ST. JAMES THEATRE.

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 77, 28 September 1938, Page 10

ST. JAMES THEATRE.

"Captain. Scott's Last Expedition."

The film "Captain Scott's Last Expedition" has been described as a documentary film which for thrills and interest surpasses any synthetic picture of the kind which Hollywood has produced? It breathes the very essence of British courage and chivalry. Certainly no greater adventure was ever lived than that of Captain Scott s biggest iourney. In the film, whicn opens on Friday at the St. James Theatre, are shown all the high lights of the many incidents which occurred during the expedition. The encounters with ferocious killer whales, the antics of the penguins, the queer sea leopards, seals, and strange birds are vivid pictures of interest. The gruelling encounters with the elements while on sledging forays are to be sern.', Inere are scenes of unparalleled beauty too —the scintillating hanging chandeliers of ice in huge ice caverns and great icebergs over twenty miles long are shown. The superb photography by Herbert Ponting, the official cinematographer, has never been excelled. All the familiar people of the expedition are prominently shown—Captain Oates —that "very gallant gentleman" —Dr. Wilson, Captain Scott, "Teddy" Evans, i and Meares. The commentary through the film is provided by Herbert Ponting himself and Rear Admiral ("Teddy") Evans appears and provides a spoken prologue. It will be remembered that Captain Scott wrote in his final letters: —"I do not think human beings ever came through such a month as we have come through. We are weak, writing is difficult but for myself I do not regret this' journey, which has shown that Englishmen can endure hardships, help one another, and meet death was as great a fortitude as ever in the past. Had we lived I should have told a tale of the hardihood, endurance, and courage of my companions which would have stirred the heart of every Englishman." To see the picture means that one will more readily appreciate the dying words of Scott, the immortal story of the explorer's heroic adventures flames anew to ."stir the heart of every Englishman." The final scene in the picture shows the discovery of. the tent with the bodies of Scott and his companions and the members of the relief party erecting an ice cairn over them. The picture, which is the official cinematic record of the expedition, is as clear as if it were taken yesterday—a high tribute to the splendid cinematography of twentysix years ago.