Sometimes lilting, sometimes puttering British film set in a small, rural village has a precocious lass in her late teens attracting the not-unwanted attentions of a swarthy lad from a nearby gypsy camp; when the girl is reminded of a childhood trauma she had blocked out, she runs off in a panic until the outsiders come to her rescue. Romantic drama does meander and features too much hysteria in the second-half, but there are fine passages of dialogue--and great character names like 'Brydie White'. The direction by celebrated actor John Mills isn't especially pointed; Mills doesn't have a superlative director's attentive eyes or ears, nor is he helped by the flaccid editing which allows the film's midsection to ramble. Still, the picture has a dreamy ambiance which is rather enveloping, and also a sweet, unforced lead performance by Mills' real-life daughter, Hayley Mills. Hayley cuts back a bit on her penchant for brashness, and she looks and sounds lovely. The same can also be said for Ian McShane as the gypsy boy, who is appealing and helps bring out a softer side to Hayley which her popular movies for Walt Disney didn't always showcase. An unusual little tale, told with careful simplicity and quaintness. **1/2 from ****
Review of Gypsy Girl
Gypsy Girl
(1966)
Lovely passages (and lovely Mills and McShane) give it some emotional weight...
20 August 2007