"FAREWELL AGAIN"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22833, 14 September 1937, Page 14

"FAREWELL AGAIN"

REGENT THEATRE FILM Authenticity is the keynote of "Farewell Again," the Alexander Korda presentation which is to commence a season at the Regent Theatre on Friday. Based on an actual news item which told of a troopship bringing a regiment back to Southampton after several years abroad, but ordered back to another outpost of the Empire with only six hours ashore, this film is notable for the manner in which it shows a crosssection of English life. The director, Tim Whelan, had a difficult task in attempting to maintain interest in a huge and varied assortment of characters, but, aided by brillaint performances from his players, lie has succeeded in striking fashion. A selected pattern of humanity is made to live credibly, where it could easily have languished in unrealitv. Two actors who will be remembered for their work in " Fire Over England," Leslie Banks and Flora Robson, take the parts of Colonel and Mrs. Blair. Leslie Banks acts with a restraint that is far more effective than rhetoric, building up the character of the colonel into strength by a number of subtle under-tones. Captain Reed is portrayed by Sebastian Sliaw, who was last seen in the film "Men Are Not Gods." His work, in common with that of the rest of the cast, is marked by a convincing naturalness. With the exception of a fow scenes photographed in Southampton, the setting of " 1< arewell Again" is restricted to the troopship. This fact, which might have led to a certain monotony, is made use of in a resourceful manner, emphasising different points in the story and creating a dramatic atmosphere in keeping with the film. Humour and drama of a different typo is provided by other welldrawn characters, including the sergeant, played bv Edward Lexy, Privato Smith, a gentleman privato with ft mysterious past: Wally Patch, as Ser-geant-Major Billings and Patricia Milliard, who gives an excellent performance as the nurso who is in love with Captain Reed.