1 FEBRUARY 1946, Page 11

THE CINEMA

" Saratoga Trunk." At the Warner.

Saratoga Trunk is the smoothest and most entertaining film that Hollywood has sent over for a long time. Recent productions have suggested that work on the Californian treadmill was becoming more than usually arduous; inevitable toil and moil that goes into the making of any m has often been too clearly visible beneath the rich surface polish. But in this film everyone appears to have taken a holiday and for once really enjoyed himself. Not for many months has there been a film with such entertaining comings and goings, such vast and unobtrusive sets, such costumes used without the usual over-emphasis of trumpet and staircase, such enjoyment of the rich surface of living without any reference to the realities of life itself. This is no doubt rather deplorable, and played by less expert and charming actors than Ingrid Bergman and Gary Cooper, Clio Dulaine and Clint Maroon the characters might appear as rather despicable and worthless, but they are both so alive and their story so well presented that one cannot possibly do anything but like it very much indeed. Clio Dulaine is illegitimate and returns to New Orleans with two obsessive purposes, to avenge the insults heaped on her mother by her father's snobbish family and to marry richly and respectably. Her two servants represent the two sides of her nature ; Angelique, the mulatto, is determined that the girl shall not follow in the foot- steps of her frail mother and even frailer grandmother, and the dwarf is all for a good time at any price. Clio avenges her mother's memory, but also has a tempestuous affair with Clint Maroon, a gambling cowboy from Texas, who leaves her because she is rather more than he can handle. Clio then remembers about the rich husband and hooks a charming millionaire at Saratoga Springs, but as she and Clint are by now occupying the same suite at the hotel we are spared any nonsense about anybody making any sacrifices whatsoever. The cowboy is involved in an affair concerning the Saratoga Trunk railway line, and this part of the story is rather obscure, but exciting enough for you not to mind. Eventually Clio lands both the men but chooses Clint, and just in case you should think there is anything noble in this throwing away of millions for the sake of love, Clint, too, has made a fortune out of the railway. Nobody's heart " keeps falling over things "; the stars don't shine any brighter and quite definitely nobody pretends that he is going to be any better for being in love. Gary Cooper likes Ingrid Bergman because she is a good-looking and exotic creature, and she likes him because he's tall and handsome, and that's all there is to it. Ingrid Bergman gives an enchanting performance as Clio, and although the producers are doing their best to groom her, she has not lost her European air of reality and can still make the character she is play- ing a three-dimensional one. Gary Cooper has come out of the trance he has been in for so long to give an excellent performance enlivened by a pleasant- humour. Flora Robson presents a carbon copy of her role in Ftateeta in Caesar and Cleopatra, and Jerry Austin plays Cupidon the dwarf with such zest that it is impossible to find the comic side of the character unpleasant. Veteran Sam Wood has done an impeccable job of direction, and the rest of the unit were obviously on their toes to make this film the very excellent entertainment that it definitely is. ALEXANDER SHAW.