REGENT THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 45, 16 November 1940, Page 15

REGENT THEATRE

“We Are Not Alone," now screening at the Regent Theatre, is a fine dramatic film with an excellent cast. Paul Muni plays the leading part as Dr. Newcome, Jane Bryan plays the unsophisticated Leni, and Flora Robson plays Mrs. Newcome. They, and an English village, aud an extraordinary youngster, Raymond Severn (as Gerald), work in perfect unison to make an unusually moving film. The time is the eve of the last world war, when such a thing just did not seem possible, and such a sensible, sensitive man as the kindly Dr. Newcome poohpoohed the idea that any such disaster could happen. Rather unbusinesslike in the conduct of his affairs, Dr. Newcome is liked and respected through the length and breadth of his extensive practice. Everyone is fond of him, and a good many of the villagers owe him a debt of gratitude that they would be happy to pay.

There is a second-rate stage show in the village at the time, and the doctor is called to. attend to a young dancer (Jane Bryan), who has broken her wrist. Finding her stranded, he treats her free, and by doing so gives her enough courage to go on 1 with her job. But Leni comes from Austria; she has uo friends and relatives in England—and the show must go on. Newcome finds her again at Sandmouth, where, driven to extremities by pain, she has attempted to commit suicide.

The two become fast friends, and it is not long before Mrs. Newcome becomes a little suspicious of her busband’s frequent visit to Sandmouth, especially when her over-imaginative young son, Gerald, grows fond of this pleasant woman, so different from his mother, so kind to a lonely little boy. For her own reasons, Mrs.* Newcome brings Leni into her home as a servant, bringing, too, though she does not know it, the active force in the tragedy that broods over the house.

When war breaks out, Leni is an enemy alien, and a kindness done to her is the key to misunderstanding which piles tragedy on tragedy.

The mood of “We Are Not Alone" is set in the first few feet, not obviously, but subtly, and as subtly built up to the climax. It is an excellent film, well acted, well directed, with so much of topical eommonsense, to say that it is almost impossible to put it in any category—except that it is a Warner Bros.’ production.