FILM LIBEL

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 968, 10 May 1930, Page 28

FILM LIBEL

Russian Anti-British Propaganda “STORM OVER ASIA” Moscow's most notorious antiBritish propaganda film, “Storm Over Asia,” has been shown in London by the Film Society, which is permitted by the London County Council to give private exhibitions of these Soviet films, and has shown “The End of St. Petersburg,” “Potemkin,” ‘Mother” and “Bed and Sofa.” The film -was directed by V. I. Pudovkin, the most violent Moscow screen propagandist, whom the Home Office recently permitted to enter Britain to meet the members o£ the Film Society. "Storm Over Asia,” according to the “Daily Express," is a gross libel on the British Army, especially British officers, and the British military traS dition. The army, as shown in this | picture, was called a “White” army, | but they are unmistakably wearing j British military uniforms. • The film has been shown exten- . sively on the Continent, and has pro- | voked disturbances in several places, i ; The story in “Storm Over Asia,” | continues the critic, is concerned with revolution in China. The pseudoBritish Army is shown capturing and crippling a young Chinese soldier, whom they make “King of Mongolia,” with a view to forcing from him a 1 treaty that will “imperialise” China, ! but the puppet kipg organises a reI volt that sweeps the Imperialists out | of China—a consummation which is j declared to be “the will of the people.” ; The production is a remarkable ex- | ample of the characteristic Pudovj kin technique, in which pictorial ' shots are fired at the spectator almost | with the rapidity of a machine-gun. j Its avowed object is to stir up mass j discontent, and the atrocities of the j “British” Army, and the savage cari- ’ catures of military types, are merely | means to an end.