The Moon-Spinners - 1964

Enjoyable film of suspense and intrigue based loosely on the novel by Mary Stewart. While on holiday on the island of Crete, Nikki (Mills) becomes involved in trying to find a fortune in stolen jewels. If you have read Stewart’s book and are looking for a faithful adaptation, you will not find it here. However, Disney did a great job of creating an intelligent screenplay that matched the spirit of the story. Great performances by all, but especially that of Hayley Mills, who definitely demonstrated her ability to move into older roles. Personally, though, I would have preferred to see the strength her character showed in the book and a little less screaming. :-) The filming was excellent with some wonderful scenes of Crete and the local culture. Loved the edge-of-your-seat windmill scene! This is definitely a great family friendly film that we would enjoy watching again in the future. ****

That Darn Cat - 1965

Delightful Disney classic! After her cat shows up with a watch around its neck, Patti (Mills) is convinced it came from a recently kidnapped bank teller. When the FBI gets involved, one of their agents (Jones) sets up surveillance to follow the cat. This humorous story is well written with some witty dialog and comic situations. Great interactions between each of the main characters as well as the many supporting characters, from the nosy neighbors to the jealous boyfriend. Although mainly a comedy, there is also some good suspense. The kidnappers (Gorshin & Brand) are actually fairly chilling and you feel the fear of the bank teller. Performances were wonderful from everyone, including the cat! Especially loved the nosy neighbors, Lancaster and Demarest, who steal every scene they are in! It was also great fun, however brief, to see Ed Wynn as the jeweler. The filming was good and although the film included plenty of comic physical humor, this film managed to avoid the overdone silly slapstick of its ’97 remake. This is definitely a family favorite!  *****