Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? (1972)

A wealthy widow (Shelley Winters) hosts an annual Christmas party for the local orphanage at her mansion. But this Christmas, she becomes taken with a little girl (Chloe Franks, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC) who resembles her deceased daughter. This does not please the girl's brother (Mark Lester, OLIVER). Directed by Curtis Harrington, this is an updating of the fairy tale HANSEL AND GRETEL. Only this one has a twist. Instead of being poor little innocents, the children are ungrateful brats who are also murderers, liars and thieves (they steal the widow's jewelry). This has the effect (at least for me) of making the mentally unhinged "witch" perversely sympathetic! Winters is deliciously over the top here which livens up the movie considerably. Has anyone overacted by simply eating an apple before? Harrington appears to encourage the self knowing humor whenever possible but never quite crossing over into "camp". Rather fun! With Ralph Richardson, Hugh Griffith, Lionel Jeffries, Rosalie Crutchley, Pat Heywood and Michael Gothard.