AMUSEMENTS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume III, Issue 197, 9 November 1934, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS

PLAZA THEATRE SONG OF THE PLOUGH The quiet beauty of .the English countryside, and what remains of the old tradition of village life have rarely been better shown than in The Song of the Plough, wliich was shown a t the Plaza Theatre last night. The story is really unimportant in the film, which is chiefly interesting as an admirable English example of the documentary film in which the Rus~ sians have held the lead. The sweep of downs, the moving sky, the lowlands patterned with hedges, the sheep, cattle and horses, these are the actors in the film as much as the men and women of the village. This use of scenery is new, but It has not often been done so well in Eng lish films, and to those who have found many scenics merely boring, The Song of the Plough will be a revelation. The unity of effect achieved is the outcome of unusually skilful photography and very careful selection.. The film does Carry an element of propaganda—but it is Propaganda for the things that not only Englishmen, but the people of the whole Empire, like to think of as most characteristic of England. On this score an occasional over-weigh-ing of sentiment may be excused. To New Zealand it is interesting because i, t shows the English farmers in the sam'e plight as the fanlers of .the Dominion—faced with the need to meet certain fixed charges, chiefly the church tithes, while market prices for produce are constantly fallingBut to ° mucn is not Iliade of tnis fact, and most of the film is concerned with giving an impression of the pleasant side of English rural life. The story grafted on to this purpose is so slight and so much dependent on stock situations, that it seems 1 to have been introduced.merely because all good films must have a story. But it does give an excuse for the presentation .of many entertaining and natural characters. John. Freeland 1 (Site\v(ar.t Ron>c), the central character, is one of the best types of open air Englishmen, quiet and unas suming. His struggle to pay the expenses of the farm, and notably three years' overdue .tithe rent brings him into conflict with the objectionable Joe Saxby (Allan Jeayes) and there after the story is ..mainly ~about the sheep dog trials at the annual show, which are won by his. dog,.rn spite of attempts at interference by Saxby. The. skill of good sheep dogs is admirably shown in the dog trials, lo all who have seen such trials these scenes are exceptionally interesting. Of the other characters the young squire (Jack Livesey); is a particularly good type, and his city friend (Kenneth Kore) provides a great deal of amusement by his ignorance of country ways. A scene at an inn provides an opportunity to present a multitude of true country people, and for the singing of a number of traditional songs. Here and in many of the scenes showing Freehand s rcia tion to the men employed on his farm, there is a great deal of quiet humour. A supporting programme of great variety contains several British featurettes. The picture will be screened finally tonight. ________