Hollywood Spectator (1938)

Hollywood Spectator Page Nine adroitly caught by Cameraman Paul C. Vogel, espe¬ cially the scene in which the boob-hero and the gal, being pursued by a train, pump a hand-car up to the crest of a drawbridge that is drawing. REALLY A NICE GIRL . . . • LUCREZIA BORGIA; produced by La Compagnie du Cinema dg^Praswe; directed by Abel Gance. Cast: Edwige Feuerille, Gabriel Gabrio, Aime Clairiond, Roger Karl, Josette Day, Maurice Escande, Dumesnil, Artault. Max Michel. Reviewed by Bert Harlen REDEEMED Lucrezia Borgia makes her appear¬ ance in the film of that name produced by La Compagnie du Cinema de France, which recently held forth at the Grand Theatre. It seems that the young woman so prevalently associated with poisonings and other unpleasantries by a benighted public, was really quite a nice girl, more sinned against than sinning, her brother Cesare, a ferocious fellow, being respon¬ sible for most of Lucrezia’s disrepute. She may have indulged in light-of-loves, red-blooded Renaissance maiden that she was, but that was her limit; she was in truth appalled by the murder going on about her, and genuinely grieved at the death of one of the hus¬ bands chosen for her by Cesare, having deeply loved the ill-fated spouse. Well, maybe so. I am not suffi¬ ciently up on my Borgias to say. But as a student of drama I can point out that the convincing mingling of good and bad elements in a character calls for master craftsmanship, a craftsmanship not evident in the present piece. Legend Stays in Effect . . . UCREZIA, consequently, is not always clearly motivated, treads occasionally the quagmire of am¬ biguity. The director and writer, of course, were handicapped by having to keep the censors in mind. Be that as it may, the character never quite convinces us. Despite that Edwige Feuerille brings a wide range of emotion and considerable color to her portrayal, most spectators will probably continue to conceive the Borgia lady as a sinister dame. Cesare Borgia, played by Gabriel Gabrio, is more convincing, being a devil personified, though some of his villainy is so deep-dyed that it resembles the kind American audi¬ ences accepted two decades ago. Machiavelli and Al¬ exander VI are more subtle, and the recounting of their problems and intrigues adds historical interest to the picture. Few Would Be Shocked . . . HE French film, however, is definitely not one that would appeal to the general public. There is nothing hot about it, advertising to the contrary notwithstanding. Bare breasts are to be seen in a couple of sequences, but such demonstrations are commonplaces in the Scandals and innumerable “art” magazines, and no one but a boob would be naive enough to gulp at the sight of them. Cesare’s man¬ ner toward his sister in one scene is probably sup¬ posed to indicate he has incestuous thoughts, but there are no overt manifestations of them. In pho¬ tography, continuity and direction the picture is far below the standard of American films. French the¬ atrical tradition is much in evidence in the playing. The actors, well-schooled, are to be admired for their bodily control and technical accomplishment, and they have moments of power, but much of their play¬ ing is too broad and too obviously calculated for screen purposes. Persons with special interests, stu¬ dents of history or of acting, or those who are in¬ trigued by the different flavor of European films, may find it worth their while. There is one really magni¬ ficent scene in the picture — the mob is storming the palace, intent on ousting the Borgias, beating its way up a long flight of stairs, when suddenly the gigantic doors at the top open and Alexander VI stands bold¬ ly before them in his flowing white robe, incarnating all the tremendous power of the church; they cower and kneel in prayer before him. BAD ONE FROM BRITAIN . . . • WIFE OF GENERAL LING; produced and distributed by Gaumont-British; producer, John Stafford; directed by Ladislaus Vajda; story by Peter Cheney; screen play by Akos Tolney; editor, R. Thomas; photography by Jame3 Wilson. Cast: Griffith Jones, Inkijinoff, Adrianne Renn. Alan Napier, An¬ thony Eustrel, Jino Soneya, Hugh McDermott. Gibson How¬ land, Gabrielle Brune, Lotus Fragrance. Marion Spencer, Billy Holland, George Merritt, Howard Douglas. Reviewed by Robert Joseph UST when Alexander Korda is re-establishing the once high position of the British film with his four outstanding hits in New York, Storm In a Teacup, Divorce of Lady X, Gaiety Girls and Return of Scar¬ let Pimpernel, all doing holdover business, GaumontBritish spoils the effect with its Wife of General Ling. Several years ago, directly after the success of Henry VIII, British studios descended on Hollywood en masse and brought back to Albion’s shores some of the best native talent in acting, writing, technical and directing lines. For a time the British film was a threat to box-office supremacy, and the day when a spectator would yawn in protest that he was seeing “one of them English pitchers” seemed over. And Ling is a throwback to “one of them English pitch¬ ers.” There is little to commend it. The plot is trite; the direction poor, the acting indifferent. Case of Griffith Jones . . . RIFFITH JONES, a British intelligence officer outwitting a murderous war lord who poses as a Hong Kong (British territory) philanthropist, ap¬ peared in Yank At Oxford. He was Beaumont, Hollywood Cat & Dog Hospital Dr. H. R. Fosbinder, Veterinarian 1 151 No. Highland Ave. HO. 3616 "Where Pets are Treated Right"