Two of England's Greatest Films

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 19, 16 November 1934, Page 17

Two of England's Greatest Films

"Blossom Time" and "Chu Chin ‘Chow"’-Story of Old Vienna Brings Richard Tauber to the Sereen as Franz Schubert-George Robey as Ali Baba in Oscar Asche’s Triumph

I ‘SAW in one evening last week two of the most. spectacular films fo come out of England-"Blossom Time," produced by British International Pictures, and "Chu Chin Chow," produc ed by Gaumont-British. ‘The ‘first is made memorable by the singing of Richard Tauber, the second by the face of George Robey. The first spurkles like some fine Hungarian wine, the second flames with .barbaric splendour. But Vienna .and Bagdad | make strange bed-fellows, and it would perhaps be. wiser to look at one film at a.time. "Blossom Time" is as frag rant as the fields of hay through which the schoolmaster-composer, Franz Schubert, marches. with his troup of schoolboys. It has no sordidness, but rather tells-a tale of unrequited love that finds ‘solace-perhaps a greater solace-in the’ composing of music. And it. has a huniour that is never blatant, but lingers on the tongue like some rare spice.. But, above all, it has the glorious music of Schubert-and sung by one of to-day’s greatest singers, Richard Tauber. Since he appeared in "The End of the Rainbow," Tauver has advanced,a whole lifetime in acting ability. In his first picture he sang just as beautifully as he does to-day; in ‘Blossom Time" he not only sings splendidly but he plays his part in the. manner born. The whole of the film. is in English, and the singer has mastered our native tongue in a truly remarkable manner, | To discuss "Blossom Time" is mainly to discuss Tauber. When his beautiful voice steals out from the greys and whites of the screen, whether the scene be his humble room in a Viennese lodging house or the stage of the big theatre ‘where he wins fame, one forgets the mechanics of the whole busi-ness-the little film on which Tauber’s voice is but an irregular line-the fact that, on.this very night, the same voice is being heard in a hurdred theatres all over the world; he is there singing, singing Schubert’s glorious "Thine is My Heart,’’ and nothing else matters very much, ' "Phe story, in its essentials, is similar to that of "Lilac Time," the delightful play that New Zealanders saw a few years ago. Franz Schubert is a poor schoolmaster, composing music in his spare time. On the floor below him lives Vicki -Wimpassinger,. daughter of a dancing master, and the. star and inspiration of Schubert’s life. But to Wimpassinger’s house one night comes Rudi, Count von Hohenberg, for a dancing lesson. The young count has recently been appointed to the regiment of dragoons of which the Archduchess Maria Victoria is patroness, and he dis‘covers that it is -essential to be able _to dance the new Viennese waltz with the duchess. And so to the dancing master’s house in great haste goes Jtudi, only to leave, after he has seg eyes on Vicki, with some reluctance,

There blossoms a romance between ‘the young count and the dancing master’s daughter, a romance which saddens the heart of Schubert. He goes on with his music, however, and from his love for Vicki springs that lovely meilo(iy, "Thine is My Heart. " He sings it at a big eoencert, together with ‘Red Roses." "Hark! Hark! The Lark," "Faith in Spring’ and Schubert’s "Ballad," and the crowd acclaims him with ardent feryour. And the picturegoer, watching "Blossom Time" will acclaim him too, for this concert gives the audience a taste of the real Taubera show inside a show, as it were. The picture draws on to its climax-

the magnificent wedding scene when Rudi and Vicki go up to the altar’and poor Franz Schubert stands among the choirboys singing though his heart would ibreak. . This scene, and: the one at the Archduchess’s ball, are truly wonderful and possibly the most spectacular the talkies have ever known. The lesser parts in the film are admirably played-Jane Baxter is Vicki, a delightful girl with an equally delightful voice; Carl Esmond is Rudi, the young officer who wins the girl; the archduchess is Athene Seyler, one of the most accomplished of English actresses; and Wimpassinger is played by (Continued on page 21.)

Talking of Talkies

(Continued from page 17.) Paul Graetz, who gives a clever and convineing study. A few steps down a Wellington street took me from Vienna to Bagdad, and brought familiar songs of "Chu Chin Chow" back to an audience that remembered Oscar Asche’s spectacular production at His Majesty’s, London, in the hectic war years. The film version has captured all the glamouy, ali the barbaric splendour of the stage play. but it has brought something else to it, too. It has given the play a subtiety that was never present in the legiti mate production, My memories of "Chu Chin Chow" are of a stage filled with a vast number of dancing girls, fat merchants, negro slaves, camels, coloured draperies and brass. It was spectacle ajl the time, But not so the talkie. The dramatic moments stand out, clear and simple, from the lavish tomfoolery of Kasim’s palace. When Ali Baba, discovering the magic words which opens the doorg of the robbers’ cave. runs in and, kneeling on the ground. pours the gold coins over his head in A paroxysm of joy, the picture appronches true greatness. Ali Baba is played by George Robey. the man who ¢an express more with his eyebrows than some men can in a who.e book. Anna May Wong ‘is the slave girl who first befriends Abu Hasan and later betrays him. Abu Hasan is Pritz _Kortner--and may we neyer see a better one, Nur-Al-Din is John Garrick (in New Zealand as Reginald Dandy in "Rose Marie"), while Jetsam, of broadcasting fame, plays the part of Abdullah, All the "Chu Chin Chow" music is in the film-~-nnd all of it is extremely well sung.: The settings leave one a little: for nothing quite so lavish has ever before ‘been attempted by an English producer. The last scene, where Abu Hasan and a huge brass gong go bowling down the marble staircase together, is 2 masterpiece, "Blossom. Time" and Ohu Ohin Chow" are as different as chalk and cheese, but both are in the "must be seen" clasg