Barlow lost case but retained his friends

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32797, 23 December 1971, Page 4

Barlow lost case but retained his friends

There have been complaints in Britain about “Softly, Softly.” The criticism has been that recent series have suffered because the previously dominant figure of Charles Barlow has been submerged and that the changed format has lacked the punch and colour of the earlier ones. Be that as it may, the Barlow of the series now running from CHTV3 was very much the Barlow of old.

Tuesday’s Barlow was as persuasive and confident, as bullying and as oily, as he ever was. But it was a case Barlow lost. One of the last of the tales in “The Main Chance” had

the police getting away with questionable methods of gathering and presenting evidence. In “Softly Softly,” there was another interesting story from Elwyn Jones, in which quite innocent actions

by Barlow were twisted by the defence successfully, into impropriety. The court scene—in which Barlow was in the box—was a particularly good one and so was the one in which Barlow and Hawkins wheedled a confession out of a prisoner with the expert exchange of lines of a couple of practised actors. As usual, the casting was strong, and there was a particularly good and effective performance from Richard Humdall as counsel for the defence. # * ♦ Taken as a whole, Tuesday night’s programme was a very good one. A new series, “Do Not Adjust Your Set,” began in die late afternoon. Inis is classified as children’s entertainment and so, probably, it was, when it was all weighed up. But in its opening stages, particularly, it was often quite brilliant comedy, with some of the best features of the outstandingly successful American “Laugh-In” show and the sort of nonsense which was so effective in “The David Frost Show” years ago. The slapstick bit about the Royal College of Father Christmasses was hilarious; so was the Christmas card cartoon sequence. Hie quality declined somewhat in the later stages. But "Do Not Adjust Your Set” will surely be watched by a good many parents, as well as the youngsters. * * *

“Doctor in The House” ended its run on a satisfactory note, although it seemed a little unwise to have Upton suffering a mild attack of heroics to explain his absence from one of his final examinations, and being passed, in absentia, because he had saved a man’s life. Upton and his friends were a cheerful lot and this last show, like most of the others, contained some pieces of

very good writing. We have an especial affection for Jonathan Lynn, who played Danny Hooley; but they really were an engaging lot.

One of the most enjoyable features for a long time was the “Survey’’ look at Christmas. Michael Scott-Smith, who produced the film, was again the reporter. And what a good one he is. He is quite ■ unobtrusive but has a knack of drawing the best of responses from his subjects. A great deal of thought had obviously been given to the planning of this Christmas special. It set out to look at Christmas through interesting eyes, and it succeeded. There was a charming, elderly Maori lady talking about the large family gathering she would be having, there were readings from Dickens, a chat with a spiritualist, another with a prison inmate. Quotes from the diary of Captain Scott, a bright and Jively encounter with Barry Crump, something from Bruce Mason . . .• and children. “Survey’s” look at Christmas almost ignored the formal, expected attitudes to Christmas, and it was all the better for that. It was a very lively and professional documentary. PANDORA.

Announcer diet. Johnny Addle, Madison Square Garden’s famed boxing announcer; died in hospital on Monday from a blood infection after a brief illness. Aged 69, he introduced the boxere in more than 100 world championship flghts.