Bunny Lake Is Missing (1965)

In retrospect, the mid-'60s were kind of a strange time for films. Some still came in B&W and looked a lot like older ones except for more relaxed censorship and more modern music. Noir had declined, but experimental directors -- including old hands, this one being Otto Preminger -- created the forerunners of the dark, brooding Silver Age. And Cold War-induced paranoia was not restricted to spy stories.

The titular Bunny Lake is not a body of water but a four-year-old girl. Her immediate family consists of herself; her single mother, Ann (Carol Lynley, the true protagonist); and her uncle, Steven (Keir Dullea of 2001: A Space Odyssey semi-fame). Having just moved from the U.S. to London, Ann hastily entrusts a school cook to look after Bunny -- who is not in the scene and, in fact, has yet to appear on screen -- until class begins. At the end of the school day...well, you see the title. No one other than Ann and Steven can recall ever seeing Bunny. Superintendent Newhouse (Laurence Olivier) actually grows to suspect that Ann hallucinated her daughter's existence and Steven has steadfastly humored her all along. Both siblings mention that Ann used to have an imaginary friend named Bunny, after all.

When I read the synopsis, I immediately thought of Flightplan (2005) and, to a lesser extent, its classic predecessor, The Lady Vanishes (1938). But the main women in those movies were entirely alone in acknowledging the absent person. Steven's part presents a complication that had me scratching my head for a bit. Besides, if Bunny was always imaginary, then why should she disappear so suddenly from Ann's perception?

Adding to the overall oddity is Noël Coward as an eccentric landlord with a high opinion of his own artistry and a low regard for personal space. I didn't take long to suspect him of having something to do with Bunny's disappearance, intentionally or otherwise. Also in the opening credits are the Zombies, who do nothing but perform a concert on TV for one scene. There is no plot-important reason to give them attention; it's sheer commercialism.

I'll try not to spoil things, but if you're extra sensitive about it, you may want to skip the next paragraph.

The third act swiftly answers the big questions but, if anything, makes the movie even stranger with a new tone. Oh, I could follow it just fine, unlike another Preminger piece. The villain seems vaguely inspired by Norman Bates, despite bringing less violence...and less consistency, believe it or not. He's actually not hard to outsmart once Ann realizes how insane he is, even if it takes a pretty long while to foil him in full.

It's not an especially convincing thriller. I'm undecided on how well it works; perhaps I'll view it a second time someday. But at least it manages to be unusual in some ways. You might watch for the variety in your entertainment.