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The Moon-Spinners
By Tracey Petherick,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Some violence, sexism, stereotypes in '60s Disney adventure.
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The Moon-Spinners
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What's the Story?
THE MOON-SPINNERS follows the adventures of young Englishwoman Nikky Ferris (Hayley Mills) who arrives on the island of Crete for a holiday with her Aunt Frances (Joan Greenwood). Despite a less than friendly reception at The Moon-Spinners hotel, Nikky forms a bond with another guest, the charming Mark Camford (Peter McEnery). When Mark is attacked by the hotel owner's hostile brother Stratos (Eli Wallach), Nikky is drawn into a mysterious and dangerous escapade to find a stash of stolen jewels and clear Mark's name.
Is It Any Good?
Part holiday romance, part crime caper, this classic Disney adventure is full of mystery and suspense from the off that makes for an an entertaining jaunt. That's if you can put aside The Moon-Spinners' occasional sexism and bigotry, and frequent -- though relatively mild -- violence.
The cast is an array of mostly British acting talent, led by a sparkling Mills as the indefatigable Nikky. Greenwood is perfect as Aunt Frances -- haughty and entitled one moment, kind and compassionate the next. While John Le Mesurier and Sheila Hancock are on point as the corrupt British consul and his duplicitous (or merely drunken?) wife. At face value, you may find The Moon-Spinners to be slow moving and old-fashioned, but -- like a mash up of Connery-era James Bond, 1950s Hitchcock, and Mamma Mia! -- it has charm and intrigue aplenty, stunning Greek island scenery, and that all-important hint of romance.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about gender roles in The Moon-Spinners. How are the male and female characters represented? In what ways do they portray -- or reject -- stereotypes?
Did the characters and the story keep you gripped and intrigued? If so, how? Talk about what makes a movie suspenseful.
Talk to your kids about the violence in this movie. Although it is rarely graphic or gory, it is certainly frequent. Did you think it was necessary to the story? How did it compare to more recent mystery adventures?
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 8, 1964
- On DVD or streaming: January 14, 2003
- Cast: Hayley Mills , Peter McEnery , Eli Wallach
- Director: James Neilson
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studios: Buena Vista , Disney+
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Adventures , Book Characters
- Run time: 118 minutes
- MPAA rating: G
- Last updated: February 17, 2023
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