"THE FOUR FEATHERS" CONTINUES

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22910, 5 January 1940, Page 5

"THE FOUR FEATHERS" CONTINUES

Brilliant acting on the parts of the leading actors, Ralph Richardson and John Clements, made "The Four Feathers" an. impressive film. The film, taken from the book of the same name by A. E. W. Mason, begins a second week at the Liberty to-day. Years after the fall of General Gordon at Khartoum, soldiers from England set out to avenge his; death. When Harry Faversham's regiment -was ordered overseas he resigned his commission. He was the son of a house of soldiers, and his. action brought dis-

Double Eeature at Liberty

grace to him and the gift of four white feathers, one from each of his closest friends and • one from his fiancee. With extraordinary restraint John Clements plays this very difficult part of* the" young-man; who partly from fear and partly from conviction of war's futility, .refuses to go with his regiment to fight. The greater part of" the action of "The Four Feathers." a film made in highly successful technicolour, wasfilmed in the Sudan under conditions similar to that. described in the origi-

nal story. The difficulties that were met by directors and photographers in dealing with the Dervishes who took part in the mock battles were almost unending. The native troops of the ■ Sudan Horse, the actors in the film, agreed to discard their uniforms and dress in the scanty clothing of the Dervishes of •40 years ago. But, it is reported, there was great difficulty in making them agree to "die" for the camera lens. In fact, most natives object to "play" at dying, probably because of superstitious fear. Once having agreed to die, the Dervishes did the job so thoroughly that when the charge was over and long after the cameras had stopped, they remained lying on the ground. Particular acting honours go to Ralph Richardson who, as an officer in v the Sudan, had to act the part of .a man who has completely lost n * s sight. John Clements in the garb of a dumb native does some especially good work. Other important names on the cast are "C. Aubrey Smith, June Duprez. Allan Jeayes, and Jack Allen. The associate feature is "Woman Chases Man," a comedy starring Miriam Hopkins and Joel McCrea.