Critic Takes Gamble

It's one thing for a movie critic to stick his thumb in the air, and quite another for him to put his money where his mind is.

But Barry Paris, noted film author ("Garbo") and critic for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, was so ardent in his recent four-star review of the Chinese film "King of Masks" that he is making "a first-ever-in-film-critic-history offer," he wrote in the paper.

"If you go and honestly DON'T like it, send me a note c/o the Post-Gazette stating why, along with your original ticket stub (not that I don't trust you), and I will personally refund your money. No joke."

Paris also said that those who go see the movie (about the adventures of an itinerant street performer) and LIKE it may write him, too.