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SMAD. An Organ of Student Opinion. 1936. Volume 7. Number 14.

"Rhodes of Africa" — Coming Films

"Rhodes of Africa"

Coming Films

Shortly to be released through-out New Zealand, the Gaumont-British historical biography, "Rhodes of Africa," sets a new standard in educational films. The task of bringing history successfully to the screen is a difficult one and most producers succumb to the tempation of adapting history to suit their own ends. "Rhodes of Africa" is a picture that is at once good history, good biography and good entertainment.

The idea of vitalising the past, through re-creating the lives of her heroes is a good one. This is, perhaps, the greatest attribute of the film. In it history is lifted out of the mists of scholoasticism and lives again in all its original collour and interest. This is undoubtedly the very best way of presenting a subject which is apt to be regarded from a dull unimagrinative academic point of view.

Starting with the discovery of diamonds in Kimberley and the consequent rush, the picture traces through the life of a true Empire-builder, Cecil Rhodes, the practicalminded statesman, the leader of men, and under all, the dreamer of ambitious dreams. The story of his life is the story of the growth of a colony—and this is made clear to you while you sit in the stalls of a theatre, clearer than any text book.

The whole is done in typically British fashion, with commendable restraint. Nothing is overdone and there is no straining after effect, The scenes chosen from the busy life of Rhodes are very well conceived and their continuity deserves high praise. A weakness seems to be in the dialogue which is rather stilted in spots, but this is not particularly noticeable.

Walter Huston as Rhodes and Oscar Homolka as Kruger, both give performances that display acting ability of a high order. The difficult role of Rhodes is presented very, very convincingly. Oscar Homolka gives us an outstanding character-study of Kruger, consistenet, restrained and sympathetic. The performances of the rest of the cast are equally effective giving us a remarkably clear and comprehensive picutre of late Victorian South Africal.