Movie of the Day (1/19/2010)- The Moon-Spinners (1964)

The Moon-Spinners (1964)
-starring Hayley Mills, Peter McEnery, Eli Wallach, Joan Greenwood, and Pola Negri
-directed by James Neilson

-In the 1960s Hayley Mills reigned as Disney's most popular leading actress and during her time with the studio she managed to churn out performance after performance filled with charm, honesty, and delight. One of the projects that came along during this time was the adventure tale The Moon-Spinners which sought to cast Mills in a role outside her comfort zone of slapstick comedy and singing. If some have never heard of the little-seen Disney classic, that's because the film's failure at the box-office, despite the popularity of its star sealed, its fate and relegated it to television broadcasts before debuting meekly on home video and dvd. Yet there is much to like about Disney's sole foray into Hitchcock territory with a tale of intrigue, mystery and adventure.

The film was based on the novel of the same name by celebrated author Mary Stewart. The original story had a young twenty-something woman seeking a vacation filled with peace and quiet as she travels to the remote island of Crete in Greece. While there she encounters a man in hiding who warns her to keep away from him. She disobeys and soon finds herself in the middle of a plot involving murder and stolen jewels.

As with most star vehicles, the story was refashioned considerably. The age of the herione was brought down to accommodate the 16-year-old Mills, the violence was toned down, and the plot was re-worked in an effort to make the overall story more accessible for a Disney audience. The plot of The Moon-Spinners now became the story of a teenage tourist from London named Nikki Ferris (Mills) traveling with her aunt who decide to stop for a few days rest in Crete. Despite a noticeable objection from the inn owner's brother Stratos (Wallach), the two settle in a nice room by the sea. While there the two meet fellow brit-traveller Mark Camford (McEnery) who charms the two ladies. After hitting it off over dinner, Nikki and Mark decide to meet up the following morning for a swim. After saying goodnight to Nikky though, Mark is propositioned by Stratos to take a walk with him by the shore. Declining, Mark pretends to go to his room as Stratos goes on ahead. Silently following him, Mark notes Stratos' movements in the dark, but is not careful enough and is shot by Lambis, Stratos' assistant. The next morning Nikki can't seem to find any trace of Mark, and after believing that he's gone home, finds him in an abandoned church. It isn't long before Mark tells the real reason for his presence in Crete and soon Nikki becomes entangled in a dangerous plot with Mark that could end both their lives!

Being a Disney movie, the violence is not as malicious as one would expect given the plot. Yet there are moments of genuine suspense to be had such as the windmill scene, and the on-going pursuit of Nikki and Mark by Stratos. Although the film runs longer than plot deserves, the overall story is intriguing enough to keep the pace flowing at a decent speed. This is due in part to the completely game turn by Mills who truly gives an energetic performance as do the rest of the cast including great supporting work from Irene Papas, Shelia Hancock, John Le Messurier, and silent film legend Pola Negri who came out of retirement to play Madame Habib; an elusive jewel collector. Indeed the sequence aboard her yacht is perhaps one of the most enjoyable throughout The Moon-Spinners as it blends both the comedy and mystery elements of the film together beautifully.

While the plot, acting and all other elements of the film work together quite admirably, and with no disrespect to Disney queen Mills, the true star of the film without a doubt is the isle of Crete
itself. The land is beautifully captured throughout the film with very little incorporation of a process screen. The water in the ocean is as crystal blue as can be, the mountains are grand in scale and the ruins present a dizzying maze of Greek history. Throughout all this though, the film never serves as a travel advertisement for the region, but skillfully incorporates Crete into the story to the point that it becomes a character itself.

While not on par with more masterful tales of suspense and intrigue such as Fleming's Bond, The Moon-Spinners is a lovely homage to the sort of Hitchcock thrillers with a Disney spin. Featuring one of Mills' trademark performances and beautiful shots of a far away land, The Moon-Spinners is one of the most delightfully escapist adventure outing of all time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3amIxSA7ZOU