Bunny Lake Is Missing (1965)

A woman reports that her young daughter is missing, but there seems to be no evidence that she ever existed.

Director:

Otto Preminger

Writers:

John Mortimer (screenplay), Penelope Mortimer (screenplay)

Stars:

Keir Dullea, Carol Lynley, Laurence Olivier

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Laurence Olivier	...	Superintendent Newhouse
Carol Lynley	...	Ann Lake
Keir Dullea	...	Steven Lake
Martita Hunt	...	Ada Ford
Anna Massey	...	Elvira
Clive Revill	...	Andrews
Finlay Currie	...	Doll Maker
Lucie Mannheim	...	Cook
The Zombies	...	The Zombies
Noël Coward	...	Wilson
Adrienne Corri	...	Dorothy
Megs Jenkins	...	Sister
Delphi Lawrence	...	1st Mother
Jill Melford	...	Teacher
Suzanne Neve	...	2nd Mother

Storyline

Ann Lake has recently settled in England with her daughter, Bunny. When she goes to retrieve her daughter after the girl's first day at school, no one has any record of Bunny having been registered. When even the police can find no trace that the girl ever existed, they wonder if the child was only a fantasy of Ann's. When Ann's brother backs up the police's suspicions, she appears to be a mentally-disturbed individual. Are they right?

---

Plot Keywords:

investigation | abduction | disappearance | reel to reel tape recorder | mother daughter relationship | 

---

Taglines:

A conspiracy of madness

---

Genres:

Mystery | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 October 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bunny Lake ist verschwunden

Filming Locations:

Cannon Hall - 14 Cannon Place, Off East Heath Road, Hampstead, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wheel Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although The Zombies have a cameo in this movie, they do not sing the song that was their biggest hit in America, "She's Not There", even though the lyrics, and especially the title, would seem to make it especially relevant to this movie's plot.

---

Goofs

The police are seen leading two dogs around the garden and letting them sniff and search but as the mother does not have anything belonging to the child for them to sniff, what scent are they following?

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Steven: She may be a few minutes late. Will you please wait for her?
Mover: Yes sir.
Mover: Thank you.

---

Crazy Credits

The end credits begin with a cut out of Bunny's doll, before a hand replaces the cut out with black paper, and the credits begin to roll.

---

Connections

Referenced in Up Late with Alec Baldwin: Episode #1.4 (2013)

---

Soundtracks

Frère Jacques
French Traditional
Sung by the school pupils

User Reviews

This movie has haunted me since childhood

I don't remember how old I was when I saw "Bunny Lake is Missing" - I was only 5 years old when it was released in theaters, and I know that I saw it on television, so I must have been around 10 or 12. All I know is that I have remembered it to this day, and when even the title of a movie, seen only once at such a young age, is etched forever in your memory, you know it's something worth seeing again. I can't remember every detail of the plot, but I remember the haunting feeling I had after seeing this movie, the realization for the first time, being so young, that things truly are not always as they seem. I have often thought about this movie over the years, and have always watched for it among late-night television, and among video titles, and this is the first place I have ever found mention of it - I was beginning to think it was one of those childhood memories that came from a vivid dream rather then from reality. I am happy to know that my memory was real, and that there are those who feel this movie was truly as great as I remember it being. I hope that someday it is made available - I look forward to the day when I can see it again.