CRAZY GRIME

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22662, 17 March 1939, Page 5

CRAZY GRIME

Few more exciting mystery farces than "Sh! The Octopus,” which is coming to the Plazafi have ever been shown. But it is all in fun, and there are many laughs as well as thrills. Hugh and Allen play the parts of the worlds ‘"dumbest” detectives, who set out to find the "Octopus of Crime” which has the city in its grip. The trail leads them to a deserted lighthouse three miles off-shore. And here a real octopus gets into action. Imagine a long tentacle snaking its way through a crevice in the lighthouse wall and encircling the rotund body of the llutlery-fingered Huglue Herbert! Fancy the ultra-dumb Allen Jenkins going to Hugh's rescue. There are screams, shots, unearthly and unexplained noises, fainting women, the swish of waves, thunder and lightning, downpour of rain, mysterious shivering of the lighthouse itself. a cloud of poison gas—everything possible for the films to show! Marcia Ralston and Margaret Irving ■‘are the chief women players. They, too. become deeply involved in the insane proceedings. Others in the cast include John Eldredge, Brandon Tynan, Eric Stanley, and Elspcth Dudgeon. , Hugh Herbert, one of those hardy perennials, who can always be_cpunted on to carry the burden of the humour in any show in which he-is cast, outdoes himself in this one. His fluttery, super-dumb brand ot comedy dominates the picture. Marcia Ralston, an exceedingly lovely brunette, who made her screen debut in- “Call It a Day,” gives a very fine performance, and is one of those girls who will bear watching as an up-and-coming star. Starring two good-looking young newcomers—Ronald Reagan and Mary melodyapaa of aroiy -lifa

“Sh! The Octopus,” and “Sergeant Murphy”

called "Sergeant Murphy," will be th» supporting feature. It was made by Warner Bros, and concerns a cavalry horse that failed to pass inspection for fitness of an army post, yet under the training of his cavalry • master was developed into a great steeplechaser that was good enough to win the famous Grand National jumping race in England. Young Reagan plays the part of the soldier who loved his horse so well that he bought and trained him after both left the army, Reagan is a recent "discovery” of Warners. He was a sports broadcaster for a Des Moines newspaper when scouts discovered him reporting baseball training. This is Mary Maguire’s fourth picture the most recent of the others being with Kay Francis in “Confession.” She plays the pari df u. colonel’s daughter at an army post. Donald Crisp plays her father.