Great Adventure

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 95, 23 April 1931, Page 18

Great Adventure

'At last," says the "Morning Post" of 'Anthony Asquith's production, "Tell England," "the British film industry has produced something like a great film. 'Tell England' is by far the most important film which has yet been produced here. In this country it-may have the same effect in the cinemas as 'Journey's End' had in the theatre. It is a most worthy film of epic character. It is a tremendous triumph for Mr. Bruce Woolf, of British Instructional, and. also for Mr. Geoffrey Barkas and Mr. Anthony Asquith, who directed this first and successful attempt at a national British film."

'"Tell England' proves to be one o£ the two or three outstanding British talkies, made so ifar," ■ says the "Evening News." "It is certainly a great achievement for young Mr. Asquith, whoso first .talkie it is. The story is hardly strong euough to stand out against the greater drama of the campaign. But 'Tell England' shifts the war film into a now field, and is such a capable bit of work that it may well achieve greater success than the filni of 'Journey's End' and some of the triumphs of 'AH Quiet.'"

"This film," according to "The Times/ " critic, "cannot be coldly discussed .as an entertainment or as an exercise in cinematography. Parts of its are profoundly, almost intolerably, moving; the audience, knowing the event, is yet held in a tension higher than- the tension of excitement; no man of imagination can witness it without suffering. All this is plain. But he would be a bold critic who declared that he could with assurance distinguish between the emotions proper to the film itself and those springing from his own memory and sentiment. The story is of the. Gallipoli landings und evacuation —;i etory which, when told with the screen's approach to naturalism, cannot yet be considered with detachment. . . . The film, as.a.whole, has an outstanding merit that distinguishes it from many of its own kind —that its austerities are deliberate andjdo not spring from fear of sentiment. Though it does not shirk the' terror of war, it is never a whine of defeatists. ' It recognises heroism as a thing of; beauty which, even when frustrate, is not vain. But we could wish that it were not de-' scribed as a 'Great Romance of Gloriou» Youth.' It is well able to speak for itself."

"Meet 'the Wife." Low Cody, screen leading man, has been signed for the leading male rule in Columbia's comedy, "Meet the Wife," a stage version of which was in New Zealand a few years ago. Laura La Plante will depict, the "wife" role, and A. Leslie Pearce will direct. Cody has to his credit innumerable pictures, including "Eupert of Hentzau," "Slave of Fashion," "Beau "A Single Man," "Divorce Among Friend's," and "What a Widow." ' A.mammoth Mardi Gras Was celebrated recently in Hollywood as a sequence for Josef vein Sternberg's newest Paramount production, "Dishonoured," in which Marlene Dietrich, and Victor M'Laglen co-star. The entire space of one of the largest sound stages in the world was converted into a . ballroom", where eight hundred extras danced to music from a 02-piece orchestra. ''Scandal Sheet." The news room, or editorial department of a metropolitan newspaper, provides the major setting for George Bancroft's new Paramount starring picture, "Scandal Sheet." The story is from an original by Oliver H. P. Garrett, author of "Street of Chance" and "For the Defence," and ■was directed by John Cromwell. Kay Francis, Clive Brook, Regis Toomey, and Lucien Littlefield head the cast.

Haines. "Dancing Partners" will be William Haines's next starring vehicle following "The Impostor," it is announced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. "Dancing Partners" was produced on the New York stage by David Belasco, and' Sidney Franklin will direct the talkie version. Charlie Chan. Earl Derr Biggers, creator.of the detective of fiction, Charlie Chan, liked the performance of Warner Oiand'in the role of. Chan in "Charlie Chan Carries Ou." The author told Director Hamilton MacFadden that Oland is the first actor who has portrayed the character as he had been visualised originally. Editing of this Fox production has just been finished. 'The picture has a large cast, headed by Oland, Marguerite Churchill, John Garrick, Marjorie White, and Warren Hymer.

"Skippy." • ' "Skippy," the Paramount talking version of the novel and cartoon series by Percy Crosby) has gone into production in San Bornadino, California, where "small town" sequences rejjuired by the story are being made. Jackie Cooper appears in the title role, with. Mitzi Green, Jackie Searl, Robert Coogan, and Enid Bennet in other featured parts. Norman Taurog and David Burton are directing. "Up Pops the Devil." , "Up Pops the Devil," previously announced as a starring picture for Nancy Carroll; has been selected as the next picture to co-feature Norman Foster and Carole Lombard, now working' together on "It' Pays to Advertise." The'new film will go into production with a cast of well-known players in supporting roles.