Wandering through the Shelves: Babysitters/Nannies

Oh I could have picked The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins and, I think, they will be popular this week, but I went with others, of course:). Head on over to Wandering Through The Shelves and find out what the others have picked. Here are my 3...

1. ALL THIS, AND HEAVEN TOO-1940

Bette Davis stars as the sweet( yup, sweet) understanding governess/nanny to a wealthy man played by Charles Boyer-both were at the top of their game and the box office when this film was done. It is an excellent film that should be better known that takes place in the mid 1800’s about a wealthy man who hires a nanny to care for his children. The children warm up quickly to her since she is very patient, sweet and listens to their needs especially since their mom is a whack job. The father, sees how great the nanny is and they fall in love much to the chagrin of whack-job mom. Boyer can’t handle the witch any more and does her in..yup he kills his wife and this film becomes more fun when the nanny is implicated. It is a well done film with Barbara O'Neil receiving and Oscar nomination as the cookoo for cocoa puffs mother. I haven’t seen this film in years but would love to revisit it again.

2. DON’T BOTHER TO KNOCK-1952

This is a bit of a campy film, which I always love, starring Richard Widmark as a sadsack pilot who comes to a hotel meeting up with his girlfriend, played by Anne Bancroft, who dumped him because he showed no heart. You actually hear Bancroft sing and she is pretty damn good! On a side note, you have little Elisha Cook Jnr, the elevator operator, who finds out a couple need a babysitter for the evening so he mentions his niece, played by...Marilyn Monroe. They hire Monroe to watch over their daughter, not knowing this gal is slightly off her nut. She tries on the wife’s nightie and who should see her from his room window but horny toads Widmark. Little does he know that Monroe just got out of the nut ward and is quite the unstable lass (Monroe was unstable and never got the right treatment being the 50’s). I was actually impressed by Monroe’s acting in this flick who plays her character well and should be the last person to babysit.

3. UNCLE BUCK-1989

I love John Candy who died way too young at 43. He started in Second City and was brilliant on SCTV and became famous in movies often directed by John Hughes. This is one of them which is hilarious from the car he drives, to his talk with the school assistant principal. Parents with 3 kids need to travel to care for a parent who is ill but they can’t find a babysitter. Reluctantly, they call his brother, who still needs to grow up himself. Enter, John Candy with a car that reminds me of one I used to drive, who says he has no problem babysitting the kids. The 2 smaller kids( one played by Macaulay Culkin) don’t give him too much of an issue but the oldest, a teen with an attitude, makes him work for his money..or lack there of. During the time he takes care of the 3, he grows up a little as well. This is a fun 80’s comedy that is a nice movie to see and one that makes you laugh.

Thankfully, I never babysat kids..I made sure I told my mom I never wanted to do this and I never did..Thank the Heavens:) Which films would you choose?