BRITAIN V. AMERICA

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 148, 25 June 1938, Page 7

BRITAIN V. AMERICA

"A YANK AT OXFORD"

Despite their many faults Americans, and especially American film pro' ducers, have the saving grace o humour, and, like the Scots, appear t< enjoy a joke all the more if it con tains a sly dig at some of the failing; of their own race—if you can call i that. The age-old America v. Britair contest is revived with renewed vigou: in "A Yank at Oxford," now showing at the Majestic Theatre, and althougl the Americans spend most of their timt ridiculing what is presumed to be i typical Yank out of his element, Johi Bull himself comes in for his fair shari of raillery. The film itself is, in a way, a forn of compromise, for it was made bj M.G.M., not in Hollywood studios, bu in England, and so it comes about tha "A Yank at Oxford" practically breathes the atmosphere of the famou: :entre of learning, and at the same tim< moves with the natural ease of film: which have hitherto been made only ii America. With the exception of one oi two characters the majority of th< players are English, and speak Englisl as one would expect it to be spoken a Oxford—not with an exaggerated ac cent, but in the quiet, impeccable man tier of the true English gentleman. Robert Taylor is the Yank, and i real one he is. He is first seen in hi: home town in America, where, as th< young son of the proprietor of thi small-town newspaper, he is carryinf off all athletic prizes at the distnc meetings. Lee Sheridan, for that 1: his name, is a very, very self-satisflec young gentleman, and the loving eye: of his rather doting father overlook hi: faults. By a good stroke of fortuni young lae receives the news that he 1: to go to Oxford, and far from disap oointment at leaving his native land be hind for several years he looks for ward impatiently to his arrival at Ox Eord, where he intends to "show th< Britishers how," or words to tha The Yank arrives in England with i iourish, and on the way to Oxford ir .he train he conducts a conversation jr rather a monologue, with a real ok Snglish gentleman of the old type. Fin illy the talk of Oxford becomes toe nuch for the old man, who rises front he seat and informs his companion ir in icy manner that he «;had the gooc ortune to go to Cambridge. At tn< miversity itself Sheridan's oragginj nanner antagonises a number of thf tudents, and he finally finishes up or he "mat" when he unwittingly kicks . lean. The dean is Edmund Gwenn )ossibly the most effective member a he cast, and from his lips come rnanj >f the brightest pearls of wisdon ouching the England-America que* ion. Sheridan, however, settles dowr nd distinguishes himself in athlete 'vents, becoming one of the most popu ar students. He has made one enemy mother student, played by pritntl rones, and although the two playde ;picably spiteful tricks on each othei hey also have a mutual secret ad Juration which is, unfortunately, a lonj in love with a younj ,irl student, sister of his enemy anc he course of true love is. lndeec stormy. Maureen O'SulUvan is attrac ive ■ and handles her part well, bu cannot be denied that she still ha hat slight hardness of tone that seem: levertlbe absent from the Americar rice Not so with Vivien Leigh, wh< l°ays' the flirtatious wife of an Oxfc-K nokseller and nearly wrecks Sheri S careerand his hopes for a happ Ef&W V™ Leigh "has'bjer ast as a rather demure, softly-spoken md definitely charming little EngUs 'irl, but here she is in a type 01 rou 'hat is absolutely different. _ But all does not go smoothly at Ox ■ord Sheridan, taking part m inter mK-'ersity"porte. thinks he could rui ♦toJfnthP relav race than his part !er and Jushes him aside. He win: he'race but finishes in dead silence ror tnis he is solemnly debagged, bu shortens his fathe ;o mes over to greet him,.onto toi fln hat his son has been "sent down a. i result of an escapade m which h. riel to shield another student All i traiehtened out, however, and in th InS sequences Lee is seen stroking th. Dxford crew to victory against Cam "once again Britain has the last augh As the exhausted crew sag ,ver their oars Sheridan turns to his Isping one-time enemy behind him n hi boat "So you couldn't take it, rneland'" he mutters. England can nto his companions lap. Supports include an P UT u ™ n S ■omedy and a coloured traveltalk.