The Moon-Spinners (1964)

Why so much hype?

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Back in the early 1960's - Hayley Mills was easily recognizable as one of the most idealized movie-teens of that era. This was the era of "so-called" innocence before the drug-crazed counter-culture bulldozed its way into our collective consciousness, utterly destroying that innocence forever.Pretty, blonde, bright, and a very competent, young actress in her own right - Mills starred in numerous light-weight comedy/dramas throughout the early part of that shaky decade. The Moon-Spinners was definitely one of Mills' better films.Released in 1964 - The Moon-Spinners was intended to be Disney's attempt at some "Hitchcock"-like intrigue, with a touch of sugar-coated comedy and romance thrown in for good measure.The Moon-Spinners may be just light-weight drama to most, but, all the same, it is thoroughly enjoyable movie-entertainment for all ages.As an added bonus - Silent-Screen star, Pola Negri appeared in this flick as the wicked villainess, Madame Habib. Negri had been absent from the screen since 1943.

I saw this in the theater when it came out in 1964. It became one of my favorite movies of all times. No, the acting wasn't the best, the plot has holes, and it is a saccharine Disney movie. But it is also pure, clean entertainment. My elderly father loves it, I still enjoy watching it, and my grandchildren do, too. That is my measurement of "pure entertainment." At the first showing I fell deeply in love with Peter McEnery - as only a 14-year-old could do. It is a shame that this movie is his only real claim to fame. The other reviews say pretty much what else I would like to say about the movie. At the time I wanted to be Haley Mills, I wanted to go to Crete to see the windmills and dance with the locals and hear them sing. I wanted to board a fantastic yacht and pet an ocelot. Especially, I wanted a little romance with a tall, handsome British man with lots of wavy hair, a man with a secret, who also respected me and would save me in time of danger. It was a wonderful movie.

Based on Mary Stuart's novel, The Moon-Spinners is a nice and amusing adventure comedy. Constructed a little bit like an Hitchcock movie, where tension is building up slowly but surely and where many characters are not always what they seem to be, it is filled with memorable scenes (the escape from the windmill, for example) and good humor. Although she may not be as sparkling as in Pollyanna or The Parent Trap, Hayley Mills is nevertheless still the star of the show, both charming and endearing. Furthermore, as a beautiful grown up, she is portraying a modern heroin, not afraid to take charge of her own detective work. As the villain, Eli Wallach is also particularly brilliant. Eventually, the music and, especially, the title song by Terry Gilkyson are lively and enchanting.

For me, this really is an example of how not to adapt a book to the screen. Mary Stewart's novel is an exciting mixture of suspense and romance, with the added bonus of a beautiful and exotic setting. It is also a fairly dark tale of murder and vengeance.Unfortunately, with Hayley Mills as the principal character, the film becomes a pretty-pretty story of a teenage romance with a few rather obviously sinister 'baddies' thrown in. John le Mesurier is simply wasted - his character's role in the book is pivotal, whereas in the film he appears towards the end almost as an afterthought. He is also given a completely unnecessary alcoholic wife - a role that did not exist in the book, because he was gay!This is a story with terrific potential for the screen (as are most of Mary Stewart's novels) - what a shame it was wasted in this production.