Search - Kid Sister, The on DVD

Judy Clark lights up the screen in charming poverty row come

Byron Kolln | the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood | 01/14/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Of all the so-called "poverty row" movie studios of the 1930s and 40s, none were quite as prolific as PRC (Producers Releasing Corporation). Amongst others, Bela Lugosi found a home there after his "Dracula" fame started to fade, and they steadily cranked out a fantastic mix of comedies, thrillers, dramas and horror flicks. THE KID SISTER (1945) could have easily been made at some of the bigger studios, but more about that later.

Judy Clark stars as Joan Hollingsworth, a smart-mouthed teen brat who feels ignored by her mother (Ruth Robinson) and downright despised by older sister Ruth (Constance Worth). One night, Joan dresses up in a maids' uniform, climbs out the window and spends an eventful night as the "accomplice" to a burglar (Frank Jenks), and also finds the time to romance her sister's boyfriend Waldo (Roger Pryor) along the way!

If this movie had been made at MGM or Warners, you can bet someone like June Allyson or Betty Hutton would have starred. Or throw in a couple of songs and it could have made an adorable Deanna Durbin movie! Judy Clark proves herself nicely in the role of Joan, and definitely had a unique strength for zany comedies. In the early days of television, this title was chopped down to 25 minutes (!) for inclusion in a syndicated "mini-movie" show. Thankfully the complete film is here on DVD.

THE KID SISTER looks quite acceptable on this Alpha DVD. The print is marred by almost constant vertical scratches and the soundtrack has a few synch problems, but the price is right."