Nancy Carey is the main protagonist of the 1963 Disney live-action film Summer Magic.
Background
Personality
Nancy is the dramatic, yet kind-hearted eldest child of the Carey family. Initially when she was living in Boston, she felt uncomfortable about the financial problems occurring within her family's house. Ever since she and her family moved to Boston, she adapted to her life in Beulah due to financial problems. Over time, her life changed when she met her flawed cousin Julia where she became jealous of her, but realized that she put inclusion into her being part of the Carey family. Later on, she even became optimistic in helping presenting a ceremony to a handsome young man named "Mr. Hamilton", which revealed a painting of his mother paying a tribute to her. Despite the challenges she had to face due to financial problems she faced in her life with her family, she learned how to be flexible in living in the town of Beulah as well as adapting to the changes within the town.
Role the film
Nancy is first seen approaching Gilly, telling him that he has work to do as she and the rest of the Careys are moving out of their home, due to financial problems. As Gilly tries to sell the fish model, Nancy tells him that he can't take everything, complaining that there isn't enough room for everything in the new house she and her family will be moving to, refusing to pay for extra storage at the new house. She then approaches the maids Mary and Ellen who shares her story of what she read from the book True Blue, that there was a lord who had a family at a magnificent castle, but even though they lived a happy life, they lost all their riches. Mary replies to her that she and Ellen found a nice situation in Salem, happy that they are of help. However, the conversation was interrupted when two men enter the house to remove the previous piano; they then exchanged the precious piano with a piano player just before the two leave.
Just as the piano plays by itself, Nancy takes part in the singing during the musical number "Flitterin" upon seeing the lyrics on the sheet but not before her mother Margaret enters. Nancy then realizes that her family has insufficient money due to financial problems within the house. She then recaps to her mother that when she and her family were talking about the things that had been fun with her father and the best thing is that she remembered visiting a large yellow house in the small town of Beulah, Maine. She also recaps that she wrote to a postmaster who lives here named "Osh Popham", the agent for Mr. Hamilton who owned the house, feeling excited about her move from Boston to Maine. Margaret replies to her daughter that her father wanted to live in the countryside, agreeing to move to the yellow house where he wanted to live in Beulah. She then participates in the musical number "Beautiful Beulah" with her older brother, excited to move to Beulah in Maine.
As the Careys move to Beulah, Nancy and her family arrive at the yellow house where they encounter Osh Popham inside the house. Nancy reveals to Osh that she wrote the letter that she and her family moved from Boston to Beulah, but she becomes a bit shy of how to begin. When Nancy comments about the house's conditions, Osh replies that there is nothing like a story like the truth making things interesting. As Nancy decides to fix the house, her mother tells Osh that she has insufficient money, which he replies to him that he works cheap when he can get some time and work into conversion just before he decides to return home. That night, Nancy hears an owl outside the house just before it flies away while her mother sings the musical number "Summer Magic", which she sings to her children about the landscape during the summer time.
The next day, Nancy approaches Osh's wife Mariah whom she has been longing to meet her and that her husband is being too modest, fearing that he hides about his own talents, which she replies to Nancy that her husband does, just as Nancy tells her and her husband about the supplies needed for the house with approval from Tom Hamilton, which Osh replies that she doesn't need permission from him as he explains to her that Mr. Hamilton has deep-seated faith according to him, just as he tasks Nancy to give his wife her mother's grocery list. Later, Nancy approaches Osh and tells him that she forgot to buy a stepladder, which he replies to her that she is in the countryside - explaining that citizens who live in the countryside do not buy stepladders, so she decides to borrow it instead. Nancy then realizes that she forgot about Peter, which Osh thinks that he would be safe at home.
The next day, Nancy is painting the house, asking her mother if Mr. Hamilton would want the house for himself, which she replies to her daughter that he wouldn't like the way she painted the house, just as she attempts to place a wallpaper onto the house, which she struggles to place it. However, this was suddenly interrupted when Sam, Peter's pet dog, runs into the house, causing commotion inside the house, but not before Sam stops. Later when Margaret was informed about Julia, who is part of the Carey family, needs a home, she tasks Nancy and Gilly to have good behavior when Julia arrives. However, Nancy and her brother began to complain about Julia being part of their family. Nancy later takes part in the musical number, "Pink of Perfection" where she sings along with Gilly about Julia, commenting about what they describe her in their perspective.
Later Nancy and her brother approach Julia who arrived at Beulah and bring her to the Carey family home where they adjust to adapting their lives with Julia living in their house, due to her being orphaned, just as she is welcomed to the house by her aunt Margaret. Julia shares her story of her experience with Gladys Ferguson to Nancy and Gilly, just before the three go to bed. Later, Nancy approaches her little brother Peter who is at Sam's doghouse, but she convinces Peter to sleep with her in the house.
