February 6, 1991 -- ``Misery'' tells a very compelling story of a mad woman who kidnaps her favorite author and keeps him captive in her home after he is injured in an auto accident.

The woman, played beautifully by Kathy Bates, starts out nearly normal and then gradually gets loonier as the film goes along. James Caan plays the stalwart author desperately trying to escape.

The tension builds as Caan gradually realizes that Bates craziness is far from harmless. He finds evidence she has killed before. Director Rob Reiner, who heretofore has specialized in comedy, does a beautiful job of building suspense, while mixing in a little comedy to spice things up.

This is a first rate movie, one of the best of the Stephen King adaptions ever. It also features a couple of nice supporting performances by Richard Farnsworth as the sheriff trying to solve the mystery of Caan's disappearance and by Frances Sternhagen as the sheriff's amorous wife. On a scale of one to 10 this film rates an eight.

Click here for links to places to buy this movie in video and/or DVD format, the soundtrack, books, even used videos, games and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.