REGENT

Evening Star, Issue 22456, 29 September 1936, Page 11

REGENT

An exciting story of the French Revolution recapturing all the colourful spirit of adventure which characterised Rafael Sabatini’s well-known novel from which it .was adapted, is presented in the British Empire Films production, ‘ The Marriage of Corbal, which is the main feature at the Regent. The story concerns de Varennes, the revolutionary, who helps the aristocratic Cleonie to escape from the shadow of the guillotine by providing her with male clothes and passing her off as his nephew. When the girl finds that he expects an impossible payment she runs away and takes refuge with Corbal, to whose country the tribunal’s agent has penetrated with his men. vengefully do Varennes does his best to get the marquis sentenced to death as a traitor, but the faith of the villagers defeats him. Thereafter he tries other means to destroy Corbal and regain possession of the lady. Nils Asther gives an excellent characterisation of the young revolutionary leader, Varennes, while Hazel Terry, as the Countess Cleonie, and Hugh Sinclair, as the Marquis of Corbal, contribute outstanding portrayals. Noah Beery heads the supporting cast. ‘ THINGS TO COME.’ The prophetic genius of H. G. Wells has succeeded in defying human imagination in the inspiring film ‘ Things to Come, a London Films production depicting the progress of civilisation during the next 100 years, which is to bo shown at_ the Regent on Friday. The picture is _ a pessimistic one, at times almost frightening in its daring conception of the future, but it is so closely related to everyday life that there are few who will fail to be impressed by it. Wireless and television become necessities in the towering cities of plate glass and chromium plating with which the author has supplanted the more prosaic wood and concrete structures of to-day. Even the despatcli of rockets carrying a precious cargo of human freight to the moon does not seem to be beyond the bounds of possi-

bility, Every scene has been realistically portrayed, and the film is a tribute both to the producer, Alexander Korda, and to the author, H. G. Wells. Sir Cedric Hardwicke and Raymond Massey head a large cast.