“4 DEVILS”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 720, 20 July 1929, Page 14

“4 DEVILS”

EXCELLENT MURNAU FILM VARIETY AT THE STRAND Like the "best seller" novelist. the average film director is rarely consist—ently successful. He achieves a repu—tation with 2L production that is really great: then cheapens it with an at—tempted repetition‘ that falls Short.

But there have been notable excepions in fllrnland. D. TV. Griflith. the zit—sighted and artistically bold Amie—loan was one. Dl‘. F. \V. .Murnau, k the noted German director under the Fox banner, is another. Murnau is among the most brilliant directors of silent films left at work today. \Vhen Nurnau announced that he would follow “Sunrise" with another Janet Gaynor speciul it was suggested r. W. wlurnau that such radical methods might not succeed twice. The answer to that criticism is to he found at the Strand. when “l“ou‘: Devils" opened yesterday and will be screened for an extended season.

In support of the principal feature—— a. sound synchronised release, adnxirv ably equipped with a special musical scan—is u full talking programme with Variety as its keynote. Alphonso. King of Spain. talks clearly and chattily. giving his audience a delightful sense of privingC. Clark and McCullough entertain hilariously in "The Bath Between," and Fox )[ux'ietone news ll'ilanUl'LS both eyes and cars here. thon- und everywhere. It may he announced freely that “Four Devils" is not a lull: picture. becaus‘o the drawback is a minor one in it film such as this. Blurnau. :11:-

artist who plays with atmosphere and suggestion in masterly fashion. needs no dialogue to tell his story; in fact. dialogue might rend the fabric he weaves. His powers of sheer pictorial exprcssion were proved in "Sunrise." and in "Four Devils" [hwy are again emphasised. A direclur who believes in essentials, who moves his players JS 3. muster—player moves his chessmen. who gains the fullest assistance from

his ('émcrus, andi erx'hroflyfi‘oduccs con—trasts of wonderful Pfimttivcnc‘ss—that Is the maker of "_le‘our Doyilsr,” colour-

equal oven to "Variety." As before. Janet Gaynor. who holds an official prize as the foremost. Amorican screnn actress of 1928. is Alurnau‘s leading player. \l'ith her are three lessor-known but exceptionally good principals—Charles Alorton, Barry Norton and Nancy Drexel. They are the “Four Devils"—trapeze nerformers whose daring has won them renown under the big top of a mammoth Circus. Farrell Macdona Id, character actor of exceptional merit, plays the old cluwnnvhose love for the young artists gives them Lhoir start in lifF‘.

The story of, “Four ngils" tolls ol their juvenile slavery under a bullying circus man, their rescue by th‘. clown and their rise to fame.' Then the leader is caught in the toils of ar ultra-modern siren, and the troupe is threatened with extinction. In a gripping climax tragedy stq): forward to take a hand . . . The acting in “Four Devils" is nothing short of superb, while anothm striking feature is the uncanny likrnesses secured by Murnuu in casting the children for the prologue. lindoubtedl)’ the most vivul scenes m" those in the great Parisian circus, hm there are minor momonts of grea: charm. If there be any fault in the produvtion it. is on the score of length. bul the beautiful and lining musical score pluys‘d by Illf‘ Hoxy Orchestra anti synchronisml with tho picture. help.to rPliE'Ve portions in which iho aciiul' is inclined Io drag. A word (If praisr must ho zive‘n h) 11‘”? niountin: m “Four Devils." ‘Vhif‘h is both novci and 'luxuriuusly finished.