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If you like your comedy with a decidedly quirky bent, then this is a film for you.

Vanessa Howard is splendid as Girly, an obvious twenty-something that dresses and acts like a twelve year old schoolgirl.

She lives with her brother, and mother, and nanny, and they are all certifiably bat-shite crazy.

They two "children" lure homeless and hippies to the old crumbling mansion where they play "games." They must unquestionably participate or they are "sent to the angels," if you get my drift.

The new friend (Michael Bryant) plots to turn the four of them against each other until he can find a way to escape.

Director Freddie Francis won two Oscars for cinematography (Glory, Sons and Lovers) after directing many horror movies.

Wow, what can I say. This film was made from an old English play and, to say the least, what kind of sick mind could write something like this? I LOVE IT!!! A twisted family without a father figure lives secluded in an extremely large lot with a mansion to live in. It never tells how they make money or buy groceries, but those are insignificant. There's Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly who all live a happy (crazy) life. Luring homeless men to the mansion to be playmates for the children and if they step-out-of-line, WHACK, they are sent on a "train to the angels." The funniest thing about this movie, I think, is the Siamese Anthem.

Girly (Vanessa Howard), a fetching but evil-minded schoolgirl, shares a dark hobby with her oddball household: she lures unsuspecting men to their mansion on the outskirts of London, then engages them in "games" that inevitably end in their deaths. The horrific family project runs smoothly until Girly brings home a new friend (Michael Bryant) who's operating under his own set of rules. Soon, he turns the entire household upside-down.

Allegedly, "the film is a dark and playful allegory of the breakdown of the nuclear family of the 1950s as a result of the free love movement of the 1960s." How exactly this critique came about is unknown to me. I guess I didn't see any such thing in the story, but I did not personally ask the writer what his motivation was.

The film was admirably handled, lead by director Freddie Francis, known for his work with Amicus and Hammer. If you're going to make a memorable British horror film, these are the studios you want and the man you want to do it.

What I found interesting was the unusual use of sexual seduction: is the woman an adult or a child? Clearly, she is in her early twenties. But her mindset is that of a child. Are her seductions of a woman or a child? This ambiguity makes what could be simple a risqué sexual liaison into a potential taboo.

Absolutely under-appreciated and unknown film that deserves a Renaissance. Please, please, please do yourself a favor and rent this from Netflix.

Bizarre, vaguely hysterical horror that sank without a trace when it was released in 1970, but has since acquired cult status. A sexually provocative 22-year-old Vanessa Howard in school uniform and short skirt dominates the film as the wilful teenage girl with the mannerisms of a small child who, with her equally strange brother, lures vagrants to their stately home where they are forced to play their part in their hugely skewed version of the family unit. The stylised acting of the family members grates a little at first, but things take a dark turn for the better when their latest victim contrives to turn them against one another.

Vanessa Howard (Girly) and Howard Trevor (Sonny) live with Ursula Howells (Mumsy) and Pat Heywood (Nanny) in a walled off large house. Howard and Trevor go in search of friends to play with and bring them back to the house. There is a main thing going on here – they are mad. Everyone in the house is mad. If the guests don't obey rules, there are serious consequences.

This film is creepy and stays with you after it has finished. It's disturbing but thankfully doesn't dwell on gore so it scores points for that. Violent acts are carried out but not shown graphically, some not shown at all. Thank goodness. There is no doubt that all four characters – mumsy, nanny, sonny and girly – are unhinged.

I used to have no problem with the idea that rules are there for being broken but after watching this, I think the best thing to do is obey in some circumstances. The ending of the film is not completely resolved – you are left to imagine what happens next.

Fans of British horror and black comedy should definitely track down this Freddie Francis film, which was not imaginatively marketed at the time of its release and was never able to connect with its proper audience. I saw this at the base theatre during my Air Force days. Most films on base only ran for one day (three shows) and this was one of a handful that drew capacity crowds to the second and third shows due to "word of mouth" praise by those who attended the first screening. If you liked Jack Hill's "Spider Baby" (1968) you will love this film as it appears to have served as Francis' inspiration.

