The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-03-06
.bOOMERANGb|LL
HAS BARRYMORE
|NVAL|ENT ROLE
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Continued from Page 12.)
acters in modern fiction is Boom
erang Bill. who seems far more like
a character Of modern life. 4
Marguerite Marsh makes Annie
so winsome and wistful that Bills
great love for her Is easily under
stood. Margaret Seldom plays the
mother with her rare artistry and
understanding Of the mother heart.
And little Harry Lee, Marian Bat.
tista and Helen Kim, In her depic-
ton of the Chinese girl whose
childish devotion plays such a vital
part in Bits life, play with drama
and warm simple reality that Is
exquisite to watch in such children.
Harry Lee is a Chinese baby Of
only three. but he's a tiny Barry
more in his perfect characterize
ton and vividness.
Then there is Frank Shannon,
the officer Terrence OMalley,
through whose eyes we see the
drama Of Bills life.
1t is Officer Terrence O'Malley
who tells the story. He finds a
boy on the verge of throwing in
his life with a gang Of thieves
because through them the lad
hopes for the money which will
enable him to buy his sweetheart
beautiful furs. O'Malley knows
what bitter mistakes a man may
make when he does not think
straight. So he tells Of another
man who wanted his sweetheart
to have her hearts desire.
When Annie comes into Bills
life she makes him a good man.
All the crime and thievery which
had given him his living for 80
long came to reveal themselves to
the man in their hideous unworth-
mess. He determines to work
honestly for Annie.
In the moment when Annie
gives Bill her heart with their
first kiss, he knows his first
great moment. He feels that he
must go straight forever.
Here Annie tells Bill of her
mothers need. And to buy the
mothers health, Bill determines
to get Annie money. So Bill
goes back to crime. He robs a
bank to buy Annie peace OF mind
and her mothers health. And
prison claims him.
Annie's love holds her to keep
ing faith with the man who has
gone to prison for her. Then her
mothers needs drives her to new
desperation. There is a man who
offers marriage-protecti to the
little mother, the home in the
country the mother needs-and
who asks nothing in return but
the love Annie has not to give.
The girl goes to prison to visit
the man she loves. Again she
asks sacrifice Of Bill, but this
time she does It knowingly. Ach-
ing with the thought that she
was the innocent means of driv-
ing Bill to crime, she cannot go
through with her sacrifice after
she has asked Bill to help her
make it.
It is Bill then who meets the
second great moment of his life.
For Annie he has gone back to
crime-the means by which he
once throve. For her he can rise
to heights of nobility which he
had never before known. And he
demands of her the sacrifice
which drives him almost mad.
At last, when time has passed
and Bill il again a free man,
he goes to claim his reward and
his love. He feels that Annie will
not refuse to leave the man who
has given her a haven. He knows
that Annie must feel bound to
him by every tie of loyalty. He
counts on her love.
So he goes straight to her
home. And, standing outside the
window, he looks in on happiness
and peace. Annie has her baby
in her arms. Her mother is safe
and well. And the man who had
given Annie her haven comes
tenderly to his wife and child and
takes them into his arms.
He goes away to fight himself.