ST. JAMES THEATRE.

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 78, 29 September 1938, Page 7

ST. JAMES THEATRE.

"Captain Scott's Last Expedition." i _

"Had we lived, I should have had &. tale to tell of hardihood, endurance, and courage of my companions which would have stirred the heart of every Englishman. These rough notes and our dead bodies must tell the tale." Thus wrote Captain Scott in his last message. The motion picture, "Captain Scott's Last Expedition," which begins tomorrow at the St. James Theatre, preserves for all time the moving and heroic adventures of these greatest explorers, and it certainly "stirs the heart of every Englishman." With the picture is a spoken prologue by Rear-Admiral E. R. G. R. Evans and a dramatic commentary throughout by Herbert Ponting, who accompanied the expedition and who was responsible for the superb cinematography. This film of Scott's noble sacrifice will quicken the heartbeats of all who see it, for all - the old heroes of whom we have read and reread are there—Scott, Oates, Wilson, Meares, and "Teddy" Evans flash across the screen. The high lights \ of the film are the great storms at sea, the fights with ferocious killer whales, encounters with queer monsters of the deep, strange Antarctic birds, the tremendous obstacles, the gruelling sledging to the Pole, that very gallant gentleman Captain Oates, and the poignant success relating to the discovery of the tent containing the bodies of the Polar party. The superb photography is by Herbert Ponting, who also gives a highly dramatic commentary throughout the film. A Spoken prologue is provided by RearAdmiral ("Teddy") Evans^ who was second in command to Scott during the expedition. The scenes of Antj arctica showing the scintillating fairy I castles of ice are unforgettable. The hanging curtains of fringed snow and the glory of the huge ice caverns intrigue the eye, while the fascinating ' sight of penguins, seals, and other ! strange fauna and avi-fauna make for most captivating interest. No greater j tribute to British bravery and endea- J your can be afforded than this epic of Antarctic enterprise. It is an amazing thing but true that the cine- j matography is as clear today as if it were taken recently, the lapse of j twenty-seven years having in no way | diminished its clarity or destroyed its , i pure artistry. The special shorts inI elude the latest March of Time, dealing 'with the events leading up to the present crises in Europe. i