"BELOVED ENEMY."

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 71, 25 March 1937, Page 6

"BELOVED ENEMY."

Regent Theatre Attraction,

Against: the tensely dramatic, background of the Irish "trouble" of 1921, a gripping love story is told in "Beloved Enemy," which will start on Saturday at the Regent Theatre. Opening in a stirring tempo, it shows Brian Aherne .as the \ audacious, leader of Irish rebels continuing their age:long fight for independence. To Dublin comes Henry Stephehson, as a high English official, accompanied by his daughter' (Merle -Oberon). The f?rst 'chaft'ee meeting between .Ah'erhc, and Miss Oberon arouses . mutilal. admiration/: which ripens info affectioh when the girl, Shows herself sympathetic to the sufferings of Irish woitianhood. the .tragic victims in the uprising. Almost betrayinig Aherne intd English hands, the girl later admits her treachery and, wlferi.-Ahenie.'s life is again jeopardised, pleads with him to accept the 'invitation1"' of'her father to a diplomatic discussion of the Irish problem. Aherne '■pverconies the objections of his ■ colleagues, led by Donald Crisp, and heads the. Irish delegation to Lon->! don. Tl)e conference reaches a deadlock,, until the.girl persuades Aherne that a compromise is. best for Ireland's happiness; ' and on his casting Vote , the . treaty is signed setting up . the lirish, Free State. Then he returns to plead with his P'egole'1 ; to".;-.lacccpt the new status and live i;i! peace with England. But some Of: his more fanatical colleagues, dedicated to the-causq of absolute separation, think that he has betrayed Ireland for the sake of the English girl. From this situation arises the tensely, dramatic climax of the. story. Karen' Morley, Henry StephensOn, Jerome Cowan, David Niven, Donald Crisp, and Ra Hould (the Duncdin boy) give notable performances in support of the stars. ' I