ENTERTAINMENTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 17 August 1926, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

“ZEEBRUGGE. ” AN ASTOUNDING ENTERTAINMENT. • Seldom indeed, if ever, has Haver a been favoured with a motion picture of the calibre of “Zeebrugge, ’ which was shown last night for the first time at the Opera House. To say.it is a great film is ail too inadequate. It possesses qualities which raise it far above any film with which one might wish to 'make comparisons. In the first place, Zeebrugge, unlike most picture films, is not merely the product of the imaginative faculties of some writer or producer. Imagination has certainly gone to the making of it, hut it is nevertheless a true ■.record in motion of actual happenings; happenings which appear so thrilling and astounding in their reality that one is carried completely out of the world of ordinary affairs, and lor about an hour and a half lives through one of the mostyiistonishly daring episodes of British naval history. It is noteworthy that the whole naval action recorded, that of the attack of 2000 officers and men. of the Navy on the German naval base at Zeebrugge, lasted about an hour and a half, and that is just approximately the time taken to depict it on the screen.

The producers are certainly to be congratulated on their achievement. They have treated the material supplied by Navy officials with the dignity it deserves. The whole scheme of the' attack, from its planning and inception to its glorious and successful accomplishment, is shown with a. vividness and well connected series of (sequences that must inspire enthusiasm in all who see it. Points to be noticed in this masterpiece of screen art are the manner in which the difficulties of giving a broad view of the general strategy, while retaining a convincing sense of reality, are overcome, and also the successful introduction of the human personal element, with its humour and pathos, but without ever disturbing one’s view of the main issues, individual episodes, in which V.C.’s were gained and heroic men sacrificed themselves for the common good, are splendidly depicted. The battle scenes are wonderfully realistic, and no drama, can ever grip the imagination as does this story of one of the latest exploits of an unequalled Navy and an unbeaten manhood. Every watcher in New Zealand must feel the pride of liis nationality while watching this picture, and feel, too, that, he owes a lasting debt to the “movies” for enabling him to gain such an inspiring experience as the viewing of “Zeebrugge.” The picture will be finally screened this evening.