Of the four classic Nancy Drew films Warner Bros. released from 1938-1939, NANCY DREW...TROUBLE SHOOTER is perhaps the most imaginative, humorous, creepy and expensively produced of them all. Moving the locale from the Drews' home in River City to the nearby farm resort Sylvan Lake, where Nancy's lawyer father Carson is summoned to prove a relative not guilty of a murder, the breath of rural country air enlivens everyone involved. The widowed Mr. Drew's attraction to a lovely neighbor (Charlotte Wynters) sets Nancy's jealousy in full force, making her relationship with her reluctant (though none-the-less-enchanted) boyfriend Ted, played to droll perfection by the engaging Frankie Thomas, all the more delightful--and in some sequences downright romantic. Aside from the beautifully photographed location backgrounds, the deliciously intricate plot (a transplanted tropical flower, the torching of the local nursery, and farmhand Willie Best's dithering about seeing two "ghosts" on the night of the murder) provides the necessary clues for Nancy and Ted to piece together the identity of the murderer--and enriches their relationship at the same time. Of the four Nancy Drew films, this third entry shines with its subtle, underlying portrayals of the love and dependence that draw the principal characters together--along with good-natured humor (for once, Willie Best is not denigrated by the time's racial stereotypes--he's treated as an affectionate equal by the other characters--and seems to be having a ball poking fun at the "chicken-stealing darkies" he was called to portray in that era of moviemaking). Bonita Granville is as blonde, buoyant, perky and loving a teenager as has ever been presented in movies of any era. And the underrated Frankie Thomas is her equal as the sweetest, bravest, most caring fellow a teenaged girl could ever wish for. The witty, intelligent depiction of their relationship--and unacknowledged love for each other--makes NANCY DREW...TROUBLE SHOOTER perhaps one of the most captivating portrayals of friendship and family life ever put on screen, with equal praise for John Litel (as Nancy's all-too-understanding father)and the warm and enchanting Ms. Wynters. And all in the guise of a suspense-filled murder mystery (incidentally, the use of a homicidal crop-dusting plane precedes Hitchcock's "North by Northwest" by a good 20 years!). In short, NANCY DREW...TROUBLE SHOOTER is as unpretentious, disarming and downright lovable an entertainment to come out of Hollywood during its Golden Age. Turner Classic Movies has apparently gotten the message, and the quartet of Nancy Drew movies (after too long a time languishing in obscurity) are now being shown on a fairly regular basis. Don't miss any of them, but put NANCY DREW...TROUBLE SHOOTER at the top of your list. Dated (as other IMDB comments claim)? Perhaps, and more's the pity. A rare and timeless treat? Absolutely!
