »Also Known As:
Gingerbread House See more »Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
Mrs. Forrest: This bear was better! He had shiny black eyes and his fur was all soft!
Katy Coombs: Fine, then you can keep that bear and I'll keep William.
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
According to Judy Cornwell's memoirs, Shelley Winters discovered that Cornwell had got good reviews in Wuthering Heights and demanded Cornwell's role was cut to the bone. See more »Quotes
Katy Coombs: I want William!Mrs. Forrest: This bear was better! He had shiny black eyes and his fur was all soft!
Katy Coombs: Fine, then you can keep that bear and I'll keep William.
See more »
"Whoever Slew Auntie Roo" is a pleasant time-waster starring everyone's favorite daffy bird, Shelley Winters. In this one, Shelley is an hysterical widow who keeps her long-dead daughter's body in a secret room in her mansion, singing lullabies to it every night. She also holds séances to communicate with the girl's spirit.
The "drama" unfolds after Shelley's annual Christmas party for local orphans yields one little girl who reminds her very much of her now-mummified daughter. The little girl's brother catches on that Shelley is a little daft, but not before they are imprisoned in Shelley's mansion and she goes completely off her rocker.
Yes, it's a "re-imagining" of the Hansel And Gretel fairy tale, and a relatively harmless one. It's more spoofy than spooky, and the story is stretched a little thin. In the tradition of "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane", this is one of those predicaments where the whole thing would be over if the victims could just manage to scream bloody murder at the right time. In that way the movie could wear on your nerves quite nicely.
But it's a technically well-made movie, and you could do worse if you're bored and in the mood for something weird. Shelley's always worth a look.