COSY THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 June 1940, Page 2

COSY THEATRE

“OFF THE RECORD.” Rarely have those two reliable entertainers, Pat O'Brien and Joan Biondell, been seen to better advantage than they are in their latest co-starring vehicle for Warner Bros., entitled “Off the Record,” which will be presented tonight at the Cosy Theatre. Much of the plot revolves around Joan and Pat’s relationship with Bobby Jordan, erstwhile “Angel” of the “Dead End” gang who himself contributes a characterisation that stands up well with the two fine portrayals given by the stars. Bobby is seen as the typical underprivileged youngster of the slum streets who runs foul of the law because there is no one interested in seeing that he gets a square deal or learns what is right and what is wrong. That is, there is no one until the reporter, played by Joan, meets him. That meeting takes place while Joan is gathering the material for an expose of a rotten civic condition which permits the boss gambler of the city even to rake the coins of school children into his coffers. When the lid is blown off this mess by Joan’s paper, the big boss goes free because his lawyer succeeds in pinning the guilt on Bobby’s rather no-account elder brother. The latter goes to prison and Bobby to reform school.

Republic Pictures, producers of “Should Husbands Work?” the associate feature, invite patrons to have a good hearty laugh at family life with the favourite family, “The Higginses.” Perhaps the real reason for the popularity of “The Higgins Family” comedies is that they’re so natural. The film stands on its feet for other reasons in addition Ho its naturalness. It is full of Hollywood’s top talent, giving top performances—Jimmy Gleason as Joe Higgins, Lucile Gleason as his wife, Russell Gleason as his son, Marie Wilson, Tommy Ryan, Harry Davenport, Berlon Churchill, Henry Kolker and the others.