STIRRING NAVAL FILM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22741, 29 November 1935, Page 7

STIRRING NAVAL FILM

PRESENTATION AT STATE THEATRE " Courage from hearts and not from numbers grows." Dryden's fine line echoes the theme of "Brown on Resolution," the stirring British saga, of desperate, single-handed devotion to a principle, which will be the next change at the State Theatre under the alternative title of " Sons of the Sea." Tiie natural child of Elizabeth Brown and Lieutenant Somerville,.R.N. —who are fated never to meet again—Albert Brown is dedicated by his proud mother to service in the navy; and thenceforward the picture is the story of the young sailor's life and th: drama of his simple heroism —his unhesitating answer to what he believed to be a call to duty. Almost the sole survivor from H.M.S. Rutland, sunk by the enemy cruiser Zcithen, Albert is a prisoner on the latter when she puts into Resolution Island for repairs. Albert contrives to escape with a lifebelt, rifle and ammunition, and, swimming ashore, sr.ipes the repair gangs as they go overside to replace the cruiser's damaged plates. Desperately the cruiser lands a search party, which fails in its objective. Bombardment is next resorted to —and the gun-fire brings a British warship to the scene. Vainly the enemy tries to escape; Albert Brown had delayed the ship too long for that. His work was done. He had given his life in its performance, and when his belongings were brought to the British commander the latter discovered that the lad was his own son. The successive sinkings of the Rutland and the Zeithen, with their relentless gunnery and torpedo work, are vivid in the extreme. John Mills, in the role of Albert Brown, presents the young seaman as an unaffected, well-balanced fellow, full of the joy of life, utterly free from " side." unconscious of his own bravery. His friend " Ginger " (Jimmy Hanley) provides comedy touches in several scenps which add to the naturalness of- the 4-oles of both, and, at the same time, distinguish young Hnnley as a most capable artist who can throw even a small part into sharp relief. Mit~ Betty Balfour gives a carefully graded study of character development from girlhood to maturity.