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Show : I ' - ' . , - t I i J -; V. ;.V : ! - " : '' ; i i . , ! 'K . . ; . ' - i - r - - i"- t t !-, 4 iim-V ' , V.., -: rJ, v;i:S8..' ..-...I '' R. . . , i'.JIi KS It's Charles Coburn with Tom Drake, Ileverly Tyler and Hi hard Haydn in "Th? Green Years," now iair at the C"ntie theater. 'Green Years,' A. J. Cronin's Best Seller, Now at Centre ' Charles Coburn. veteran character char-acter actor, and Tom Drake, one of filmdom's most promising juveniles, ju-veniles, join hands in bringing to life A. J. Cronin's tender story of the friendship between a shy, sensitive youngster and his lusty great-grandfather in "The Green Years," which opens today at the Centre theater. The screen adaptation of the best-seller novel has all the warmth, zest and humor of the original tale of Robert Shannon, i the orphaned youngster who is at first intimidated by his foster-family, foster-family, particularly by its dom-' dom-' ineering matriarch, Grandma j Leckie. who sgnds him to school ;in a suit made from one of her rwn beflowered petticoats; but who, after precipitous years of childhood and adolescence, finds his true career with the help of his adoring great-grandfather. Told in retrospect, the growth of young Shannon is unfolded I with the accent on such aspects ! as his determination, despite in-j in-j suit and mockery, to follow his i religious principles; the early fights by which he gains the respect of his schoolmates; the humorous and tragic implications implica-tions of his adolescent love affair af-fair with Alison Keith; and his final battle against overwhelming overwhelm-ing odds to go to the university univer-sity and pursue his long-cherished ambition for a medical career. Through all of Shannon's ( experiences is shown the hand I of his loving great-grandfather ( who is his fervent defender in every crisis and who is instrumental, instru-mental, even after death, in ness. I shaping Robert's future happi-Coburn's happi-Coburn's portrait of the colorful col-orful octogenarian is a glowing one, while Tom Drake, as Shannon, Shan-non, is sensitive and appealing. Equally fine is the work of little lit-tle Jean Stockwell, playing Shannon Shan-non in his childhood stages. |
