Film Of The Week

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 34, 17 December 1948, Page 3

Film Of The Week

“The White Unicorn” Margaret Lockwood, Britain’s No. 1 feminine star, will be seen in New Zealand shortly, in her latest film “The White Unicorn,” in which she co-stars with lan Hunter and Dennis Price. “The White Unicorn,” which was adapted for the screen from the novel “The Milk-White Unicorn” by Flora Sandstrom, is a picture which will appeal widely to all members of the feminine sex. It is the story of the lives of two women —with a world of difference between them, brought together by the chances of fate. At the Midland’s Mission Home for delinquent girls, a new girl is admitted. She has been remanded on a charge of attempting to murder her baby, and to commit suicide. The Warden of the Home, Lucy Glover, calls the girl to her, and presuades her to tell her story. Lottie says that this is the first time in her life she has been shown any real kindness, and, with the .barrier between her and Lucy broken, she confides in the warden" Her story is one of poverty—she was the eldest of a large family who lived in a slum home near the docks. To get away from her unhappy home life, she takes a job in a store, where she meets Paul. Lottie falls in love with him. and they spend most of their time together. However,' when she finds that she is to have a baby, he refuses to marry her, instead, offering her some money to see her through. Lottie refuses, and after the baby is born, she tries to work in order to keep the child with her. Finding this impossible, she decided that it would be best for them both to be out of the struggle, and she attempts to gas both herself and the child. As she listens to Lottie’s story, Lucy recalls her ' own life, and compares it with that of the girl before her. She remembers her marriage to a barrister, Phillip Templar, and how happy she was on that eventful day. However, she soon discovers that, although she herself is very affectionate, Phillip is very matter-of-fact, and though he loves her, is absolutely incapable of any deep feeling, or show of affection. When her own daughter is born, Phillip refuses to let her care for it herself, saying that the nurse he has engaged is more capable than she, and that the nurse will look after the baby permanently. To make up for this, Lucy leads a life of gaiety, in an attempt to forget that he considers her practically useless. At a fancy dress ball, at which she is dressed as the ghost of Char- ( lotte Fontanelle, who is supposed

to haunt her home, she meets Richard Glover, who resembles the Earl of Hartland, Charlotte’s lover. They fall in love. Following a quarrel with her husband over their daughter, Lucy decided to divorce Phillip, and give up the custody of little Norey. She married Richard, who takes her to England, where for a time, they are gloriously happy. However, their happiness is shortlived, due to an accident; from here the story pf Lucy’s life goes on to show, how 1 it is blended with that of the less fortunate Lottie, whom Lucy determines to help, and how she comes to meet her- first husband again—providing a very unusual and interesting theme for the story.