Sadly this is the weakest of the four Nancy Drew films that Bonita Granville made for Warner Brothers in the late Thirties. It's also the one where unfortunately Willie Best gets to be horribly racially stereotyped. Can't avoid it either, because his character is essential to the plot.
An old family friend, Aldrich Bowker, is being held for murder in a rural community and he retains John Litel as Carson Drew as his lawyer. Naturally this includes a package deal, an amateur sleuth in the form of Nancy Drew who of course puts the local police to shame.
Frankie Thomas is once again along for the ride. Bonita Granville gets him to do more dumb things than Bing Crosby got Bob Hope to do in those road pictures. This time though he steps up to the plate and takes some fast lessons in how to fly a plane. He comes in for quite a landing in the end.
If it only could have been done without Willie Best's shuffling act.
An old family friend, Aldrich Bowker, is being held for murder in a rural community and he retains John Litel as Carson Drew as his lawyer. Naturally this includes a package deal, an amateur sleuth in the form of Nancy Drew who of course puts the local police to shame.
Frankie Thomas is once again along for the ride. Bonita Granville gets him to do more dumb things than Bing Crosby got Bob Hope to do in those road pictures. This time though he steps up to the plate and takes some fast lessons in how to fly a plane. He comes in for quite a landing in the end.
If it only could have been done without Willie Best's shuffling act.