STATE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 242, 9 July 1938, Page 16

STATE THEATRE

* “Mademoiselle Docteur” One does not. expect, a spy story to tie treated frivolously, and it can be said from the outset mat "Mademoiselle Docteur.” the United Artists release al the State Theatre, does not err in this direction. It is, if anyiking, treated too seriously—one might almost say poll(lcruiislv. f L'hc bloi’y was uriginnlly lilniuu in France, and very successfully, so I am told; but in making this present British version, the producers seem to have retained the measured pace ol the Continental technique, but not so much of its vitality. This is not. however, meant to suggest that there is any lac 1; of surface incident —things are going on all the time —only they do nor seem to be going with much sense of direction. 'Phe heroine is Mademoiselle Docteur, alias Anno Marie Lesser, a German medical student, whose sweetheart, a spy. has been killed by foreign agents just before the war. The heroine then becomes a spy herself, dominated by the thougnt of revenge on her sweet heart’s murderer. Thereafter, however, this desire for vengeance is only vaguely suggested as Mademoiselle Docteur, by a series.of daring exploits’ on practically every trout in the Great War, becomes Germany’s most celebrated secret operator. It is in Salonika that the Him arrives at the familiar situation of the spy in love with the handsome enemy, when MademoiselleDocteur (this time disguised as a Swedish baroness doing Bed Gross work), meets Captain Carr. When the issue has been further complicated by motives of jealousy and treachery among her colleagues, Mademoiselle Docteur is unmasked. I’ ram (his difficult, situation —difficult because it condemns the heroine to death the film finds a wav out by presenting an air raid which blows up everything and brings the story to a rather abrupt conclusion. A. new actress, Dita l.’arlo, is the star. She is certainly a new type, and it may be merely because one becomes so used to the familiar order of Hollywood heroines that I. failed to find her very impressive. Iler quaint styles of hairdressing are probably true to period, but they do not add to her beauty. It is good to see Erich von Stroheim again—he is back in his favourite old role of the ruthless but rather likeable German secret service chief. John Loder s performance as the British hero is the most natural in the film; and there are other interesting portrayals from Clifford Evans and Claire Luce. The photography, if inclined to be static, is nevertheless an outstanding feature which enhances the dramatic strength of many scenes; and the inside details of espionage are always interesting ami exciting.