Lifeboat (1944, USA, Hitchcock) – A group of strangers are thrown together in a lifeboat, and must find a way to tolerate each other. One is a Communist, another a self-centered reporter – and then there’s a Nazi from the submarine that just sunk their ship. Watched it all.

Enemy of Women (1944, USA, Zeisler) – I expected war movies made during the war to be less like Lifeboat, and more like this, a cheap, sensationalistic character assassination of Joseph Goebbels. I was wrong. Watched: 13 minutes.

Once Upon a Time (1944, USA, Hall) – Where lesser people would only see a worm that wiggles, theatre producer Cary Grant has the vision to see a caterpillar that can dance. Watched: 21 minutes.

Champagne Charlie (1944, UK, Cavalcanti) – Ealing Studios celebrates the popular culture of their grandparents. Two music hall artists in the 1860′s compete with each other about making the most popular song about alcohol. Watched it all.

Standing Room Only (1944, USA, Lanfield) – Factory girl Paulette Goddard tricks her way into the highest position a woman can dream of: becoming the handsome manager’s secretary. Watched: 9 minutes.

Return of the Vampire (1944, USA, Landers) – Foggy graveyard: Check. Boring people who struggle to fit the supernatural into their narrow little scientific minds: Check. Watched: 8 minutes.

Port of 40 Thieves (1944, USA, English) – Turns out there are noir movies that aren’t the least bit interesting. Watched: 15 minutes.