It's Unpretentious But Diverting

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 29, 30 December 1938, Page 14

It's Unpretentious But Diverting

[Strange Faces." Universal. Directed by Errol Taggart. Starring Frank denks and Dorothea Kent. Release date indefinite,] OTHING I have seen Frank Jenks do since **700 Men and a Girl’ has quite come up to the standard of the hard-boiled, softhearted taxi-driver he played in that film, but all the same, Universal are finding him a useful nerson to have around the studio. In "Strange Faces" he is pramoted to lead, and gives a very good account of himself, foo. Once again he is teamed with Dorothea Kent, an engaging young blonde. "Strange Faces" is another American newspaper story. It is all a little improbable, perhaps, but none the less interesting--chiefiy for the fact that it shows once again what Hollywood imagines American newspapers are like. Queer Scrapes R. JENKS and Miss Kent are rival newspapermen and naturally enough they contrive to land in some pretty queer scrapes. Queerest is undoubtedly the af-

fair of the gangster whe carefully selects a double, murders this double and then assumes his identity. Miss Kent and Mr, Jenks with the characteristic perspicacity of the American neowsbaperman, seent there’s something "screwy" and the rest of the story is devoted to their desperate endeavours to outwit and "scoop" each other. Dorothea Kent, as I have hinted, ig a very personable young woman, though I doubt if she herself would make any pretentions to being a Garbo when it comes to acting. Honours in this connection go to the hard-boiled Mr. Jenks, who is no matinee idol te look at, but is always lively and amusing, and to our fat friend, Andy Devine. Andy is a lovesick small-town editor, and first glimpse we catch of him he is in the throes of a "hang-over" (he had distinguished himself the night before, one gathers, by cracking grapes in a nuteracker), Sextuplets! "STRANGE FACES" belongs to that class of screen entertainment which does not pretend to greatness, seeking only to amuse

and divert, and in this it suceecds well enough to make one forgive a few improbable situations. The picture ends with a touch of farce, which is worth retailing. The plot having been concluded to everybody’s satisfaction, and with right vindicated as the Hays Office likes to see it vindicated, the rival newspapermen encounter, quite by chance, an ancient ear and a

allt rt te a i ee le el _-_-_ gloomy farmer who informs them that his wife has just given birth te sextuplets. Imagine a couple of Hve newspapermen bumping into that! And just imagine the ballyhoo that will flash round the world if Nis, Dionne really is out-dionne,