AMUSEMENTS

Opotiki News, Volume III, Issue 318, 2 October 1940, Page 1

AMUSEMENTS

“THEY MADE ME A CRIMINAL” “They Made Me A Criminal”, whch opens at the Regent Theatre to-day, is a tense and exciting Warner Bros.’ drama with a prize ring background that co-stars John Garfield and the “Dead End” kids in a cast that also includes Claude Rains, Gloria Dickson, May Robson and Ann Sheridan. Aside from its merits as entertainment, “They Made Me a Criminal,” is noteworthy because it is the fol-low-up of Garfield, young newcomer from the Nqw York stage, to his sensational screen debut in “Four Daughters.” It is the answer to the Warner studio to the insistent public demand that the brilliant young actor be raised to stardom immediately. It presents Garfield as a left-hand-ed (this is important) prize fighter who, the day after he has won the lightweight championship of the world, learns by big stories in-the newspapers that he is supposed to have murdered a newspaper reporter and then been burned to death in an automobile accident while fleeing from the city. He drops out of sight, and finds his way across the country. Eventually he gets a job on an isolated California date orchard and falls in love with the niece of the woman who owns the ranch. Becking to get some money for the two women, ho gets into the ring with a barnstorming heavyweight who offers £IOO a round to anyone who can last against him. This puts a suspicious detective on his trail, and leads to the thrilling and emotional dramatic finish.

The picture was designed to exhibit the full range of young Garfield’s talents a,s wejl as to give the popular “Dead End” kids an opportunity to cinch their hold on the public’s fancy with their very, distinctive type of entertainment. The production was directed by Busby Berkeley. Also showing, an excellent variety of short subjects. • .