“THE GOOD COMPANIONS”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 285, 2 December 1933, Page 11

“THE GOOD COMPANIONS”

HEARTY COMRADESHIP. PRIESTLEY’S NOVEL FILMED. Familiarity is said to breed contempt, but like all trite sayings, that docs not always hold true. Familiarity with the free and easy companionship of travellers will most certainly breed no contempt for th e characters of J. B. Priestley’s novel, “The Good Companions.” the film version of which will commence its Wanganui season at the Plaza Theatre shortly. Only those who have travelled the road, cither on holiday or business, who have met and formed lasting friendships with other travellers, who have shared the joys and sorrows or fellow-travel-lers, who, but for a short while together, have been absolute strangers—none but these can fully appreciate the depth of sincerity that lies in Priestley’s characterisations. None but they can realise the truth and knowledge of human psychology that the author has poured into his story, but everyone with a normal share of human understanding will lov e every character for the sympathetic companionship that is the dominant factor in his, or her, being. “The Good Companions,” from whom the book and film get their name, are 10 varied people; six pierrots of a stranded concert party troupe, a Yorkshire carpenter, a young Cambridge graduate, an American banjo player, and a charming spinster of 30. To this variegated assortment of people comes the true happiness that rises from helping one another, from sinking all thought of self into the greater thought of unity, and from thc good companionship from whence came their name—that is inherent in all people and brought to light, by the necessity of joining forces. Their story will be a tale of pleasure to all who see it in its screen form; already unnumbered thousands have road tne novel, for it is even now in its thirteenth edition, and well past the 300,000 copies mark. To all who see the film it will bring a sense of longing—a longing to join in the hearty good comradeship that this strangely comprised and founded party finds its greatest strength and its dearest possession. George Arliss. George Arliss’ pictures will in future be distributed by United Artists and produced by Twentieth Century Pictures, Ltd. The first picture scheduled under this new arrangement is “The Great Rothschild,” a sweeping epic of the five brothers Rothschild who cornered the money market of the world and built an empire of gold that flourishes to the present day. It will be followed by “Red Tape,” a modern comedy drama. Wide Appeal. The chief characteristic of Fox production policy for 1934 is the determination on the part of studio executives to produce a greater number of pictures with international appeal. As evidence of this I may mention that Mr. C. B. Cochran, the famous London theatre magnate and producer, has been engaged to sift the whole European and British field for successful players and players of an international character. Mr. Cochran is recognised as having an uncanny knack of picking “successes.”