Real Killing Brought To Screen

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 52, 5 July 1935, Page 24

Real Killing Brought To Screen

Newsreel Sub-title Says "Shut Your Eyes" if You Don’t Want to See Cuban Rebel Shot Down — "Oliver Twist" Least Pretentious But Most Enjoyable of Dickens Cycle- Gangsters Again.

N2WSREELS get gorier and gorier. (There’s probably no such wordbut you know what I mean.) Latest efforts shows a Cuban rebel being executed. Blood gushes from his body as he falls riddled with bullets; blood forms a pool round him as he lies dead before the firing squad. The close-ups are ghastly. But Universal, having . got into legal hot water over another newsreel, is being very careful with -this one. Before the film comes on the screen there is a sub-title, ‘which says: "Wiring squad ends life’ of a .Cuban rebel; You are:about-to witness a stark chapter in the Cuban Government’s fight against insurrection. If you do -not care to look death in. the face, PLEASE OLOSE YOUR REYES!" SOME time ago on this page I re- ". marked that Dickens still had the laugh 0 on. the film industry. Now. r am Ck 95 Pe

changing my mind. The other evening "Oliver Twist" (yes, the film’ people are lining them up, one by one) was given a private screening and, while it is far from being the most pretentious of the Dickens cycle, it has much of the humour and homeliness that the other Dickens films lacked. "Great BHxpectations" was frankly disappointing; "The Old Curiosity Shop," while it was a marvel] of authenticity; was oh! so dull; "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" was not even mentioned as being a Dickens adaptation-Universal weren’t taking any chances with it; but "Oliyer Twist," Monogram’s contribution to the present cycle, has a sparkle and a wit that made it unpretentious but delightful entertainment. Dickie Moore looked a litle too young for Oliver, but he was such an ingenuous child and so anxious to please everyone {including the public) that one could easily forgive that. The film marks the reappearance of several famous stars of the Silent days-George K. Arthur plays

the part of Toby, and plays it well, while Alec B. Francis is Brownlow. But to Irving Pichel must be go -the chief praise. He was Fagin-and when I gay WAS, I mean it. . His every mood, his every mannerism, brought the old nineteenth century rogue to life. Others in the cast include Wiliam Boyd, Barbara Kent and Chy det Cook. ; ANGSTER films are back. The eycle was started off in New 7a land with "Passport to Fame," which had a run at the State Theatre, Wel lington, last week. And if the others can be as-entertaining and unexpected as this film-well, we're all going to like these Public Hnemy talkies. Kaward G. Robinson plays two parts; that of the mild-looking little clerk, Jones, and that of Mannin-killer, thief and traitor. Advance reports say that "@ Men," a Warner Brothers film, is just about the last word in. gangster pictures. If it’s any. better than "Passport to Fame." lead ne ta iit