blanche-2 Frankie Thomas nearly steals the show from right under Bonita Granville in "Nancy Drew, Troubleshooter," starring Granville as Drew, Thomas as boyfriend Ted Nickerson and John Litel as Carson Drew, Nancy's dad. As has been mentioned, the Nancy in the books was much more serious and sheer perfection as she had "luncheon" with her friends George and Bess, drove around in her roadster without crashing into anything, and solved mysteries. Granville is a very bouncy, reckless driving Nancy who becomes jealous in this entry into the series when dad gets a girlfriend.In this film, Nancy and her dad leave the city to help a friend beat a murder charge. Turns out that Ted and his family are vacationing in the same area, and Nancy drags him around as she investigates. Thomas is hilarious, especially when he and Nancy are abandoned in a crop duster mid-air.The only drawback to this delightful movie is Willie Best's unfortunate stereotypical characterization of Apollo. Though Best is very good, it's uncomfortable to watch him. Otherwise, I like this one the best of the "Nancy Drew" series.

bensonmum2 Nancy Drew and her lawyer father, Carson, set off for the country to help out an old family friend wrongly accused of murder. Conveniently for Nancy, her friend Ted Nickerson and his family are vacationing nearby. She quite naturally ropes Ted into helping her with her investigations. But this time, Nancy may have bitten off more than she can chew. From ghostly encounters to high flying danger, Nancy will have to be careful if she's to catch a killer.I'm kicking myself for not watching these Nancy Drew movies sooner. I only wish I had about a half-dozen more to go instead of just one. Of the three Nancy Drew movies I've seen so far, Nancy Drew…Trouble Shooter is my favorite. While the plot may hardly matter (the killer's identity is not much of a mystery - in fact, it's NO mystery), that doesn't mean the movie isn't entertaining. There's plenty of action in this well paced movie with Nancy facing and overcoming obstacle after obstacle. From burning barns to burning dinner, the set-pieces are all enjoyable. Bonita Granville is as delightful as ever in the title role. She has such an infectious nature that it's impossible not to be a fan of her performance. In this installment, I was really impressed with Frankie Thomas as Ted. With a nice sense of comic timing, he plays the put upon boyfriend to perfection. And I liked the fact that John Litel as Carson Drew is given a bigger part and a romantic interest. My only real complaint would be with the character Apollo Johnson played by Willie Best. I'm certainly no crusader for political correctness, but I still have difficulty watching the shuffling, "Yassuh!" type characters played by black actors in the 30s.

whpratt1 Enjoyed the Nancy Drew films with all the classic cars, airplanes, old household furnishings, Victrola's (Played LPs with a needle) and just plain late 1930's humor. Bonita Granville(Nancy Drew) made this her final picture and moved on to MGM. The real star of this movie could very well have been overlooked, and he was throughout his entire career, making 117 films and very much unappreciated, his name in this picture was "Apollo Johnson" (Willie Best). This great African American actor brought great acting skills to the screen in "Mr. Moto Takes A Vacation" '39 with Peter Lorre. Willie Best was depicted stealing a chicken in this film, which is what Hollywood type cast him in all his career. In many ways, Willie Best was a great Classic Star who made many people of different races laugh and be happy. Thank God that era is over with !

sdiner82 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!