“BLACKMAIL”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 852, 21 December 1929, Page 20

“BLACKMAIL”

GREAT ENGLISH PRODUCTION THRILLING CRIME STORY To any suggestion that the Brit# ‘ film industry is at all decadent, • t mail,” shown at the Strand luV ing. is a complete answer, a of the British International Etudios at Elstree, “Blackmail” is one of the best, produced talkie films yet seen ail heard in Auckland. It is a gripping: crime story of th« Edgar "Wallace variety and succeeds in holding the audience with every i-.? of film. But it is in the direction ani sound recording that the picture is * eminently successful. The words are excellently spoken in pure English the slightest whisper carries out to ti e audience with outstanding clarity. stage settings are of a very hip? standard, and the English thoroughness in regard to detail is everywhere apparent.

Scotland Yard —that Scotland Ya-d which owes its discovery principally to Mr. Edgar Wallace —is the centre of tie story. The picture opens in the li. i terior of a decrepit mctor-van. constant wireless communication with Scotland Yard it and its crew form oL of the Yard’s famous flying squads, aid its mode of operation is revealed in a very interesting little introduction to the story proper.

It deals with the murder of a youir artist. He was found lying in studio with a knife in his heart. Three people knew who did the deed, a detective from Scotland Yard, thd detectives girl and the Blackmailer, it was after a lover’s quarrel that* the girl, innocently enough, accompanied the artist to his studio. The scene is discreetly handled. There is a sudden realisation of the man’s intentions and an effort to get away. Next there is the clutching hand of a dead mm and in the girl’s hand a dripping knl.'o, A dropped glove tells the story to the young detective, but to save his girl be conceals the evidence Then, in the room back of her father’s shop comes the big scene between the detective, the girl and the dissolite blackmailer, who holds the other glove. It is here that the director, Mr. Arthur Hitchcock, has risen to such gnat heights. The dialogue, clear, sharp and concise fades away at times to muffled whispers to the Yard from behind the glass door of a telephone box, but even the slightest whisper Is plainly heard. It is a tensely dramatic scene magnificently carried out.

The girl is played by Anny Ond.*a, and for the first time we have a girl’s voice entirely free of lisp. Miss Oncra is a very attract!ve little person and she gains your sympathy ihe start. John i-ongdon is the detective, and he plays it with conviction. Principal interest in tho cast, however, lies in the fact that the part of the dissolute young artist is taken by Cjrit Ritchard, the young musical comfdy artist, who is well known to New Zealand artists. Mr. Ritcha'd, who is now one of the stars in the English comedy, shows that there is also a big fleid open for him in the picture world. Ills work throughout was of a particularly high standard and, although the \II- - of the piece, one could hardly h ?lp but regret his early but necessary demise;.

A very fine character actor in Ihe person of Donald Calthrop played ihe Blackmailer and played it very well. It was a brilliant study. Then there was the little old landlady who kept the flat where the artist was murdered, and the garrulous lady next door with a good line of small talk, on the subject of murders past and present. Both were outstanding studies. The supporting programme contains an interesting gazette, a picture dealing with the pearl industry, and two enjoyable song and dance turns from English studios.

“Blackmail” will be a much-c iscussecl picture during the next few weeks, and a long season Is predicted for it.