FilmIndia (1940)

GUIDE TO FOREIGN FIIiInS Don't miss this one. * Very good. ifjr Good if you must. * Poor. (Follow our star-rating, if you want value for your money.) **ELIZABETH & ESSEX (Warner) Featuring: Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, Alan Hale, Oliavia de Havilland etc. This technicolour classic glorifies the quaint imperialism oi Queen Elizabeth, by uncomfortably stressing the fact that she was first and foremost a queen in the midst of her questionable romance with the Earl of Essex whom she sends to the Axe thereby achieving a "queenly" triumph. Though the production is planned on a gorgeous scale, it misses fire due to lack of sufficiently fast and vigorous cinematographic action. The casting of Errol Flynn as the Earl brings down the love theme to the level of physical lust and incidentally takes away the sympathy of the audience which always expects a queen to indulge in a higher romance and emotionalism. Bette Davis gives her usual good performance. Olivia de Havilland is charming in her little bit. Errol is tolerable. Alan Hale is good. Nothing much to cry about. ETERNALLY YOURS (United Artists) Featuring: Loretta Young, David Niven and Broderick Crawford. Directed by: Tay Garnett. It is the usual "eternal triangle" hocus which bores terribly before the interval and disappoints badly after it. This time for a novelty a magician is thrown into it as the hero. There is only one supposed thrilling moment when the hero drops down from a plane into water. The heroine (Loretta Young) chases the magician from place to place and gets tired of it and so does the audience (to keep company with her). Altogether a silly show. The pity is that Tay Garnett has directed it. ** 'HOLLYWOOD CAVALCADE (20th Century Fox) Featuring: Alice Faye, Don Ameche and J. Edward Bromberg. An excellent entertainment. The pattern of the picture is historical in giving an intimate description of how the film industry in Hollywood grew. A fragrant romance in the midst of a severe industrial struggle keeps the human interest alive. The plot is a clever mixture ol fact and fiction and becomes im Pictures Unsuitable For Children Honeymoon In Bali (Paramount) The Cat & The Canary (Paramount) Tower of London (Universal) Pictures to See Hollywood Cavalcade (20th Century Fox) Mr Smith Goes to Washington (Columbia) Lion Has Wings (Korda) mediately popular. Alice Faye gives a charming performance while the Don becomes a lovable obsession with the fans. Every film-goer should see this picture to know how the film industry grew from slapstick silents to the present day colour pictures. MR SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (Columbia) Featuring: James Stewart, Jean Arthur Edward Arnold and Claude Rains. Directed by Frank Capra. The story of the film exposes political racketeering by newspaper magnates and senators of America. For an American producer, it is rather a bold picture. James Stewart (Mr. Smith) with a "cross country" run finds himself a senator at Washington, With youthful enthusiasm he tries to put his idealism into practical shape. But the old stagers object. Smith's secretary, Jean Arthur, knowing the usual tricks of the trade, undertakes to chaperon the young senator through. Eventually thev fall in love. In breaking down the back of the opposition, James Stewart distinguishes himself in a memorable scene in the Senate House. With his superb performance, he takes here the entire sympathy of the audience. The occasional slants on the present day practice of democracy in America become amusing. The direction especially in the latter half of the picture is indeed very clever. The scenario, however, called for more care. With Jean Arthur, Jim Stewart and Claude Rains giving excellent performances, the picture becomes an attractive proposition to the fans. **TOWER OF LONDON (Universal) Featuring: Basil Rathbone and Boris Karloff. Court intrigues, horrors, thrills, chills, blood, melodrama — these words should cover this supposedly historical story. Boris Karloff as the executioner frightens and with the well attained realism of situations a creepy sensation is felt whenever he makes an appearance. Basil Rathbone is quite good. People who like some horror stuff for "entertainment" may see this, but the picture is definitely bad for children. 38