Originally titled "Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly", the title was shortened to just "Girly", appropriate since Girly is the main character. It is definitely a product of its times. Imagine mixing "The Beguiled" with the television shows "The Avengers" and "The Prisoner". Francis was primarily a television director.

Like those shows, much of the humor comes from presenting extreme characters and situations as if there they are nothing exceptional. In this case a nutty family of four (insert original title here) which includes a brother and sister far to old for their school uniforms.

Vanessa Howard plays the title character with a lot of sizzle and will remind viewers of Tisha Sterling, especially Sterling's portrayal of Ma Parker's daughter Legs on the Batman television show. She has a lot of fun with this role alternating instantly between playful child, coquettish flirt, and violent psychopath. Howard is a genuinely fine actress, although in "Girly" her short skirts and provocative scripting make it hard to concentrate on her acting skills.

This happy family lives on a large estate just outside London and amuse themselves by luring men there to serve as the children's playmates in various games supervised by Mumsy (Ursula Howells) and Nanny (Pat Heywood). When these new friends outlive their usefulness they are dispatched in novel ways and "sent to the angels". The last new friend believes himself a murderer and in time actually wants to become part the family, or anything else involving Girly. This sets things up for a cute twist at the end as Francis examines the fragility of sanity.

The best scene is a slick little seduction sequence around the pool table. As the new friend looks on Howard places a doll in each pocket and calmly circles the table, driving a ball into each doll's face. At the same time she keeps up a monologue about the punishment her playmate will receive if he should try to leave. Very cool.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Film about a family of psychopaths. There's Mumsy (the mother), her two children Sonny and Girly (who are in the 20s but act like 13 year olds) and Nanny. They live in a huge old estate in a remote part of England. Every once in a while Sonny and Girly go out and bring home a "friend" they just met. Then they insist their friend plays childish, sadistic games with them. If he doesn't they kill him. However they bring home one guy who's going to fight back.

So-so movie. It's well-directed and all the acting is great but it seems to keep pulling its punches. It doesn't go far enough. The games are vicious but not too vicious and the sexual activity is all off screen. There's no sex, nudity, blood or violence in this one. Also if you really think about it there's huge plot holes in it. So it's not bad but it's too timid in its approach.

This was considered a lost film for many years until a print was discovered in 2004 and it was restored. It does have a cult following but that's mostly because of its director--Freddie Francis.

Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny & Girly is very much a product of the swinging '60s/early '70s, with director Freddie Francis taking a somewhat avant garde approach to his twisted tale of a demented family that abducts men to be their new 'friends'. Imagine Jack Hill's Spider Baby(1968) crossed with cult TV show The Prisoner (1967) and you'll be close to understanding the perversity and strangeness that this bizarre little film has to offer.

Vanessa Howard plays sexy teenager Girly, who lives in a sprawling mansion (actually Oakley Court, seen in many a Hammer horror) with her brother Sonny (Howard Trevor), their mother Mumsy (Ursula Howells), and their nanny, aptly called Nanny (Pat Heywood). Mumsy and Nanny treat Girly and Sonny as though they are still children, reading them bedtime stories, playing kindergarten games, and laying down strict rules. Girly and Sonny act the part, dressing in school clothes and talking like little kids. Every now and then, the brother and sister visit the park to befriend a stranger and bring him back home to participate in their role-playing games. Those who refuse or try to escape are put on trial and 'sent to the angels'.

Their latest 'friend' is Soldier (Robert Swann), who believes himself responsible for the death of his girlfriend. As the family go about their crazy ways, Soldier gradually turns his captors against each other, seducing the women, starting with coquettish Girly, and working his way through Mumsy and Nanny, causing feelings of jealousy. This angers Sonny, who decides that it is time for Soldier to be put on the train to heaven.

