Barlow back on Saturday beat

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33538, 20 May 1974, Page 4

Barlow back on Saturday beat

The best news that Saturday evening viewers have had for some time is that Barlow is hack and Rickies has gone to the wall. The first programme of a new series of “Softly. Softly” dovetailed into the final episode of "Barlow At Large,” was full of the forceful acting and fine characterisations for which Stratford Johns and his colleagues are noted. As Johns said on his return to his office: “Mrs Barlow looks after the garden; this is my patch." Although the first effort had Terence Rigby (P. C. Snow) in the most prominent role, it was again the dynamic Barlow, alternating between benevolence and bullying. who quickly ; showed who was boss of (the patch. “Softly, Softly” has many good qualities, and there was no evidence of any falling away in standard on (Saturday. Johns, Frank (Windsor, and Norman Bowl-, 'er have been with the series ' for a long time, but this isj one case in which familiar-' (ity has not bred contempt. The task force started its! new round of adventures bv jumping smartly to Barlow’s! bidding, with just the slight-, lest hint, of fallibility from all the principals — a strong (point of Elwyn Jones’s (scripts. There were many ; moments of taut drama, relieved ' by flashes of (warmth and humour. It’s )good to welcome the programme back. • ■ Few viewers would shed a! (tear for “The Don Rickies (Show,” which, mercifully, came to an end on Saturday. Rickies is typical of all that ■ is bad in American comedians, and his tedious show, ipadded by deplorably bad gags and lame situations, had long outstayed its welcome. Selwyn Toogood’s show, “It’s In The Bag,” however, has many things which the Rickies programme lacked —• in particular, rich, spontaneous humour and an arresting personality in the limelight. Toogood’s genial hosting of the show amounts to a first class effort, especially since he manages to introduce a hint of drama to the proceedings with only a fraction of the time to build up tension that he used to .have available to him on radio. Heather Eggleton, a girl with a pleasing personality, makes a considerable contribution to the show as well. One of the best efforts! which “Nationwide” has produced was its preview of the ■ Australian election. The parities and the issues were ■placed clearly in perspective; (perhaps Rod Vaughan’s team

operates best from a distance. Keith Aberdein. wearing, .appropriately, a tartan tie. covered the field com(petently and thoroughly — we are presuming that the interviews with the three s'party leaders were all his' (own work. The interesting; (material he obtained, backed iby revealing footage of some ! | circus-style aspects of Aus!ltalian elections, placed the whole swirling situation into bold relief. I do not believe that 1 “Nationwide” should lean so heavily on newspaper col- ■ umnists in collecting data .across the Tasman; it (smacks of a short-cut. But Phillip Adams was a delightful find for the programme, with his puckish humour and his piercing cynicism. Apart from the fact that , Burgess Meredith — who ; rivals Raymond Burr for excellence in sedentary acting • — finished up with the girl. ; “Search” offered nothing i fresh except a slight change l lof scenery. Doug McLures. | boyish charm and an (impressive range of gleaming automobiles are the best; (things in this light-weight l ! drama. ; “Thrillseekers” unasham-( iedly offered three items of i (great similarity to previous! (segments, and another piece ■ about a man who performs a; vital service, with no! thought of looking for thrills. The greatest interest to be had from the film, “Sparrows Can’t Sing,” was in trying to recognise the many fleetingly familiar faces from .recent TV shows. Stephen (Lewis (the inspector in “On The Buses”) without hisj drooping moustache, was; probably the hardest to pick' — until he spoke. This light-hearted look at a romantic triangle contrasted strongly with the violent proceedings in “Last Train From Gun Hill.” A brutal beginning was matched by a messy ending, but it was obvious that the story would culminate in a two-gun argument once the names of Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn appeared in the credits. No film is big enough for both of them to survive. "Billboard” and “Grand-; stand” both offered some! interesting film clips from! the AU Blacks’ match; against Sydney. Apart from the distraction of an in- 1 consequential commentary, the film answered a lot of! New Zealand Rugbv; enthusiasts' questions about! the team. As a closing thought, the N.Z.B.C. might well consider (procuring a pot of friar’s I balsam for staff use in the 1 Wellington studios. Dougal Stephenson and Elizabeth Bourn have both been inconvenienced by winter chills while in front of the microphone. —J.K.B. I!