The Cinema
At the "The Constant Nymph." At the New Gallery.
FIRST a novel, then a play, then a silent film, now a talkie that is the record of Miss Margaret Kennedy's famous novel. No film of ordinary length can do justice to the story's gradual development, and Mr. Basil Dean's talkie version is rather jerkily put together. But his individual scenes are often excellent, for he understands acting, and he has been given a first-rate east. Brian Ahearne's Lewis Dodd is an attractive figure, though less forcible and less bitter than the Lewis Dodd of the novel ; and it was worth while bringing on Lyn Harding for a few moments to show us Sanger himself, impressively ponderous as he comes slowly down the stairs of the Karindehiitte shortly before his death. . And Tessa, on whom so much depends ? She is played by Miss Victoria Hopper, and in many ways she is very good indeed. Tessa ought not. to have too much obvious, super- fiefid charm ; her weapons against Florence are her loyal heart and her precocious understanding of Lewis' character. Miss Hopper speaks occasionally with a slightly mincing accent, but her Tessa is an appealing and courageous child, agreeably free from stage mannerisms.
The best sequence, I think, is the last, which moves with expressive urgency from the Queen's Hall across the Channel to the dingy Brussels las7room where Tessa tries in vain to push up the window. At the beginning there are sonic pleasant glimpses of Tyrolean scenery, but the scenery hardly lives in the action, as it might ; and I feel that Mr. Dean, trained in the theatre, has not yet learnt how to use background details on the screen. The lengthy recording of the symphony concert, for instance, is pure waste of time. Nevertheless,- this is a very creditable British production, with many effective episodes and a good deal of emotional force.
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