FILM LIBEL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 115, 17 May 1930, Page 3 (Supplement)

FILM LIBEL

RUSSIAN ANTI-BRITISH PROPAGANDA. “STORAI OVER A«IA.” Aloscow’s most notorious anti-Britisll uopaganda film, “Storm Over Asia,” ins been shown in London by the Film Society, which is permitted by the Lonloii County Council to give private exlib.tions of these Soviet films, and has shown “The End of St. Petersburg,” ‘Potemkin,” “Mother” and “Bed md Sofa.” The film was directed by V. I. Pudovtin, the most violent Aloscow screen propagandist, whom the Home Office re* jcntly permitted to enter Britain t« neet the members of the Film Society, “Storm Over A:>ia,” according to th< ‘Daily Express,” is a gross libel on he British Army, especially British iflicers, and the British military tradiion. The army, as shown in this pic* ure, was called a “White” army, but hey arc unmistakably wearing British, nilitary uniforms. Tho film has been ihown extensively on the Continent*

and has provoked disturbances in several places. The story in “Storm Over Asia,” continues the critic, is concerned with revolution in China. The pseudo-Bri-tish Army is shown capturing and crippling a young Chinese soldier, whom I they make “Ling of Mongolia,” with I a view to forcing from him a treaty ' that will “ in penalise” China, but the I puppet king organises a revolt that sweeps the liiperialists out of China—j a consummation which is declared to be “the will of the people.” The production is a remarkable example of the characteristic Pudovkin technique, in which pictorial shots artf fired at the spectator almost with the rapidity of a machine-gun. Its avowed object is to stir up mass discontent, and the atrocities of the “British” Army, and the savage caricatures of military: ■ tyP cs > arc merely means to an end.