WAR CORRESPONDENT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 662, 14 October 1933, Page 2

WAR CORRESPONDENT

JACK HOLT AND RALPH GRAVES AGALN CO-STAR RE APPEAR AN CE OF LILA LEE. "War Correspondent," the new Columbia release, which opens'at the Grand Theatre on Thursday, has a new slant which proved refreshing 'to this reviewer, namely- — that of glorifying the heretofore unglorified newspaper correspondent who goes . forth to risk his life in an unofficial branch of the military service in or■der that the public. may read up-to-the-minute news from the battle • front. Other features that make this pic-

. ' "v«* ture particularly worthwhilp are the 'bringing together once more of those ^two highly popular he-men stars, 'Jack Holt and Ralph Gi'aves, and the reappearance of Lila Lee. The characterisation that Holt plays is Jim Kenyon, a cynical, hardboiled America'n soldier of fortune, •who is fighting in the aviation branch of the Chinese Nationalist forces merely for the money he can get out /of it. He is called "General Ching." His prowess in disposing of the planes ■ of General Fang, the rebel, bandit chief opposing General Wu Sun, the Nationalist leader, has endeared him \ to the Nationalists, and he is called i the "Lafayette of China." Julie March, an American girl, played by !Miss Lee, is his woman when the pie-

' ture opens. Graves plays the role of Franklyn Bennett, war correspondent, whose obvious weakness is to make himself appear more glamorous and brave than he actually is. He broadcasts war news for home consumpti'on — he does it in such a way that his own impqrtance can hardly be over-ratecf by his listeners. At the end of one of ' Bennett's broadcasts he promises a radio interview with General Ching, whom he professes to know well. Thereon hangs much of a capably ■ worked out plot ! We are carried through a series of highly exciting events amid novel and interesting Chinese locales. The picture shows the intrigue and coniSpiraey that operate where there is >civil war in addition to outside aggression. A theme of thrilling romance Iruns as an undercurrent • through the spectacle of warfare. Here is really thrilling film drama superbly acted and handsomely produced. Holt and Graves are at their wise-cracking, adventuresome best.