WALLS AS SOCIETY CROOK

Taranaki Daily News, 6 October 1934, Page 20 (Supplement)

WALLS AS SOCIETY CROOK

RAPIER WIT; SPARKLING COMEDY. “Just Smith,” the Fox-released Gau-mont-British picture, coming next Wednesday to the Everybody’s Theatre, sparkles from beginning to end. It is one of Frederick Lonsdale’s brightest stories and gives Tom Walls an excellent role as a light-fingered crook, who likes the ladies but prefers to collect superfluous wealth. Tom Walls is in his best form, his rapier wit, and delightful insouciance placing him as one of the finest person-ality-actors in British studios. You will see him as Smith, a mystery man, mixing with the “best people” on the Riviera and soon appreciate his interest in their wealth. His fellow conspirator, a Mr. Mortimer, is a supposedly well-to-do man with a yacht (a part splendidly played by Hartley Power) and they inveigle a rich American snob and her daughter to stay aboard their yacht, with a good sprinkling of titles. The daughter (delightfully played by Carol Goodner) instead of falling for the title so carefully caught by her mother, falls in love with Smith. Although in love with her, Smith determines to bet her mother’s bonds, and to that end, realising that he cannot hope to marry the girl, persuades her that she had better marry her mother’s choice, the Duke of Bristol. She gets engaged aboard the yacht and a grateful mother invites the two crooks to stay at her country house. There the fun begins, particularly when a valuable necklace is stolen and Smith, although innocent, is suspected. Through this all Smith maintains an unruffled poise, neither confirming nor denying the allegations. This leads even his confederate to believe that he has broken their strict rule never to touch jewellery, but Smith ignores the lack of confidence. ; Typical Frederick Lonsdhle wit scintillates through the whole picture, being particularly prevalent in the sparkling dialogue. All lovers of Lonsdale hum-our-comprising probably ninety per cent, of the world’s English-speaking population—will find “Just Smith” the comedy they’ve been longing for.

Based on Lonsdale’s popular story “Never Come Back,” it has been produced and directed by Tom Walls with all his talent and flair for English light comedy, and apart from Walls himself in the starring role, Carol Goodner, Anne Grey, Eva Moore, Peter Gawtome and Reginald Gardner all contribute fine performances. /