The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)

With its very title, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes announces that it's a high concept comedy and as such, those who go with the concept will find it a much more enjoyable ride than those who don't. Most of Disney's live action comedies of this period were similarly high concept; however, Computer is rather unique in that it's a bit softer than most of the others, one that goes more for chuckles than belly laughs and which is more concerned with plot (however far-fetched it may be) than with slapstick sequences that are fairly tangential. As a result, Computer probably holds up somewhat better than the rest of its kind, even if the subject matter inevitably dates it, although in a rather charming way. Computer paints its characters in fairly black-and-white terms, but it puts them through their paces in a fairly engaging manner. Robert Butler's direction is perfunctory but adequate; he's fortunate to have a young and enormously appealing Kurt Russell carrying the film on his cute shoulders. Russell grins and grimaces his way through the film, taking things just seriously enough to give them a little weight but not enough to throw the film out of whack. There's also fine character support from the likes of Joe Flynn and William Schallert, and some overblown Cesar Romero moments that will please his fans. Not a great film, Computer still is a very pleasant viewing experience. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide