Product: Bunny Lake is Missing (1965)
Rating: 4.0
Dismaying missing child hoax
Otto Preminger deft direction and quality acting performances by the respected Laurence Olivier, Carol Lynley and Keir Dullea helped make the psychologically gripping "Bunny Lake is Missing" a lesser known classic of intrigue.A young and attractive Carol Lynley playing Ann Lake has recently arrived in England with her 4 year old daughter Bunny. She is moving into an apartment with her nurturing but domineering brother Steven played by Dullea. They've registered the young child for nursery school and Lynley arrives early and is told to leave the child in the day room assured that the school's cook will keep an eye on her.When Lynley returns to retrieve Bunny we find out that she's disappeared without a trace. Pretty soon the chaotic school full of toddlers is turned upside down at the urging of the crass and obnoxious Dullea who eventually calls the police.At this point we are treated to the entrance of Olivier playing police Superintendent Newhouse who in a cool level headed manner assumes control of the investigation. In his impeccable acting style Olivier interrogates all the main and peripheral characters in the film. He comes to the conclusion that the upset Lynley might be delusional and imagining the very existence of the child.The plot thickens as we get to more intimately become acquainted with the characters. We soon realize that there are deeper psychological ramifictions permeating through disappearance of the child. Special mention should be made of the role played by the eminent Noel Coward who is very effective playing the annoying, scurrilous alcoholic writer Horation Wilson, the lecherous landlord of the Lake's apartment.