Evening star., 1938-04-16

the Patch begins to flame after that
inconsiderate kick of Mrs. O'Leary's
cow
In view of the ferocity of the flames
once they begin to level the 1871 mid
west metropolis, it makes small diff
ference that Twentieth Century, Fox
has taken many liberties with fact in
order to provide the drama with ap-
propriate continuity What, after all,
is historic truth in comparison with a
sensation that will send audiences
home talking about one Of the better
pictures Of any year?
In Old Chicago" for all the mag
nif1cence and expense of its final Sc
quences, which run for approximately
half an hour if you insist upon such
things being timed, is not the perfectly
cast picture. It is story of people
as well as a fire, and one cannot
escape the fact that Alice Faye. who
sells songs as few people can sell them,
is hardly the girl to play a prima
donna with feelings so deep that
plumbing them is terrific task Nor
is the man who does the plumbing.
Tyrone Power, an altogether convinc-
ing actor in the role of an unscrupu-
lous, misguided OLeary, who buys
his way into political bossism of the
city through procedure that is moth
ing short of villainous. Mr.. Power
gives one of the best performances of
his career, but one cannot escape the
feeling that he is almost incredibly
young to be loving so fervidly and 50
politically successful.
Best performances in the picture are
those of neither of the principals, but
rather the portrayal of Mrs. OLeary,
Chicago's most historic widow, by Alice
Brady, and Don Ameche as the elder
OLeary boy who represented right
eousness to the ultimate degree.
1T IS compelling bit of drama, how
ever. that has been pieced together
to justify film that would be climaxed
by one of the most dramatic fires ever
brought to the screen. The O'Leary
family, rightly or wrongly, is pictured
as one Of the most dynamic combina-
tions Of alternate villainy and decency
that ever found its way to the screen.
It has approximately everything from
a mother that has brave, unwavering
dreams for her children to sons who
have everything from the ultimate up
rightness to the least praiseworthy
ambitions to control the rapidly grow
ing metropolis of the middle west.
History does not make it clear that
the O'Learys were like that, but Mr..
Daryl Zanuck says they were and In
Old Chicago" Is Mr.. Zanuck's picture
and he has made something very dra-
matte out of his liberties with the story
Of the great fire
As to the story, the younger Mr..
OLeary, played by Mr.. Power, Is the
tempestuous lover Of the towns pre-
miere night club prima donna, Miss
Faye. It is great battle they stage
before the girl finally capitulates to
the rising young political boss OF the
city. not as great as it might be If
Miss Faye were more of an actress, but
pretty fine battle, nevertheless.
Mrs. OLeary, who does Chicago's
washing, does not approve Of her IA
vorite sons amour, nor of the girl who
plays the leading role in it. Neither
does the elder son, played by Mr..
Ameche.
They. especially the latter, are 80
dead set upon stopping the younger lad,
| that they are prepared to wipe him
out by fire when they are saved from
that criminal action by the vhim of
the OLeary COW, which obligingly kicks
over the lantern.
1t is when the fire starts that the
picture achieves the whole purpose for
which Mr.. Zanuck was willing to spend