BRITISH PREJUDICE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 253, 26 October 1938, Page 15

BRITISH PREJUDICE.

VENICE FILM EXHIBITION. CONSIDERED GLORIFIED "RACKET." VENICE. British film men arc prejudiced against the \ eiiicc Film Exhibition. They regard it as a glorified racket, a pretext for a holiday amidst the palm trees and trousered Iteauties. the languid Italian aristocrats and junketing film executives of the world's most luxurious plage. But. on the other hand, the exhibition brings entries from 18 different nations Iteforc people of influence in the film world. Government officials (of special importance in authoritarian countries like Italy), leading producers and distributors, and journalists whose reports go all over the world, building up a market for any production good enough to win a prize. Add to all tills the personal factor. Friendly contacts between British film executives and Italians like the president of the exhibition (Count Volpi) and the president of the huge "Luce" organisation, the Marchese Paulucci, mav help one day to solve such problems as censorship, quota restrictions and the difficulty of getting currency out of the conn try. which so far is crippling the British film exporter. It may be that this year the foreign competition is not so strong as usual. Certainly I ranee has sent 110 "Garnet de Bal,' which won the Mussolini Cup last year. So far America al SO SOOTHS to have fallen below the standards of other years. Here, then, is a golden opportunity for British films.

Three long British pictures have been entered —"The Drum," "Break the News" and "Pymalion." "The Drum" was admired for its swirling colour, admirable recording and stirring scenes of north-west frontier life. Rene Clair has always had an international following, and though "Break the News" is obviously not one of his major works, its satirical humour pleased everybody. "Pygmalion." The third British picture "Pygmalion" was produced at Pine wood with Leslie Howard as Professor Higgins and Wendy Hiller as Eliza Doolittle. The reputation of the author. Bernard Shaw . is such that it is being eagerly awaited, and by those who have had advance reports it is tipped as a likely prizewinner. "Luciano Serra, Pilota." a flying drama of the Abyssinian war. was made under the supervision of Signor Vittorio Mussolini, who descended 011 Venice with SO pilots for the occasion. It is notable for its magnificent flying sequences, made with the aid of crack pilots from Italy's most famous flying school at Campo Formido. near L dine. W itli its strong story, brilliant spectacle and admirable photography. "J>uciano Serra. Pilota" must be a strong contender for i the Mussolini Cup.