A PICTURE TO SEE AND TO LOVE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 278, 21 August 1944, Page 3

A PICTURE TO SEE AND TO LOVE

“Lost Angel” Presents Margaret O’Brien

[By

M.F.E.W.]

It is always dangerous io generalize about motion pictures. More times than I care to remember I have said 1 don’t like child actors, and for that reason I wasn’t looking forward to seeing “Lost Angel' (Majestic). Now I've seen it, I can t thing up superlatives quickly enough to praise the show. Little Margaret O’Brien, the delightful youngster who ran way with “Journey for Margaret," here appears in a lilm specially tailored to bt her abilities. Stories specially developed for a star often suffer because of that—the script, writers devote their time to finding situations in which to exploit the big box ollice attraction, instead of getting on with the story. That hasn't happened here. Six years before Hie film proper begins, a foundling child Is adopted by the professors of an Institute of Psychology to be brought up according to a schedule they have developed. The film begins on her sixth birthday, when Alpha (as they have named the unfortunate buby)’lS to be examined bv two independent psychologists, A newspaper reporter wangles an interview witli the girl, aud disgusted to find that she has been brought up uot to believe in magic, assures her that there is magic in the world everywhere, if you know where to look for It. Here tho professors reap the whirlwind of their scientific sowing—lb<? baby, having been taught to accept nothing she cannot investigate for herself, sets out to find her reporter, and. get him to prove his statement, in the process, she finds something even more valuable that the clever scientific gentlemen have forgotten to allow for —love. That brief description does far less than justice to the plot, which is illuminated by excellent performances from Philip Merlvalc, as the head of tho institute, James Craig as the reporter, and Marsha Hunt as his fianece. But the. picture is made by littln Margaret O'Brien. Here at last is a juvenile performer w thout . facile prettiness, without appalling eliteness,” but with real charm and a real appeal that catches at deep emotions inside her audleuco, aud doesn’t let. go. Call the film romanlie if you like, impossible if you will—but it’s a picture .to see and to love. You'll remember Margaret O'Brien for a long time aftep the lights go up and the show is over,