AllMovie

A strange, haunting film, Gypsy Girl manages to be both charming and dark, a sweet story that is nonetheless a bit disturbing. It's also very much a film of a first-time director, in this case the superb actor John Mills. Director Mills is expert at pulling forth exemplary performances from his fine cast; he's rather less adept at shaping the film's story, which roams rather too much and which features scenes that require sharper editing for clarity and impact. The director's inexperience blunts some of the film's impact, but the richness of the performances and the unique atmospheric quality of the story more than make up for this. Hayley Mills is excellent in the title role, turning in a complex and layered performance that proves what an exceptional young actress she was. Ian McShane is not quite in her league, but he knows how to work the camera, which loves his youthful good looks. Laurence Naismith is appropriately intimidating, and Annette Crosbie is both repulsive and vulnerable. The rest of the cast is quite good, and the film as a whole is the kind that stays with one long after one has seen it. It's deeply flawed, but also quite memorable.