As Unlike New Zealand Scenery As...

Chronicle (Levin), 1 July 1948, Page 2

As Unlike New Zealand Scenery As...

Strong criticism of the- film "Green . Dolphin . Street" was expressed by a .prominent Maori -m Otaki today,' He conten'ded thax the background of the picture was as^ unlike , New Zealand scenery as (the orange rgroves of Califof-nia.-The supposedly authentic scenery land native bush was mainly a varied collection of willows, ahd i had no resemblance to the ferncovered forests of this coiintry. , The Maoris in the picture were more like Re'd Indians, he continued, and to add insult to injury they did not even dress correctiy. The • native cloak, which. is worm ,over one shoulder and under the j other to facilitate free movement of the arm during warfare, was I worn in the picture in such a way that it would have been put to bet!ter use as a straight-jacket. The i taiaha, the traditional Maori Iweapon, was not held correctiy and |had only a vague resemblance xo the real thing. Never during tfie year in whiGh the picture was set — ! 1840 — would one have seen meex!ing houses with modern doors at jthe ends. In those days the doors were at the side facing the sun. Obviously, little of the legendary attention to detail by the Hollywood "experts" has been used in this picture. ! However, the "Chronicle's" in|formant did say that the story jbehind the picture was excellent. : Apart from ,these discrepancies, it iwas a film everyone should see..