With hints of incest, bursts of violence, and plenty of offbeat action (the hunt of friend No.2 is very much like The Prisoner in style), Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny & Girly would no doubt have quite the cult following had it not been so difficult to find for many years. Thankfully, the film is now available on DVD and for streaming on Amazon, meaning that a wider audience is able to appreciate its strange ambience, Vanessa Howard's memorable performance (tempting and terrifying at the same time), and the general ghoulishness (highlights including the bubbling pot on the stove, and an axe-wielding Sonny peering through a splintered door, surely inspiration for the "Here's Johnny!" moment in The Shining).

7.5/10, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.

Ripe with sexual teasing, an obviously deranged family lures unsuspecting men to their estate. Once ensnared inside, they are subjected to humiliation as playthings for the children. Not a total disaster, but more a curiosity, "Girly" becomes somewhat redundant and ultimately tiresome. Basically the story involves the latest victim turning the bizarre family members against each other, in an attempt to outwit the nitwits. Small occurrences of black comedy sometimes pop up, but are mostly lost in the odd goings on. The acting is acceptable, but this is a very claustrophobic film, and it's origin as a play is rather obvious throughout. - MERK

"Mumsy,Nanny,Sonny and Girly" is a dark 1969 British horror-comedy which is based on a stage play by Maisie Mosco entitled "Happy Family".The main characters of the film are the members of a wealthy British family whose names are synonymous with their roles within the family:the mother called Mumsy,the maid called Nanny,the son called Sonny and the daughter called Girly.Despite being in their twenties Sonny and Girly act like prepubescent children,dressing in British school uniforms and sleeping in giant cribs in a room full of toys.Sonny and Girly regularly seek out male loners,hobos and hippies to lure back to their house,where they are then forced to play "The Game".When the "new friends" refuse to participate they are murdered or "sent to the angels".Freddie Francis's "Girly" is a fantastic film which faded into obscurity too quickly.During a 2004 Freddie Francis film festival in England, the organizers struggled to find a VHS copy of the film to screen, but couldn't come up with one and it was briefly thought to be lost to the public,until copies began to surface on the internet in 2004.The acting is solid and there is enough creepy moments to satisfy any self-respecting horror fan.8 out of 10.

I saw this on release (at age 17 or 18) and it reminded me of NOTHING. A year later, SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE reminded me of this cool, sinister and hilarious dark comedy from the British Isles. Vanessa Howard (don't know much about her) is prime psycho, post-nubile, upbeat girl and the rest of her family - Sonny, Mumsy, Nanny and all their unwilling and baffled friends make for a tasty stew of late 60's/early 70's pseudo-art..I believe.

A 7 out of 10. Best performance = Vanessa Howard. This film is tough to find on VHS and I don't think it's on DVD, but seek it out if you like clean black humor from England, with teasing, death, witty dialogue and a cast that's born for the task.

British cult flick that took a while to have a good release. Finally after 40 years it's available on DVD. It's based on an old English play about a family without a father living in a mansion seducing lonely men to bring them home to be playthings for the children. You better follow their play or girly will get angry.

It was directed by British horror veteran Freddie Francis (The Evil of Frankenstein (1964) or Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968)) but still it was overlooked by the Brits even as it had a glowing review in Variety and had a limited US release. It suffered poor sales at the theaters and the distributor decided to stop promoting it. It got an extremely limited VHS release and once VHS was over it vanished into obscurity. But this flick is a perfect example that the internet could save a flick or bring it back on surface. In 2004 suddenly horror freaks copied it from VHS to DVD and a cult flick was back their on specialized sites, 6 years later it had it's official DVD release.

Is it worth watching, well, it's slow but that's the nature of the time being. It is even low on red stuff and there's a lot of talking. The actors are of course all British and some made it into the scene like Pat Heywood (Nanny) moving further to 10 Rillington Place (1971) or Michael Bryant going to Ghandi (1982). Howard Trevor (Sonny) only made it in two flicks as Vanessa Howard (Girly) only acted until 1973.

