'Girly' also known as 'Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny, and Girly' is an unhinged British Horror Comedy cult classic that thrives in its oddball nature and twisted satirical premise and delivers something that's equal parts disturbing and humorous. The movie manages to balance of these elements effectively well and moves along at a brisk pace and keeps you entertained throughout its runtime.
The Plot = A wealthy yet disturbed British family known as Mumsy (Ursula Howells) her 2 adult children Girly (Vanessa Howard) & Sonny (Howard Trevor), and their servant Nanny (Pat Heywood) kidnaps unsuspecting men and if they don't play by the rules then they are killed. However, their new friend (Michael Bryant) adapts to their rules and plays the family at their own game.
This movie is seen as something of a lost gem and still to this day isn't very well known, which is a shame as it's a fascinating and enjoyable British horror movie that revels in its intense and macabre atmosphere with an added dose of black humour thrown into the mix. There's also a certain cleverness to it in terms of how well written the story is, and the usage of a certain nursery rhyme within the context of the movie which adds a layer of dread as you know what's gonna happen. The direction by Freddy Francis is solid as he incorporates some interesting camera shots which gives things a strange claustrophobic feel at times, and he captures the unsettling tension perfectly even when things appear to be normal.
The cast here are fantastic with Ursula Howells delivering a strong performance as the matriarch Mumsy, with a mesmerizing and elegant screen presence that's both terrifying and yet intriguing at the same time. Pat Heywood delivers a well-rounded performance as Nanny with many interesting layers to her character. Howard Trevor gives a solid performance as Sonny the only male member of the family and somewhat of a thankless outsider. Vanessa Howard proves to be the main standout here in her role she's simply excellent as the psychopathic Girly, definitely the most fascinating character in this flick.
Overall 'Girly' is a fun twisted and yet very unconventional British horror cult classic that deserves far more attention plain and simple.
The Plot = A wealthy yet disturbed British family known as Mumsy (Ursula Howells) her 2 adult children Girly (Vanessa Howard) & Sonny (Howard Trevor), and their servant Nanny (Pat Heywood) kidnaps unsuspecting men and if they don't play by the rules then they are killed. However, their new friend (Michael Bryant) adapts to their rules and plays the family at their own game.
This movie is seen as something of a lost gem and still to this day isn't very well known, which is a shame as it's a fascinating and enjoyable British horror movie that revels in its intense and macabre atmosphere with an added dose of black humour thrown into the mix. There's also a certain cleverness to it in terms of how well written the story is, and the usage of a certain nursery rhyme within the context of the movie which adds a layer of dread as you know what's gonna happen. The direction by Freddy Francis is solid as he incorporates some interesting camera shots which gives things a strange claustrophobic feel at times, and he captures the unsettling tension perfectly even when things appear to be normal.
The cast here are fantastic with Ursula Howells delivering a strong performance as the matriarch Mumsy, with a mesmerizing and elegant screen presence that's both terrifying and yet intriguing at the same time. Pat Heywood delivers a well-rounded performance as Nanny with many interesting layers to her character. Howard Trevor gives a solid performance as Sonny the only male member of the family and somewhat of a thankless outsider. Vanessa Howard proves to be the main standout here in her role she's simply excellent as the psychopathic Girly, definitely the most fascinating character in this flick.
Overall 'Girly' is a fun twisted and yet very unconventional British horror cult classic that deserves far more attention plain and simple.