NEW BRITISH FILMS.

Auckland Star, Volume 246, Issue 246, 16 October 1926, Page 28

NEW BRITISH FILMS.

(By IRIS BARRY, in the London

"Daily Mail.")

Though the English film trade as a whole has hauled down the flag and confessed itself unable to evolve any scheme to encourage film production in this country, the producers themselves, by far the smallest section of the industry, remain undismayed. It is a fact that the quality of films being made in England at the moment is far higher than it was two years ago. The public, surfeited with American films, many of which are poor or vicious, and wishing for fresh fare, is prepared to drop its prejudices against the old type of slapdash British film and welcome the new pictures with lively interest. And there is encouragement in a survey of the coming season's output. That young concern with high ideals, New Era Films, which has already given us "Armageddon," "Zeebrugge," and "Ypres," is launching three films this autumn. These are "Mons," a sufficiently eloquent title, "Nelson," and "Palaver," an unusual drama taken in West Africa. Gainsborough Pictures, which kept hope alive during the darkest days with "The Rat," ha 9 a sequel to that successful melodrama in "The Triumph of the Rat," as well as a mystery film, "The Lodger," a tale of London fogs, detectives, and murders. "Mademoiselle from Armentieres" is Gaumont's contribution, and will serve to remind us, in spite of "The Big Parade," that American soldiers were not the only ones who took part in the war. In "Boadicea," the Stoll Company make a new departure under new anspices. "Nell Gwyn" -win no t find its way to our screens until this autumn, and most certainly will enchant everyone, while Mr Wilcox, its director, has since completed a second film, barring M iss Dorothy Gish under the title "London," a „d British US MSL ProdUCti ° D f ° r With everything militating against any activity m our studios, it £ __£_£_. that so many ambitious pictures have been undertaken m a new and enterprisi.r»g spirit. There is promise of a sound series of native pictures and far brighter days ahead. °