Typical British acting, with posh English language, clocks in over 90 minutes and did survive the time because you still want to know what is going to happen to the family.

Gore 0/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 0/5 Story 3/5 Coedy 0/5

Understated British psychodrama with no effects to speak of, just lots of creepy dialogue, tension and madness - not even any nudity and only implied sex, very little at that. Twisted little tale of a mad little "family" that will engross, humour, disgust and terrify you. Mmmm .... yummy.

I saw this film in the theaters when I was a kid of 15 or 16 or so, and I remember that my friends and I just loved making one another laugh by quoting from it.

And if you're a kid of 15 or 16, I think you'll like this silly film for exactly the same reasons I did when I was that age.

However, it's a very, very dopey little movie, and while I think I'd like to see it again, just to see if there WAS anything to it, back then, I seriously doubt that there was anything substantial to it.

Still--there's a place for guilty pleasures on anybody's movie shelf, and I can think of far worse things you might include on your list of guilty pleasures.

It's junk-food, though--and I think even WE knew that, when our gang of noisy teenagers decided to go see it, all those many years ago...good for nyuk-nyuk-nyuk laughter and acting out scenes from it for hilarity later on...but nothing more.

Oh the British have an odd sense of humour and "Girly" aka "Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly" is an excellently audacious combination of distorted black humour and macabre horror capped off in a very mannered approach. It's twisted! Deliciously warped and strangely unique, as the compelling story pulls you in and never let you get truly comfortable because of its beaming cruel streak and teasingly sexual seduction. It's like some happy-shinny family drama, but under that make-up its lunacy gone mad in what is a deeply disturbed, but very united family.

Two sibling children Girly and Sonny go out looking for new friends to play games with and they would bring them back home to meet their caretaker the Nanny and their Mumsy. However there's something dangerously eccentric about this family and their new friend learns he might just have to follow their rules and play their games while scheming some sort of plan if he has any chance of getting out of this nightmare alive.

Prolific British horror director Freddie Francis lets it slowly unwind in a large remote Victorian mansion estate, but this only makes the atmosphere even more jarring and disquieting with its playful jolts and character manipulations. The cheeky script is a treat on words, astute and sharp with plenty of innuendo. There's an outstanding array of character performances led largely by the ever-sultry Vanessa Howard as the miniskirt wearing Girly. A solid Michael Bryant brings the right temperament to balance out the insanity, as the new friend or better put a playmate for the children but also the for ladies of the house. He learns the only way to really dig himself out is to be playing the games and following the rules, but in a cunning manner. So the toy begins to toy around. This whole nature makes it quite unpredictable. Ursula Howells is superb, with a slightly unsettling air to her proudly calm Mumsy figure. Howard Trevor brings edginess to his troublesome Sonny character and Pat Heywood is good as Nanny. Also showing up in a minor role is Hammer regular Michael Ripper.

A crudely sinister, but highly amusing and imaginative black horror comedy curiosity.

Freddie Francis's "Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly" (released as "Girly" in North America) has a neat premise and some fun scenes but is mostly too weird to be generally appealing. It's about a group of people pretending to be a family so that they can lure men to their house and force them to participate in the game.

Early in the movie the "mother" mentions breakfast and calls it "brecky". I remember that in "Yellow Submarine" one of the Beatles uses that word. Here that's the best line. There are some other good parts but overall I wouldn't recommend the movie.

PS: Pat Heywood, who plays the "nanny", played the nurse in Franco Zefferelli's "Romeo and Juliet".

about three years ago, my friend gave me a VHS which contained three films. One of them being "GIRLY". I was board one day so I threw it in My VCR, I watched the first two movies which were not too bad, but when girly came on I was really hooked. I actually rewound the picture and watched it a second time. I still remember soldier in the beginning of the movie. He is my favorite character. near the start of the picture, it's hilarious when girly gives him the flask and he takes it without question. Another one of my favorite parts of the movie is when girly sings the siamese national anthem. Anyway, Girly definitely is one of the best movies ever made. I would definitely rate it 10/10.

