THE DEVIL AND MISS JONES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 119, 3 October 1941, Page 16

THE DEVIL AND MISS JONES

(RKO-Radio)

OUNTLESS times the movies have essayed the fairy-tale theme of the ruthless rich man whose granite heart is softened by the com-

bined influences of love and suffering shared with his less fortunate fellows. Seldom has it been done with more quiet success than in The Devil and Miss Jones. The "devil" is John P. Merrick (Charles Coburn), an elderly millionaire with a weak stomach, no wife, and . -% . enough to have kept his picture out of the press for 20 years. Judge then of his annoyance when he learns from his morning paper that he has been hanged in effigy by the rebellious employees of one of the huge department stores which he owns. To hunt down and, suppress the working-class ‘agitators who are thus challenging the sacred rights of private property, the old boy elects to work incognito in the shoe department of the store. Here he soon encounters the angel who brings about his conversion-Miss Jones of Children’s Shoes (Jean Arthur), a forthright, kind-hearted working-girl, Thanks to her he learns many things that are as good for his soul as for his stomach; that his employees have a real grievance, that the managers he has set in authority over them are petty tyrants, that the terror of the poor is lack of security in old age, that tuna-fish popovers are good to eat, and that it is possible to have more fun on three feet of sand on Coney Island than in a millionaire’s mansion. He also falls in love with another employee and finally, having incited the staff to go on strike against himself, he smoothes out labour troubles and romantic complications with the touch of a fairy godfather. All this, of course, is too good to be true, but the film is more serious; in some of its philosophy than some at any rate of the audience around me appeared to appreciate. However, it never becomes the least ponderous. Its sustained level of humour is due as much to the expert guidance of Director Sam Wood as to the acting. Miss Arthur fully maintains her reputation as an actress of depth and intelligence, but this time she yields first place on the honours list to the veteran Coburn.