The Moon-Spinners
Encyclopedia
The Moon-Spinners is a 1964 American Walt Disney Productions feature film
starring Hayley Mills
in a story about a jewel thief hiding on the island of Crete
. The film was based upon a suspense novel by Mary Stewart
and was directed by James Neilson
. The Moon-Spinners was Mills' fifth of six films for Disney, and featured the legendary silent film actress Pola Negri
in her final screen performance.
A young English woman named Nikky Ferris (Hayley Mills
) takes a trip with her aunt (Joan Greenwood
) to the Greek island of Crete. She meets a wounded stranger (Peter McEnery
) and the plot takes off, involving her in the man's attempt to recover stolen jewels while battling the thief (Eli Wallach
) who is in hiding at his sister's (Irene Papas
) small inn called 'The Moon-Spinners'. The thief hopes to sell them to a mysterious wealthy woman, played by silent film star Pola Negri
, in her final film role.
and Treasure Island
. It was Walt Disney's penultimate live-action film in which he was credited as producer while alive.
Disney convinced silent film actress Pola Negri
, who had been retired for two decades, to return to the screen for this, her final film. Both Mills and Wallach were interviewed extensively about their work with Miss Negri in The Moon-Spinners for the 2006 biographical documentary film Pola Negri: Life is a Dream in Cinema
.
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
starring Hayley Mills
Hayley Mills
Hayley Mills is an English actress. The daughter of John Mills and Mary Hayley Bell, and sister of actress Juliet Mills, Mills began her acting career as a child and was hailed as a promising newcomer, winning the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer for Tiger Bay , the Academy Juvenile Award...
in a story about a jewel thief hiding on the island of Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
. The film was based upon a suspense novel by Mary Stewart
Mary Stewart
Mary Florence Elinor Stewart is a popular English novelist, best known for her Merlin series, which straddles the boundary between the historical novel and the fantasy genre.-Career:...
and was directed by James Neilson
James Neilson (director)
James D. Neilson was an American television director, known for his work with Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color.-Directing:...
. The Moon-Spinners was Mills' fifth of six films for Disney, and featured the legendary silent film actress Pola Negri
Pola Negri
Pola Negri was a Polish stage and film actress who achieved worldwide fame for her tragedienne and femme fatale roles from the 1910s through the 1940s during the Golden Era of Hollywood film. She was the first European film star to be invited to Hollywood, and became a great American star. She...
in her final screen performance.
Plot
Hayley Mills
Hayley Mills is an English actress. The daughter of John Mills and Mary Hayley Bell, and sister of actress Juliet Mills, Mills began her acting career as a child and was hailed as a promising newcomer, winning the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer for Tiger Bay , the Academy Juvenile Award...
) takes a trip with her aunt (Joan Greenwood
Joan Greenwood
Joan Greenwood was an English actress. Born in Chelsea, she studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Her husky voice, coupled with her slow, precise elocution, was her trademark...
) to the Greek island of Crete. She meets a wounded stranger (Peter McEnery
Peter McEnery
Peter McEnery is an English stage and film actor. His daughter Kate, by his first marriage to British actress Julie Peasgood, is an actress....
) and the plot takes off, involving her in the man's attempt to recover stolen jewels while battling the thief (Eli Wallach
Eli Wallach
Eli Herschel Wallach is an American film, television and stage actor, who gained fame in the late 1950s. For his performance in Baby Doll he won a BAFTA Award for Best Newcomer and a Golden Globe nomination. One of his most famous roles is that of Tuco in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...
) who is in hiding at his sister's (Irene Papas
Irene Papas
Irene Papas is a Greek actress and occasional singer, who has starred in over seventy films in a career spanning more than fifty years.-Life:...
) small inn called 'The Moon-Spinners'. The thief hopes to sell them to a mysterious wealthy woman, played by silent film star Pola Negri
Pola Negri
Pola Negri was a Polish stage and film actress who achieved worldwide fame for her tragedienne and femme fatale roles from the 1910s through the 1940s during the Golden Era of Hollywood film. She was the first European film star to be invited to Hollywood, and became a great American star. She...
, in her final film role.
Production
The lead character is somewhat younger than in the novel. Traveling alone in the book, she is accompanied by her aunt in the film. The film is somewhat dark, similar to other Disney live-action features made in the '50s and '60s for more mainstream audiences such as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954 film)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a 1954 adventure film starring Kirk Douglas as Ned Land, James Mason as Captain Nemo, Paul Lukas as Professor Pierre Aronnax, and Peter Lorre as Conseil. It was the first science fiction film produced by Walt Disney Productions, as well as the only science-fiction...
and Treasure Island
Treasure Island (1950 film)
Treasure Island is a 1950 Disney adventure film, adapted from the Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island. It starred Bobby Driscoll as Jim Hawkins, and Robert Newton as Long John Silver...
. It was Walt Disney's penultimate live-action film in which he was credited as producer while alive.
Disney convinced silent film actress Pola Negri
Pola Negri
Pola Negri was a Polish stage and film actress who achieved worldwide fame for her tragedienne and femme fatale roles from the 1910s through the 1940s during the Golden Era of Hollywood film. She was the first European film star to be invited to Hollywood, and became a great American star. She...
, who had been retired for two decades, to return to the screen for this, her final film. Both Mills and Wallach were interviewed extensively about their work with Miss Negri in The Moon-Spinners for the 2006 biographical documentary film Pola Negri: Life is a Dream in Cinema
Pola Negri: Life is a Dream in Cinema
Pola Negri: Life is a Dream in Cinema is a feature-length biographical documentary film by Polish-American director Mariusz Kotowski released in 2006...
.
See also
- Hayley MillsHayley MillsHayley Mills is an English actress. The daughter of John Mills and Mary Hayley Bell, and sister of actress Juliet Mills, Mills began her acting career as a child and was hailed as a promising newcomer, winning the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer for Tiger Bay , the Academy Juvenile Award...
- Eli WallachEli WallachEli Herschel Wallach is an American film, television and stage actor, who gained fame in the late 1950s. For his performance in Baby Doll he won a BAFTA Award for Best Newcomer and a Golden Globe nomination. One of his most famous roles is that of Tuco in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...
- Pola NegriPola NegriPola Negri was a Polish stage and film actress who achieved worldwide fame for her tragedienne and femme fatale roles from the 1910s through the 1940s during the Golden Era of Hollywood film. She was the first European film star to be invited to Hollywood, and became a great American star. She...