Gay Family Of Polite Bandits

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 35, 10 February 1939, Page 14

Gay Family Of Polite Bandits

["The Young In Heart." SelznickUnited Artists. Directed by Richard Wallace. Starring Janet Gaynor, Douglas Fairbanks, Jjun., Pauictte Goddard. First release: Auckland and Wellington, February 10.] ROM Hollywood’s point of view, I understand, ‘‘The Young in MHeart’’ igs notable for several reasons, among them the fact that Paulette Goddard (rumoured Mrs. Charles Chaplin) speaks from the silver screen for the first time; aiso that it introduces to the silver screen two new personalities in Richard Carlson, who hails from Broadway (where he appeared in the play "Whiteoaks" with Ethel Barrymore) and famed stage veteran, Minnie Dupree. From the point of view of the man in the street, that almost legendary figure to whose judgment the film industry (and sometimes film critics) inevitably has to defer, "The Young in Heart" stands out because it isn’t the least bit crazy, as so many recent comedies have been, but is a distinctly pleasant and entertaining show. Fortune-Hunters TORY concerns the adventures and gradual reformation of a charming family bunch of banditti, the Carletons, who wander round the pleasure resorts of Europe taking everybody down as busily as they can, Colonel Anthony Carleton, "late of the Bengal Lancers," is .a very "pukka sahib," as his wife is careful to explain, but really he was born in Canada and Iearned about sahibs from stage shows. The colonel and his wife are Roland Young and Billie Burke, both excellently cast. The colonel plays very competent poker, but the serious business of fortune-hunting is left to the son (Douglas Fairbanks, jun.), and to the daughter (Janet Gay-nor)-as carefree and likeable a couple of young rascals as one could hope to meet, Fate Is Kind U NMASKED by the Riviera police, the Carletons are returning to London penniless, the colonel (one is glad to say), keeping a stiff upper lip, and living up to the best stage and army traditions. Fate then throws into their lap a dear old lady (Minnie Dupree} wha

is just begging to be picked up by somebody like the Carletons, and, who, above all, is very wealthy. So it naturally happens that the Carletons take the dear old lady under their rapacious wing, waiting on her hand and foot, and licking their lips in anticipation of the killing to come. But she is such a dear old lady, and the Carletons find they are not really as hard-boiled as they thought they were, though to each other they studiously keep up the old front. It Warms Up THE colonel even secures a job selling a super-automobile, the Fiying Wombat-selling lots of them, too; son Fairbanks gets a job at two pounds a week sorting letters for an engineering firm, and falling inlove with his boss, who is Paulette Goddard; and the quaintlynamed daughter, George-Ann, falls in love (a) with the dear old lady, and (b) with a dour, persistent young Scotsman, who is the new "personality," Richard Carlson. Though the comedy steps off at a dignified tempo, it livens up, .and is good fun all the way. All the principals co well, especiatly Roland Young and Fairbanks, who are well cast and well directed, Paulette Goddard is an intriguing personality, possessed of charm,

definite character, and a melodious speaking voice. Most amusing scene of all, I thought, was the one where Youngs and Fairbanks stand aimlessly watching some workmen in a busy street, and discuss, in the abstract, the strange phenomenon of toil,