RECENT THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 March 1939, Page 2

RECENT THEATRE

THE “.DEAD END” KIDS. Sometimes amusing, sometimes tragic, and always exciting, “Crime School,” the Warner Bros.’ picture showing at the Regent tonight, contains a powerful indictment of unthinking, brutal, methods of dealing with juvenile crime. Effectively utilising the talents of the six New York boys who became famous in both stage and screen versions of “Dead End,” as well as such adult players as Humphrey Bogart and Gale Page, the latter a beautiful newcomer to the screen’ from radio, the new Warner picture makes a strong case for its basic theme —that the old type of boys’ reformatory is in fact a “Crime School.” The newer methods of dealing with juvenile offenders —designed to prevent their developing into adult criminals —are effectively contrasted with the old by basing the story on the determined fight made by an idealistic young official to introduce his ideas into a reformatory of the old type. The story makes the six “Dead End” boys the storm centre around which this fight rages. Bogart, for the' first time in his screen career playing a hero, is the idealistic commissioner, and he plays his role not only with sympathetic understanding but also with the vigour and aggressiveness ■ demanded of a character who successfully battles not only stupidity and prejudice but also political hypocrisy and crookedness. WEDNESDAY’S ATTRACTION. A bright, quick-moving comedy in the traditional musical style is “Everybody Sing,” commencing on Wednesday at the Regent Theatre. Catchy melodies, introduced by the latest in “swing” technique, help to keep the audience in the best of humours. The story is that of a crazy household in which the husband is a playwright of dubious success, the wife a juvenile lead of some twenty years’ experience, the elder daughter a would-be singer of opera, and the younger daughter a quite involuntary “swing” expert. The cook is the household’s chief creditor, and the housemaid also has forgotten when last she was paid. When, however, the backer refuses to function any more, the younger daughter takes her “swing” talent to a night club to save the family.