OPERA HOUSE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 291, 9 December 1939, Page 9

OPERA HOUSE

“ASK A POLICEMAN” AN!) “BOY FRIEND” Will Hay is as dumb and as delight- i ful as ever in his latest comedy, “Ask , a Policeman,” which commenced yesi terday at the Opera House. He plays ithe part of a village policeman in a [village that has about eight people, 'including a police force of three headed by Sergeant Will Hay. The ; sergeant is boastful of the fact that i there has not been a crime of any sort, i in the village for 10 years live weeks, | four days, and incidentally remarks) that he took over the job just 10 > ears I live weeks and four days ago. The i chief constable ponder,s over this, and 1 decides that in such a virtuous village no police force is necessary, so in i order to keep its job the force lever-: ishly rushes round looking for a spot ! of crime. In ‘‘Boy Friend,” Jane With- ' ers falls in love for the lirst time with ; George Herbert, who plays the part | of a student at one of America's • military preparatory schools. The | story is not confined to this theme, 1 however. It is a tale of the American ■ police training schools, with a strong ' “Crime Loes Not Pay” message. A i group of young men. one of them | Jane’s brother (Richard Bond), are in j training to become policemen. One of them appears to go astray by joining a gang of wholesale burglai'S, but fortunately he never quite manages to convince the audience that he is not acting as an “under cover” man for the police. His former friends a.e ’not as bright as the audience, Iwwlever, and their hatred is increased 'when one of their number is shot down |by the gang. Jane and her new boy ‘friend make up for things, however, by leading the entire force to wnere the gang is carrying out a raid. A terrific motor-car chase with revolver accompaniment follows.