OSCAR WILDE ON THE SCREEN.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19174, 3 December 1927, Page 7

OSCAR WILDE ON THE SCREEN.

+ "LADY WINDERMERE'S FAN." Oscar Wilde called his play, "which shocked, charmed, and thrilled Victorian audiences of tho early 'nineties, "a play about a good woman," Just as Hardy sub-titled his "Teas." Victorian audiences, howover, fell into heated and whispered controversy about the goodness of Mrs Erlynne, and her virtue; oven now, when some of Wilde's brilliant plays fail to intrigue and shock modern playgoers, it is still a subject of gossip. Lady Windermere's Fan," the film version, is to bo presented at Everybody's Theatre next week, directed by the one and only Lubitsch, and enacted by a particularly interesting cast, with Irene Rich as Mrs Erlynne, R6naid Colman as the cynical Lord Darlington, Bert Lyttel as Lord Windermere, nnd May McAvoy as his charming lady, the_ loss of whose fan is the basis, of the entire scinfiliating drama. It is quite wrong to believe that Oscar Wilde's plays are old-fashioned for present-day audiences; that he staked his success on the satire and biting wit of his epigrams. They have exactly the same "kick" as of yore, the same sharp humour, the same sophisticated love interest, and the same even and concise drama. Lady Windermere's Fan," for sardonic wit and delightful human interest, is a splendid example of that erratic genius's art, but we venture to suggest that as a picture it would certainly not havo been as intriguing and piquant had it not been .directed by Ernest Lubitsch. This and corpulent young German, whose "Passion. with Foia Negri, gave tho Du Barry a new aspect, placed him as tho foremost maker of films in tho world; even now, when Americans and Swedes are turning out accepted masterpieces, Lubitsch. with his broken-English and naive manners, is the king of them all. His "Lady Windermere's Fan," for sparkle, subtlety, and essentially Wildean situations and complexes, is his most, matured effort. True, it has not the fascinating frothiness of "Kiss Me Again," nor the volcanic impulses which gave "Passion" its apt title but it is in every scene, and in every title, the SDirit of Oscar Wilde, his insolence, his gay romanticism, his piercing appreciation of emotions and passions. It is a wonderful triumph for the little German, just as it.is a crushing retort to those who affirm that on the fcrlen and in 1927 Wilde is wild no longer. As the sportive, reckless, and engaging Mrs Erlynno, Irene Rich has, oi course, the break of her «««. All the fine stars of Hollywood wore after Mrs Erlynne, fust as all the worldly male artists were eeking diligently Lord Darlington, who could resist anythfng except temptation. Ronald Colman, English, poised, cynical,■"Afti * perfect Darlington, though the Lord Windermore of Bert Lyttel is not so successful. Mr Lyttel, although a very fine actor, s obviously an American, and while it is always difficult for an American-born to play an Englishman, it is doubly difficult for him to play a Wilde Englishman. May McAvoy, last seen m "Ben Hur," plays Lady Windermere and s all that could be wished for in that deghtful role. The bos plans *«»..»* tractive season are now open at The Bnsto Piano Company, where seats may be reserved. ■