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TOWN HALL.— THE SENTIMENTAL
BLOKE.
"House full" notices outside the Town
Hall on Saturday evening testified to the
popularity with which Mr. E. J. Carroll's
film version of The Sentimental Bloke was
received. The film was well worthy of its
reception. Mr. C. J. Dennis's characters
seemed to have slouched from the very
verses in which they were created. The
picture, though mainly, of course, success-
ful as an essay in the portrayal of larrikin
types, goes further, and tells the charming
little every-day love story of the Sentimen-
tal Bloke, who, having "worked" an
"intro." to Doreen, the factory girl he con-
sidered his "ideel tart," "stouches" the
plilandering "stror-'at coot," who seeks to
supplant him in her affections, renounces
his "crook" companions, haunts and habits,
and after a short but crowded courtship
becomes "hitched," leaves the city for the
open air, and in the freer spaces of a coun-
try township supports his wife — and family
— on the proceeds of a "fruit -farm." An
appropriate setting for both country and
city scenes is provided, and every one of
the characters is played in distinctly
Australian fashion--each is easily recog-
nised without the aid of the clippings from
Mr. Dennis's verses, which accompany the
picture. The photography — the work of
Mr. A. Higgins— is perfect — superior to
much of the American cinematography
which is at present flooding Australia. Aus-
tralians will watch with interest for news
of the production of The Sentimental
Bloke abroad, where it should prove that
Australia is capable not only of catering
for her own tastes in motion pictures— as
she undoubtedly is — but also of establishing
a demand for Australian work in England
and America. Patriotic Melbourne citizens
will perhaps regret that the characters
were not photographed in the actual locale
of the story, "Little Lon" and its vicinity.
However, Melbourne City Council might
well congratulate itself upon the fact that
the camera is betraying to the other side
of the world not our own disgusting slums,
but the cleaner under world of a sister
State. It is the one detail in which the
picture departs from the story; for the
rest, it is amazingly true to type and to
human nature, and is full of humor and
delicate pathos. An excellent vocal and
instrumental programme supports the pic-
ture, provided by Miss Carrie Lancele,
(soprano) and Misses Doris Stuble (piano),
Hilda Sutton. LAB. (violin), and Nellie
Simpson (cello and flute).
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