What we have here is a bizarre mix of psycho horror and pitch black comedy that actually works much better than I thought it would. The film is based on a stage play by Maisie Mosco and follows a so-called 'happy family' who all happen to be lunatics. The film is directed by Freddie Francis who of course has a lot of experience in directing cult and horror movies having done a number of films for Hammer Horror and numerous other projects. The film is not very well known and was considered lost for a number of years. I have to say that doesn't really surprise me - this flick is a bit too weird to have a great deal of mass market appeal! The plot focuses on a family made up of four people - unsurprisingly calling themselves; Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly. This clan has a habit of kidnapping people, subjecting them to torturous games for a little while and then "sending them to the angels" once bored of them. This all goes well until they kidnap a New Friend, who is not happy to join in with the games and decides to play some of his own...

The film is very 'British' in style and execution and Freddie Francis does well in elevating the film away from it's stage play origins - although it's still clear that this story was originally a play from the settings and the way most of the scenes play out. Almost the entire film takes place in and around the large house that is the living area of the central characters. The lack in variation for locations doesn't harm the film however as the house matches the plot brilliantly and the way that it all takes place around one area helps to enforce the unfortunate kidnapped characters' situations and lack of escape routes. The acting is spot on, with all four of the title characters being brought to life convincingly - Vanessa Howard is particularly good as the mischievous 'Girly'. Michael Bryant is probably the best known member of the cast and he fits in well with the rest of them. The humour on display is so black that a lot of it will be missed - I have to say that I didn't find the film particularly 'funny' myself. Still, this is an excellent slice of cult cinema and well worth seeing if you can get your hands on a copy!

I listened to a podcast recently in which Edgar Wright spoke about under appreciated British Horror. He brought this movie up, so I thought I'd give it a go.

Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny & Girly is a 1970 British film directed by Freddie Francis. Upon watching this movie, I couldn't help but wonder who it is aimed at. The characters are strange, and the film doesn't fit neatly into any particular genre. Additionally, while it's marketed as a horror film, it is not a traditional horror movie, and it has a disturbing and uncomfortable tone that is more akin to a child exploitation movie.

The film follows the eccentric and dysfunctional "family" of Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny, and Girly. The quartet lives in a secluded mansion, where they engage in bizarre rituals and games. The family members are incredibly insular, and they only interact with outsiders when they bring home potential new "playmates."

The film's characters are undoubtedly strange and off-putting. Mumsy is domineering, Nanny is maternal but sadistic, Sonny is a child in a man's body, and Girly is flirtatious and manipulative. The family's dynamic is deeply dysfunctional, and it's unclear what motivates them to engage in their bizarre rituals and games.

While the film is marketed as a horror movie, it's not a traditional horror film. There are no jump scares, and the film's horror elements are more psychological than physical. The horror comes from the family's behaviour, their rituals, and the ominous score that accompanies their games. However, the film's disturbing and deeply uncomfortable tone makes it more akin to a child exploitation movie than a horror film.

The film's biggest problem is that it's unclear who it's aimed at. Is it a se comedy like many British movies of the time, while the lack of gore and traditional horror elements make it unappealing to horror fans. The film is also too strange and disjointed to appeal to a mainstream audience.

Additionally, the film's pacing is slow, and the plot is meandering. The film takes a long time to get going, and once it does, it's unclear where it's heading. The film's ending is also unsatisfying, and it fails to provide any real closure to the story.

In conclusion, Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny & Girly is a strange and uncomfortable film that is difficult to categorise. While it's marketed as a horror movie, it's not a traditional horror film, and its disturbing tone makes it more akin to a child exploitation movie. The characters are strange, the pacing is slow, and the plot is meandering, making it difficult to invest in the story. Most disturbingly, it sexualises school children and I have doubt it would ever get made today. Horrific for all the wrong reasons.