Back in 1939, Warner Bros released a movie called Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase. Now 80 years later, they are telling that story again on the big screen. This time Sophia Lillis (It) is playing the teenage sleuth.
For decades, little girls and girls who never grew up, enjoyed reading books about the detective. Now a new generation gets to enjoy her on the big screen. Hopefully, enough to get them to read the novels. I have two 10-year-olds in my life, and I am going to introduce them to this movie, to get them to read the series.
Drew and her dad (Sam Trammell) just moved from Chicago to River Heights, a much smaller town than what she is used to, to live with her aunt (Andrea Anders) after her mother died. Even though she is new to the town, they are already familiar to with the 16-year-old’s reputation as a detective.
Her friend George (Zoë Renee) calls her and tells her that their friend Bess (Mackenzie Graham) is being cyberbullied. Therefore, Drew comes up with a plan to get back at that boy. It is a perfect plan, except his girlfriend, Helen (Laura Slade Wiggins), pays the price of their revenge. Helen is a popular girl, who would never be seen with Drew and her friends, and her family is the town’s longest residents of the town.
Including Helen’s aunt Flora (Linda Lavin), who has a problem of her own. They say her house is haunted and turns out they might be right. The three of them decide to find out if Flora’s home is being taken over by the supernatural or is their a natural explanation? What they find out has a much bigger impact on all of their lives.
Will Nancy Drew be able to save the day? Especially since Sheriff Marchbanks (Jay DeVon Johnson) really has it out to bust her. He has already taken her into the station several times for some of the things she has done in the past. Luckily, she has Deputy Patrick (Andrew Matthew Welch) on her side. Is it enough?
You will just have to go see the movie that is out in theaters now to find out. It is the perfect family movie to run and see with your loved ones. Not only will it inspire you to read the Nancy Drew books again, but it will also make you want to investigate the things around you too. I want to be a detective now.
I also can see this becoming a big screen franchise again because it is the type of movie that feels like the type of book you cannot put down. Kind of like Nancy Drew books. Whether you are a fan of the novels or never read one, you will find this film so enjoyable, you will want to read her mysteries all over again. That is until the movie comes out on home video, then you will stop to watch the feature again and again.
Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase is directed by Katt Shea and produced by Warner Bros., Ellen DeGeneres’ A Very Good Production and Red 56.
