By the end of the fourth film Nancy is perhaps more frenetic and impulsive than ever — Granville plays the role as if she were destined to become an adrenalized Betty Hutton — which is simultaneously entertaining and distracting. The scripts for these films rarely allow the literary Nancy to blossom on the big screen. Her cinematic adventures are just that; larger than real life, full of coincidence, implausible action and easy-to-outwit nemeses. The films give the most strenuous acts to Ted, not Nancy, for it is he whose ideas most often save them from their reckless inquisitiveness.
In the Carolyn Keene books Nancy is usually the center of attention and her skills of detection, research and reason solve the crimes she stumbles across. In the films Nancy is a gale-force hurricane of impetuousness that needs to be guided (by her rational father Carson or calm Ted) so that justice can be served. Her heart is always in the right place but her methods are often problematic. This isn’t the Nancy Drew that Mildred Wirt imagined, yet the result is still an energetic, entertaining invention, one which is defined by the time in which it was created.
Although Warner Bros. ended its Nancy Drew cycle in 1939 after just four features, the stylish character did not disappear. Books continued for years, now numbering in the hundreds, and in several incarnation (56 originals by Mildred Wirt and Harriet Stratemeyer Adams; 110 paperback originals penned since 1979; 124 “Nancy Drew Files” books; 54 “Nancy Drew Notebooks” books; 36 “Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys SuperMystery” books; and various other spin-offs, cookbooks and picture books). Computer games followed and other variations are on the way.
Undeterred by the brief motion picture history of the character, Universal TV brought her back in 1977 with the debut of “The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries” which ran for three seasons. Pamela Sue Martin starred in the Nancy Drew segments, with William Schallert as her father Carson and George O’Hanlon, Jr. as Ned Nickerson in a few episodes. It was quite popular for a while but Martin quickly grew tired of the role and hurried her removal by posing for Playboy magazine. Janet Julian handled the last four episodes before the Nancy Drew side of the equation was cancelled.
In 1996, a second TV series was launched featuring Nancy Drew, this time in Canada. Simply titled “Nancy Drew,” it ran for thirteen episodes and featured Tracy Ryan as Nancy Drew, Jhene Erwin as Bess Marvin, Joy Tanner as George Fayne and Scott Speedman as Ned Nickerson.
A decade later, Warner Bros. decided to revisit the character they had dropped without fanfare in 1939. With the approach of updating the story to the modern era, they cast Emma Roberts (Eric Roberts’ daughter, Julia Roberts’ niece) as the intrepid sleuth, established the conceit that Nancy is quite well-known for her exploits in River Heights and subsequently moved her to Hollywood for an all-new adventure. This 2007 feature, entitled Nancy Drew, is a relatively charming introduction to the character, faithful in its depiction of Nancy (if, alas, not her friends) in terms of her established literary background. A sequel is already in the works for 2009, which bodes well for the thousands of Nancy Drew fans hungry for more cinematic adventures of their favorite character and role model. Nancy Drew will never die.
Well, that 2009 sequel never materialized, and Emma Roberts moved on to other projects. For a decade, Nancy Drew remained out of sight. Then, in 2019, she was resurrected in a new movie and a new television series. The movie is Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (again!; it must be the most recognizable Nancy Drew title of all). The PG-rated movie stars Sophia Lillis as Nancy, Zoe Renee as George (a gender switch), Mackenzie Graham as Bess, Sam Trammell as Nancy’s father Carson, and no mention whatsoever of a Ned or Ted Nickerson. I have not seen this movie.
The TV series, titled just Nancy Drew, is produced for the CW network, stars Kennedy McMann as Nancy, Leah Lewis as George (the gender remains switched), Maddison Jaizani as Bess, Tunji Kasim as Ned and Scott Wolf as Carson Drew. I haven’t seen it either, but it is notable for its contemporary sexuality — in the first scene Nancy enjoys a quickie with Ned, whom she evidently barely knows. And she’s a waitress! This is not the Nancy Drew that fans should expect. They deserve better.
Research Resources used include the book “Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her” by Melanie Rehak, published in 2005 by Harcourt, Inc. This is a cogent and well-researched volume delving into the histories of Edward Stratemeyer, Mildred Wirt (later Wirt Benson) and Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, the people responsible for the creation and evolution of Nancy Drew. Rehak’s profile of the Stratemeyer Syndicate and its ways is provocative and illuminating. The personal struggles of both women to work under less than ideal circumstances is compelling, although more attention should have been paid to Wirt’s disassociation from the Syndicate. Rehak has little regard for the Warner Bros. Films, but she does discuss them, albeit briefly.
Also consulted is the book “The Mysterious Case of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys” by Carole Kismaric and Marvin Heiferman, published in 1998 by Fireside Press. This is a lively and beautifully illustrated volume detailing how the Stratemeyer Syndicate’s most famous characters were brought into being. Many of the illustrations are from early editions of the books, reminding readers of fond memories. Lots of sidebars cover tangents which the author feel are associated with the subjects; some are, while others are quite a stretch. Still, this makes the book sociologically relevant and thought-provoking. The Warner Bros. movies are also given short-shrift here, with just one photograph and a brief mention.
The four Warner Bros. movies have been combined into a DVD set, each film accompanied by a preview. It is a high quality treat for fans of all ages.