DETECTING BRITISH FILMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 123, 27 May 1930, Page 6

DETECTING BRITISH FILMS.

The details revealed.by "Celluloid" are very., enlightening. It becomes more, and more difiV cult to diagnose a real British picture. Probably rates and taxes decide the matter. . It take it that an industry of any kind is essentially British only when the head office pays

rates and income tax to His MajestyV Government. Anything else is only the branch of the tree hanging, oyer our fence. All pictures produced by companies operating from headquarters in our Homeland must be designated "British" even if the producer is a German, as in the "Atlantic" film. The German, touch, by the way, is clearly evident in the characterisation in this. film of the captain and first. officer of this large ocean liner. We see the :t officer having to rush up a long flight of steps ■ before the captain on the bridge can be advised ; „ that the ship is leaking. The captain then goes through a set of dramatic gestures and makes a few dramatic remarks (if I remember correctly) before signalling to the engineroom to "Close the watertight doors." Such procedure and the entire.portrayal of these parte'* is a travesty on the British marine and.spoil what is otherwise a fine film, though not a great one.' We have a great deal to be proud of in the clean and sensible kind of British pictures which have come to us. Only time and more available capital will enable us to catch up on America's long-standing experience. ' MA.P. '