ST. JAMES THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 229, 22 June 1940, Page 7

ST. JAMES THEATRE

Formby fans will not need a review to attract them to George's new picture, "Come On, George.” now screening at the St., James Theatre; to them George is already the essence of fun. But just for the sake of those who have not made his acquaintance yer, "lier.e is the news." George Formby is probably Great Britain's most outstanding comedian today—certainly the most outstanding on the screen, The reason is that, despite a face that is much less than ordinary, and teeth more like those ol a horse than any human's should be. he is vital, and alive, and really funny. He plays a banjo with just that extra something that, makes it. more than merely banjo playing. It comes out at you from the screen iu a wave of melody and jollity. He sings, too, simple, catchy tunes, and the words are the kind that would make anyone the life of the party—iu fact, young men with social ambitions have been known to sit through several sessions just iu order to memorize the words and bask in George's reflected popularity. Add to all that the fact that Formby "gags.” both of action and of speech, come very near to genius, and you have, in short, the reason for George Formby being England’s most popular comedian. Last time George appeared ou the screen in 'Wellington, he was very mixed up in a brewery. Now it is horses that provide the excuse for so much hilarity. Actually, he starts the film as an icecream seller, is falsely accused of being a pickpocket, and wakes up in the horsebox in a railway train, ou the friendliest of sleeping terms with a supposedly vicious racehorse, Maneater. So far as other people are concerned, Maneater Is vicious, but Georye, knowing nothing about that, treats him as familiarly as an old friend and so wins the horse's confidence. That leads .to the former ice-cream man getting a job in the stables where Maneater is supposed ' to be undergoing the kind of training that will make him less of a menace. As it happens, the owner of .Maneater is the person whose pocket George was supposed to have picked; this gentleman s daughter is in love with Maneaters trainer, and generally. George’s life becomes very complex, especially when the local police sergeant’s grandson invites him to lodge with grandfather and his beauteous sister. Torn between love and fear, George makes heavy weather of it, but after the most fantastic and side-splitting adventures, wins a fortune for his friends, and a bride for himself. You must see this show to believe it and you might be a bit sceptical even then; it just does not seem possible, that there could be so much amiable, hilarious nonsense packed into 8000 feet of film.