“JOURNEY’S END”

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1044, 7 August 1930, Page 15

“JOURNEY’S END”

FAMOUS FILM AT REGENT j They -will be reminders to those who were there and illuminating bits of information to those who were not, those dufrout and trench scenes in Tiffany’s all-talking version of R. C Sherriff’s great stage play, "Journey's End," which is rtow at the Regent Theatre' "Journey’s End” has been acclaimed by reviewers the, world over as the last word in reality and humanness. It 3 simplicity and directness and unprecedented power resulting from these two qualities have made it the greatesl stage play of tho century. In producing’ the all-dialogue screen version. Tiffany adhered religiously to the orig- • inai stage script and the result is, acI cording to those who have seen the picture, that viewing “Journey’s End’ | on the screen is equivalent to spending two hours in the front line trenches. 1 ■ In order to obtain the effects neces- , sary to bring about these results of realism, Director James Whale and > Supervisor George Pearson went to un- ■ usual lengths. Since all the action of • the picture would be in the mud of cne 1 trench and the dirt and dim light of tho dugout, it was absolutely essential that all the players thoroughly familiarise themselves with these surroundings. Consequently, all rehearsals of various scenes, all staff conferences and all production business that would ordinarily take place in well appointed studio offices actually took place in the ’ trenches and the dugout. t David Manners has the role of young ' Raleigh. He is a young man who > stands six feet tall and has fair ha.r , ’ and grey-green eyes. He brings eager youth into the trenches in "Journey's 1 End." He is just out from training 5 camp, full of patriotism, eagerness to ’ please, and tremendous happiness to be in the same company with Stan- ’ hope, his hero at school, his sister's , sweetheart and now a captain and , splendid fighter. The cast of "Journey’s End’’ 's headed by Colin Clive, who originated , the role of Captain Stanhope in the 1 original London company, and who was t loaned to Tiffany through the courtesv , of the London producer Maurice • Browne. The other players are lan . Maclaren. Billy Bevan, Anthony Bush i ell, Robert A'Daii-, Charles Gerrard. Thomas Whiteley Jack Pitcairn and Warner Klinger. The picture was re ! corded' by R.C.A. Photophone. Georgo Abbott, former playwright > and now a Paramount director, writes ’ tho screen adaptations for all pictures which ho directs. He recently performed that service on "Manslaughter,” . a Paramount all-ta Iking picture, in which Claudette Colbert is featured.