‘PRIVATE IZZY MURPHY’

Evening Star, Issue 19856, 3 May 1928, Page 10

‘PRIVATE IZZY MURPHY ’

OPENING TO-MORROW, The two most humorous peoples on earth are the Jews and the Irish. Unconscious, perhaps, but botli are gifted with the sublime gift of tho ability to laugh at themselves. Motion-picture comedies centring around this evergreen theme are becoming frequent, but the public never seems to tiro of the engaging spectacle of Jew and Gentile mixing it m some way or another, and those folk seem to mix it most happily. Como to swell, these ranks is ‘ Private Izzy Murphy,’ which will he the starring attraction opening at the Octagon Theatre to-morrow, with a now and better comedian in tho title role, one George Jessel, a comic gentleman of whom it may truthfully be said that on the one hand he knows his potatoes, and on tho other he knows his, well, whatever it is our Jewish neighbour most relishes. Private I. Patrick Murphy did not always rejoice in that good, round name. Isaac Goldberg he was born, but when ho set eyes on Eileen, he thought it tactful to become the proselyte—l. Patrick Murphy. All the good Hibernians in the neighbourhood would immediately know that the “ I.” stood for Ignatius. At least that is how the innocent creature reckoned. And that was the origin of Private I. Patrick Murphy, whose history is set forth on the screen in a series of hilarious happenings, sometimes intermingled with the pathos that is never far distant from these most emotional people. The good old war is dragged in as a further excuse for amusing incidents, and it also forms the basis of the slight, but wholly delightful plot. When Murphy, true to his name, is obliged to join the Fighting Irish Regiment of New York, and when their Murphy does not seem, to act up to the name in Prance, things begin to move, and in an unpleasant manner for Izzy, alias Ignatius. But even wars end sometimes, and with the appearance of that ironical lady with the torch on. New York harbour, comes romance, in large capital letters. Also comes some fierce differences of opinion, expressed by the Goldbergs and the Noonans after the manner of their respective tribes. “Does Eileen' marry a Jew, then?” “Oil Does our Izzy marry a Gentile?” The screen bubbles with titles of genuine wit at times. George Jessel, as Privao Izzy steps into the front ranks of comedians in this picture; he may be long and tljin and nasal, but he “ gets there.” Patsy Ruth Miller is his leading lady, and Vera Gordon is very good as Mrs Goldberg.