FUTURISTIC FILM AT GRAND THEATRE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18545, 20 August 1928, Page 7

FUTURISTIC FILM AT GRAND THEATRE.

TJje lianagement of the Grand Theatre has much pleasure in announcing a season of “Metropolis,” that t’.FA production that has set the world of letters and art and the theatre by the ears; has confused the exploring mind of Mr H. 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 the 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 a man and a maid, and to prove that even among so much materialism and sordid grasp of power and wealth—love still conquers all things. “ Metropolis ” has a romantic 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 of 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 story of a city that lives by machinery, is controlled by immense engines jn 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 “ Metropolis,” a daughter of whom dares to fall in love with the son of their owner.

Everything about this city is either unbelievably lovely or incredibly revolting. It is not so 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. Wiil there be an)* necessity for a God in the world of these metropolises?- When one has the 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 plot 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, tbs way of a man with a maid. And

it. manages to present an enchanting ln.ve 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 automatons, sent by the owner of the city on a mission of submission to the workers, and 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 of chaos and sabotage and red revolution. w*ith a grand finale, just the same- as any 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 fantasv 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.