Evening star., 1944-07-06

opened yesterday at the Little. 1t
tells the story of the working OF the
underground in Nazi-overrun Bel
gium and how the Belgians are
united in this war by the same
symbol they clung to in World War
Ia newspaper called La Libre
Belgiuue." AS q whole, it Is a true
story and there are those in Wash
lngton who can tell you anecdotes
of the First World Wars La Libre
Belgioue" that might well have been
Incorporated in the, scenario. The
little papers claim to fame is that
throughout two wars 1t has only
missed four editions.
"Uncensored" has true ring, more
often than not scorning the Holly
wood tradition of holding on to a
situation until the last juicy drop
of suspense is wrung out Of It..
Although somewhat In the tradition
of Might Train" and The Lady
Vanishes," the film left me with the
impression the British producers Of
"Uncensored" were more anxious to
tell their story than merely to dram
atise plot.
The story concerns a Belgian cab
aret singer, who might have been
Maurice Chevalier If the picture
were laid in France. He unites with
a priest and an editor who was
preWar pro-Nazi to revive the pub
1ication that was so successful in
the war years between 1914 and 1918.
The devices by which the paper con-
tinues to be published and the Nazl
efforts to stop it provide the sus-
pense and there is a touch OF ro-
nance between the singer and the
editors secretary.
It will be noted that I have men,
toned no names. I doubt if the
names of the stars would be recog-
nizable to a Washington audience.
Eric Portman plays the cabaret
singer, but there will be few who
recall that he also appeared in the
British film, "One of Our Aircraft
Is Missing" In passing, I might
say l found his singing voice en-
joyable. Phyllis Calvert provides
the romantic interest and a par
ticularly good performance is turned
in by Griffith Jones as the priest.
AS whole, however, found myself
less interested in the individual
characters than I was in La Libre
Belgique." Whether this was because
the players were unfamiliar or
whether my reaction was what the
director of the film had in mind I'm
unable to say.
x X
The production is very much what
We have come to expect from the
British; it gave me an odd sense of
intimacy with its characters and Is
full of little touches of suggestion.
One of them I found somewhat
startling. 1t came when Nazi
sentry halts the man who has just
betrayed the publishers of La Libre
Belgique" and demands to see his
papers. The betrayer brings forth
a stack of franc notes that have
been paid him by the Germans.
Realizing what they are, the Nazi
returns them. then wipes his hand
upon his tunic as though to wipe
off the Judas taint.
Like so many current war films,
"Uncensored" suffers for an ending.
Since the end is not yet, it neces-
sarily must be contrived. That's
where for me there was a little too
much symbolization. I think the
picture established the significance
of La Libre Belgique" too well to
have the paper distributed to wait
ing throngs from the folds of the
NaI flag. That seemed to be too
enterprising even for an under
ground circulation department.
x X
A return engagement of the
Catholic University production of
Eugene O'Neill's "Ah Wilderness"
opened last night at the univer-
sity and is again on view tonight at
$40 pm. More about this tomor-