“METROPOLIS,” NEW U.F.A. PRODUCTION, COMING TO GRAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18544, 18 August 1928, Page 10

“METROPOLIS,” NEW U.F.A. PRODUCTION, COMING TO GRAND.

The management of the Grand Theatre has much pleasure in. announcing a season of “ Metropolis,” that U.P.A. production that has set the world of letters and art and the theatre by the ears; has confused the exploring mind of Mr 11. G. Wells, and has given modem Socialists “ furiously to think.”

“ Metropolis ” is unique among pictures; dealing with a theme rarely mentioned outside the realm of scientists’ dreams and inventors’ laboratories ; a theme that deals in large things in a large way.; that has no patience with the petty things of life.

and rides roughshod over thfe prejudices of present-day capital and labour. And in the midst of its conjectures and mighty schemes, in the midst of all its immensity of “ sets," and its strange, intriguing story, it has time to spend an idyllic moment on SL man and a maid, and to prove that even among so much materialism and fordid grasp of power and wealth—loVfe still conquers all things. “ Metropolis ” has a rothantic story to tell. Not romantic in the way of foolish loves and tea parties and ballroom intrigues. But romantic in the same way that the invention 6f poison gas was romantic, the invention, of huge guns and little submarines—all great and ugly * and terrifying things are romantic—and “ Metropolis ” is a vision of future power and unlimited wealth. It is the stoty of a city that lives by machinery, is controlled by immense engines in the bowels of the earth, owned by one master-mind, worked by mechanism, a mechanical, technical, soulless city, whose people are materialistic, selfish, beautiful, ,opulent; the other half, the labour half, known by numbers, living in a subterranean city, existing a sweated, slavish existence—this is the counterpart of V Metropolis,” a daughter of whom dares to tStll in love with the son of their owner. Everything about this city is eitherunbelievably lovely or incredibly revolting. It is not 56 ‘futuristic as to be merely uninteresting and just spectacular—the most artistic' can be thrilled by the sight of its perfect life, its easy, simple, wholly mechanical movements—and the brilliant thought behind it all that can visualise at this date what may be a few generations hence. - It subtly puts a few terse questions to the thinker. Will there be any necessity for a God in the world of these metropolises ? When one., has th,e workers in their proper sphere. Just workers at the bidding of their masters, and when one has for oneself gold and everything that gold can so easily buy —will there be a need for religion? Or will labour rise and throw off the yoke and put a nameles fear into the heart of capital? Or will it be the dawning of love that will awake the need 'of something spiritual ? “ Metropolis ” is not a - wild plunge into ‘the mist; not a crazy, speculation,- .not. a. scientist’s dream. _ It may be different .in plo.t and construction from any that has gone before it—but it still is wise enough to realise that all that matters in a weary .world, is that .incomprehensible, thing, the way of a man . with a rnajd. . And it manages to present an . enchanting love story- as well' as' a theme of such originality; power and intellectual brilliance .that it concludes by being the greatest production of the screen. The creation of robots and automatohs, sent by the owner of the city On a mission of submission, to the workers, anrl these robots assuming the form and voice of a loved daughter of the people, introduces tense drama into the picture; and there is a climax oi chaos and sabotage and red revolution, with a grand finale, just the same as an}’ other picture—romance and youth and beauty, the three eternal factors that will prevail for all time. The acting is at all times of a high standard. Neither the picture nor the players move with Teutonic stolidness; and the atmosphere of fantasy and imagination is preserved to the end. Brigitte Helm, a - young actress of nineteen, plays the part of Mary With grace and simplicity. The management of the Grand Theatre draw patrons’ attention to the-fact that -it- will-be advisable to book seats for *' Metropolis," the box plans for which are now filling rapidly at The Bristol Piano Company.