ST. JAMES THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 249, 17 July 1937, Page 16

ST. JAMES THEATRE

“A Family Affair” Domestic felicity, youthful romance, and political intrigue, are ingeniously intertwined in “A Family Affair," the deeply-interesting picture which is now screening at St. James Theatre, starring the famous character acton, Lionel Barrymore. There is not a dull moment in the story. Judge Janies K. Hardy (Barrymore) is a district judge of impeccable probity, s'o that when he sees what lies behind a huge aqueduct scheme that is being promoted by crooked politicians in an unholy alliance with crooked contractors, he takes his stand. At first those interested seek to wiu him over by cajolory, but he lodges a restraining order with the court, and stands' to hits guns. Then the Frankenstein of political corruption seeks to tempt him with -yjold. Finally his enemies seek to besmirch his family name in the Press through a' trilling escapade of his married daughter, Joan Martin, and succeed in rousing the whole city against him on the score that Hardy is blocking progress. Even his daughter, Marion, and his youngest sou, Andy, turn against him, Marion, in love with one of the young engineers who is to be employed on the aqueduct job if it goes through, becomes bitter at the prospect of an early marriage being destroyed by her father’s stubboruess. All the world, save his wife, seems lo threaten the old man, but he stands firmly. Conies the day of nomination for district judge. Hardy has held the position for 10 years, but his political opponents say he is through. On the great day the old man faces the vast assemblage, and lets loose a barrage of cold facts that literally devastate the wrong-doers. He rights his daughter's good name, and provides' rich consolation for Marion. The young people are played by pretty Eveline Parker and Erie Linden, and Micky Rooney is gorgeously amusing as the youngest son, Andy, a roystering adolescent, who is perfectly natural. But it is Lionel 8.-irrv't'.ore who holds the whole family together; and whose outreaehing sympathy and fine fighting spirit capture the audience.