THE PALACE THEATRE.

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 242, 14 October 1942, Page 6

THE PALACE THEATRE.

"THE 49th PARALLEL.'' It ls a strange grim story that is told in "The 49th Parallei," which was screened at the Palace Theatre last liight. It is, of course, a propaganda film, but the theme is treated from an angle that is new to picture form. There is no love interest in the story, if a budding interest is excepted, which, however, had a very short shrift. The theme cf the plot treats of the disciplme and reverenee for a superior offlcer that is embued into ihe ordinary Nazi to saturation point. Submarine U37 has been operating to some purpose along the sea lanes from Canada, and is being hunted in turn. She puts for refuge into Hudsons Bav and a detachment of six men and a lieutenant is told to go ashorc and hold uu a trading t'OSt near by and otototo, food and fuel. With the detachment ashore the U-boat is discovercd and bombed to destruction by Canadian planes. The survivors ashore hold up the post and then the whole picture is devoted to their amazing attempt to make their way through Canada to the United States, then neutral, and so back to the Fatherland. This way is strewn by murder and theft, and one by one thei seven Nazis are killed off or otherwise accounted for until the lieutenant alone is left. He very nearly suceeds in making the grade toi America and hidden in a freight car actually crosses the 4Qth parallei, the frontier between Canada and Ihe U.S.A. The quick wit of a Canadian soldier who has overstopped his leave and who also has been riding in the freight car, causes it to be sent back over the border and the inevitable happens to the last one of the mui'derous seven.

There is a. great cast engaged in the film, headed by Lcslie Howard Raymond Massey, Lauience Olivier, Anton Walbrook and Eric Pori man. The latter gives an outstanding performance as the U-boat lieutenant. and the seventeen-year-old Glynis Johns plavs the small feminine lead. The picture certainly is one which should be seen. The supports also are of good standard. The picture wiH l->e shown aigain to-night.