“FOUR FEATHERS”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 December 1939, Page 5

“FOUR FEATHERS”

AN OUTSTANDING PICTURE. Alexander Korda’s unique genius for grand scale motion pictures with a British Empire background is again exemplified in his latest picture in technicolour "Four Feathers," which commences screening at the State Theatre today. The’tilm has been adapted from A. E. W. Mason's well known novel. “Four Feathers," like Korda’s earlier Empire productions, "Sanders of the River,” “Elephant Boy” and "The Drum,” has been largely filmed on location thousands of miles from London in the Sudan, and all the beauty and melodrama of this tropic hinterland have been caught by the camera lenses in striking natural colour. Zoltan Korda directed the production and lhe fine cast is headed by Ralph. Richardson, June Duprez, John Clements and C. Aubrey Smith. "Four Feathers" is the story of the young English officer who resigns his commission because he knows that he is a coward, that he could not stand war. He is branded a coward by his friends in his regiment, who send him white feathers, and is rebuffed bj' his fiancee. To retrieve his honour and reputation he sets out for Egypt, where Kitchener is embarking on the Sudan campaign. There he undertakes the horrible disguise of a branded Bengali,

poses as a dumb native and undertakes adventures of heroism and daredeviltry which help the army win the battle of Omdurman and which save his friends from death at the hands of the Mahdi's soldiers. Certainly no more spectacular and brilliant offering than “Four Feathers” has yet been presented by Mr Korda, for it dramatises a stirring story of heroism against authentic desert backgrounds superbly photographed in brilliant colour. The vast crowds of Arabs, Dervishes and Fuzzy-Wuzzies, not to mention the English regiments —numbering all told i nearly 4000 —were handled remarkably by director Zoltan Korda. The film is further notable for outstanding shots of the Nile cataracts over which are hauled Kitchener's gunboats just as they were 40 years ago. Outstanding performances are turned in by John Clements as the hero who redeems himself; by June Duprez, Mr Korda’s latest discovery; and Ralph Richardson who is still remembered for his fine characterisation as Denny in "The Citadel." The supporting cast headed by that fine old man of the films, C. Aubrey Smith, includes Donald Gray. Jack Allen and Clive Bax ter whose excellent portrayals add immeasurably to the acting strength of "Four Feathers." This new Korda offering. with its glorious natural settings, its fast-moving action scenes, its | thrilling romantic moments, its tight, suspense, must naturally head any list! of pictures which can be said to provide solid, sure-fire entertainment. A short subject will be “World Window in technicolour—Jerusalem,” the sacred sights in the ancient capital of | Palestine, the House of Caiphas, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Tomb of the Mother of Christ, the “place called Golgotha,” "Via Dolorosa,” the “Holy Sepulchre” wherein the body of Christ was laid after his death, and many other interesting scenes will be shown.—ls/12/39.