DE LUXE THEATRE.

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 45, 23 February 1939, Page 6

DE LUXE THEATRE.

"Gangster's Boy."

Ja'ckie Cooper, who scored such world-wide success in "Boy of the Streets," gives ah even greater performance in Monogram's "Gangster's Boy," which .comes to the De Luxe I Theatre tomorrow. A stirring, dramatic story of the high school, generation, "Gangster's Boy" is a vehicle perfectly suited to young Cooper's extraordinary talents, and it gives him opportunities he has never had before. The plot concerns Larry Kelly, high school hero, leader of his class in scholarship and on the athletic field; whose lifetime ambition is to go to West Point. Everything is set for Larry until his father, Tim "Knuckles" Kelly, one-time racketeer, "retires" and comes to Millford to live with his beloved wife and son. Larry does not know of his father's past, but he finds out when the newspapers x try to run Tim out of town. Larry's school friends turn against him, all except Julie Davis, his "girl friend," and Bill Davis, her brother and Larry's best friend. These two stick by him in spite of their father's extreme displeasure. Larry gives his graduation address amidst the jeers of the crowd, and when his team mates finally rally round, he goes to the school dance. . Driving Bill and Julie home, there is, an accident, and Larry takes the blame for Bill, who was driving. He is thrown in gaol, charged with drunken driving, for a •bottle ha's been found in his car. Things look black for Larry, who believes he cannot go to West Point on account of his father, and that he must protect Bill so that he can go. A dramatic climax ensues as Judge Davis, tipholder of the law, and Tim Kelly, opponent of the law, face each other across a courtroom, with a boy's honour at stake. Jackie Cooper has a chance to do some fine dramatic acting, play comedy, and to perform on the tap drums as leader of his high school orchestra. Robert Warwick has the finest opportunity of his entire acting career as Tim Kelly, and he makes the most of it. Sympathy is divided between father and son all through the picture. A fourteen-year-old radio star, Lucy Gilman, is excellent as Julie, ' Jackie's "girl friend." This is her first picture, and from all indications she should go far. The associate film will be a comedy, "Strange Faces," teaming Dorothea Kent and Frank Jenks. ■ ,