GERMAN WAR FILM

Otago Witness, Issue 3860, 6 March 1928, Page 29

GERMAN WAR FILM

TO BE SCREENED IN LONDON. LONDON, March 1. With the “ Dawn ” controversy at its height, interest is stimulated in the German official war film, ” The World War Through German Spectacles,’’ which is due to be screened in London on Monday. It has been edited for British purposes, but only a few details have been eliminated. A private .exhibition reveals nothing offensive to Britain or her Allies, and it contains nothing bombastic. It has been compiled from official German bulletins and documents, describing actual incidents in the lines during 1914 and its most noteworthy feature is that no excuse is offered for the invasion of Belgium. One of the captions reading “ The Necessity of war knows no law.” There is a frank admission that the great attack lauched against Calais was unsuccessful, because of superior Allied forces, and the failure is realistically depicted. There are thrilling scenes of actual smoke and 'plane bombardments, and gas is shown being actually sprayed from the German lines. Another section reveals U-boats fighting heroically to feed the people, despite the overwhelming blockade. Tens of thousands laughing German boys are shown marching to the fronts, then melting away in fearful frontal attacks a chara’cteristic of German tactics in the war.

It would almost- appear that the chief purpose of the film is to illustrate the maneating aspect of the war machine. Critics agree that every ** Tommy ” who sees the film will be startled’ to find how much he had in common with ” Jerry,” in the opposite trenches. In this respect the picture will perform good staff work for peace. Marshal Hindenburg is the only hero, and is frequently seen in the field in a grey uniform.