The following day, Nancy approaches Osh and tells him that her mother wants to see him. She then approaches Julia, telling her that she cannot take a bath in the kitchen, which she complains to Nancy that she is tired of carrying kettles of hot water upstairs, just as she boasts her power about the Ferguson family, only for her to be insulted by Julia, explaining that the Carey family is as clean as the Ferguson family. Osh later approaches Nancy who tells him that her mother is in the sewing room, just before Nancy tells her cousin to be as clean as the Carey family just before Nancy shows Osh her mother. Margaret reports to Nancy and Osh that she has insufficient money and they would be unable to fix it if they were to stay in this house by living the way it is. Osh then reveals that he got the letter that Nancy wrote for him as well as revealing that he put Mr. Hamilton's letter with his, as well as revealing that Hamilton would not accept any rent money.
As Nancy asks her mother about this, Osh tells her that Mr. Hamilton wants a favor from Margaret - a suitable place for his mother's picture, giving Nancy some optimism on following the instructions about the last written details. Osh replies to Nancy and her mother that Mr. Hamilton wrote something about a small detail of his mother's birthday, thinking that she was born on Halloween. This leaves Nancy excited, hoping that she and her mother would continue living in Maine. Later when Mariah Popham arrived, Nancy became aware of Osh faking himself of having an injured leg along with everyone in the house, causing him to be taken to a place where he would be "healed".
Later, Nancy arrived at a church and spots a handsome man named "Charles Bryant" whom Henry Lord introduces to her and Julia, just as Henry presents Nancy and Julia to the new teacher, discussing with him that he should come to the Carey family house for a lawn party, followed by Margaret and the Popham family being invited for the picnic. Nancy later meets up with Mr. Bryant at the picnic who offers him a glass of lemonade just before she asks Gilly to give him a scoop of ice cream. Just as she sees Julia, Nancy gives the lemonade and ice cream to him just before she approaches Julia, who is upset for arriving late, just before she approaches Charles who is attracted to his affection. Nancy returns to Osh, who recaps to him that since he misplaced Mr. Hamilton's letter, he was unable to sleep for nights, just as he reveals that the letter is in a Dutch oven, which he opens a cabinet revealing a hidden letter inside. Nancy then approaches a locket and realizes that Charles used to play football, just as she tries to win over Charles' affection in playing a game of croquet.
After playing croquet, Nancy realizes that Julia gained more attention to Charles than her. That night, Nancy sits next to Gilly while listening to Osh singing the musical number "On the Front Porch". Later when Nancy returns home, she approaches Julia, furious of her having a messy room. She then becomes jealous and frustrated of Julia who won over Charles earlier in the afternoon, thinking that her adoptive parents never cared about her, only for her to be insulted by Nancy as well as the flaws she made in the house. Just as Nancy approaches her mother, she reveals when her mother that George Ferguson wrote a letter that his affairs are looking brighter, planning to take her back. However, Nancy realizes that her mother hoped that Julia had cared for her as much as she cares for her, despite being flawed; Nancy then allows Julia to stay, causing her to apologize for her flaws.
As Halloween approaches, Nancy and her cousin Julia approach Lallie Joy who is tearfully reacting to the dress her made which she is wearing, only for her and Julia to take off the dress while Nancy explains to Lallie that what is inside her that counts, not her dress. Nancy then sings the musical number "Femininity" to Lallie, who has a crush on Gilly, followed Julia taking part in the song, as they help redesign Lallie's dress. Later, Nancy approaches Tom whom she mistakes for Gilly, explaining that she is having a party at the barn to pay a tribute to Mr. Hamilton's mother, just as Nancy hears her mother calling her, planning to get the party ready.
During Halloween, Nancy and Julia get Lallie Joy (wearing a perfect dress for her) ready for her date with Gilly, just before Nancy arrives at the barn. Nancy approaches her mother who tells her to make some friends in the party, which she replies to her mother that she has a different feeling, just as she puts her confidence in herself so she can arrive at the party. Nancy then approaches Hamilton again whom he thinks it would be an interesting evening to her, just before the two arrive at the barn for a ceremony.
During a ceremony, Nancy delivers a speech to Mr. Hamilton, planning to reveal the photo of his late mother as well as a permanent place to pay tribute to her. Nancy then tasks Peter to light the candles to honor the mother of Mr. Hamilton, impressing everyone. After the ceremony, Mr. Hamilton reveals his true identity to Nancy, which Osh told him his full name being Tom Hamilton. Nancy then dances with Tom during the waltz just as the party continues, ending the film.
Trivia
- Hayley Mills, who played Nancy, received a Golden Globe nomination for her participation in Summer Magic.
- During the end of the film when Nancy walks downstairs and drops one of her slippers on her way to the party, this is a possible reference to Cinderella from the 1950 film, where she dropped her slipper while trying to get home when the clock was about to strike midnight.
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