Abbott and Costello meet Captain Kidd

This is easily the worst Abbott and Costello movie I've seen.  It's basically Abbott and Costello with pirates and Charles Laughton as Captain Kidd.  What I liked about this movie was that Fran Warren, a wonderful singer from the 40's and 50's is in it.  I didn't know she was in this movie before I watched it.  She sings a few numbers here and is gorgeous.  So it was a worth a watch in that regard.

The Man who loved Cat Dancing

Lately, I've been getting into westerns.  My sister got this from the library and I have to admit that I was reluctant to watch it.  I'm indifferent to Burt Reynolds.  I don't dislike him though.  However, this movie surprised me.  Sarah Miles plays a woman who witnesses a robbery.  She is held captive by Burt Reynolds and his gang.  Over time she falls in love with Burt Reynolds.  Her husband George Hamilton is on the trail looking for her.  What I liked about the movie was the characterization.  The characters have many flaws.  The ending surprised me.  Some unpredictable things happen that you didn't expect of the characters.  I liked Sarah Miles.  I need to watch Ryan's Daughter some time. 

The Rack

Paul Newman does a pretty good job in this movie about a man charged of treason. The surprising thing about this movie is that he did it and doesn't deny it.  Paul does feel tremendous guilt about it though.  He is charged of collaborating with the enemy.  They broke him down in Korean prison camps.  Anne Francis plays his sister in law.  The ending surprised me as they don't just wrap it up in a happily ever after way.  Worth a watch.  

Shadow of Doubt

Although this movie stars Virginia Bruce the real star is the old woman in the picture Constance Collier.  I like Virginia Bruce but the movie doesn't become alive until Constance comes.  Constance is an old woman whose been a recluse for many years.  Constance stops being a recluse when she hears that her nephew (Ricardo Cortez) is accused of being a murderer.  So is the movie star he loves (Virginia Bruce).  The old woman cracks the case.  

Too Much, Too Soon

This was an ok movie about the life of Diana Barrymore.  Since she's a Barrymore and the daughter of John Barrymore she gets an acting career.  She gets to know the father that abandoned her (Errol Flynn) and forms a relationship with him.  After his death she follows his ways and becomes an alcoholic.  Diana would write an autobiography of her life which is the basis for this movie.  However, two years after this movie she killed herself.  I wish that her movie "Nightmare" would get released.  None of her movies are on DVD but this is the one where her performance is most praised on imdb.com.  The only problem I had with the movie was that Dorothy Malone, the actress who plays Diana Barrymore, is way too old to play a teenage girl.  It isn't towards the end that the age meets the part.  Dorothy does do a good job though.  

The Matrimonial Bed

This is a strange precode. A hairdresser comes to a household where it turns out his old wife is a customer.  He doesn't remember the past five years of his life.  He's put under hypnosis and suddenly remembers everything, except his recent wife and children.  This just makes trouble for his old wife and her new husband.  So it's back to hypnosis he goes.  At least it was amusing.

Sorority House

This is ok.  It's short at only 64 minutes.  I was hoping for an old version of Mean Girls.  There's only one mean girl.  It's understandable since her old flame is attracted by Anne Shirley.  I loved Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables. That's the better movie although she has charisma here.  Anne makes friends and decides the sorority house isn't meant for her.