Two War Pictures Reissued

Radio Record, Volume XIII, Issue 11, 21 August 1939, Page 16

Two War Pictures Reissued

["Hell’s Angels," United Ar tists picture, reissued by British Empire’ Films. Directed hy Howard Hughes. Starring Ben Lyon, James Hall, and Jean Harlow. Now showing in New Zealand.] {"The First World War.* 20th-Century-Fox. Edited by Lawrence Stallings, who also is the commentator. Now in re. lease. ] tRE are two reissues now. going the vounds that, individually, are splendid pictures, but when shown together on a double bill, destroy each other. One is ‘‘Hell’s Angels,’’ produced in the haleyon days of the last decade when money was spent like water, and the other is the war picture with the grimly-prophetic title, ‘The First World War,’’ an edited presentation of newsreel shots taken before and during the Great War. The latter picture is a splendid bit of anti-war propaganda, with a minimum of comment. The pictures tell their own story.

Many figures famous in iuropean political circles before the war are glimpsedthe Kaiser, Tsar Nicholas of Russia, Archduke Ferdinand who was assassinated, Franz Josef-among others. " ‘"‘Hell’s Angels’? glorifies war, and kills the first picture because it is more spectacular, Ben Lyon, in the best role of his career, is the star, but the bit parts played by several unknown actors taking parts of German army officers, are outstanding. Jean Harlow had her first starring part in this show, and her slim form in diaphanous dresses and revealing robes is something that hasn’t been seen on the screen since-well, ‘*Hell’s Angels.’’ I hope that both these pictures go the rounds for a good while, with the proviso that they be shown separate-

ly.

R.C.

M