REGENT PREVIEW

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 53, 19 March 1946, Page 5

REGENT PREVIEW

‘THE LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP’

Tonight, the final screening ©f the Gaumont British Technicolouf'' production, ‘The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp’, takes place at the Regent Theatre. It is possible audiences have not heard enough of this picture to realise its great merit. Unlike American methods, British publicity is not thrust upon the public—in fact at times, it is too unobtrusive. An extract from a recent Digest bears this out. It says: “The best of the British films are becoming so good that Hollywood is commercially afraid of them. Yet in New Zealand, many British studio products are being handicapped by delayed distribution,

poor publicity and lack of continuity of exhibition. An outstanding British production ‘The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp’ was so treated. It was received with delight by English critics, and with that general approval which means long and successful runs. Finally, after a long delay, which of course had the effect of dulling its topicality, it reached the Screen in Wellington. The film was poorly advertised, and opened to moderate business only. But as word of mouth publicity did its work, audiences grew, till they were being turned away in the latter part of the season. It was withdrawn after only one week, but public demand* was so strong, that Blimp returned, and ran for a month to packed houses. ‘The Life • and Death of Colonel Blimp’ represents a triumph for British producers—a motion picture which deserves to take rank among the best achievements of the cinema.”