Tuts film tells of the more dramatic event that took
place on July 20, 1944, when Coun Stauffenberg attempted to' assassinate Hitle and a group of his friends tried to seize poWe in Berlin.
We have all, I suppose, been bored by Grea Films. There was the one,, shown by the maste of the Modern Sixth in the gym, which told tl rather more than we might wish to know abod the catching of herrings: there was all do stuff about Russian politics in 1917: there W the encelluloiding of Shakespeare. When di' cinema was ART, Pabst was one of the Seel names.
This is not Pabst at his best, but it doe recall those flicks in the Hall long ago. It all there ; the documentary—boots, boots' boots and never a bicarbonate—all tremor' dously significant and showing among odic,' things that a really clever director is capab'e, of finding out exactly how German officer' were dressed twelve years ago: it points 3 social message by means of burning building' and tells us that war is bad, peace good (' crucifix silhouetted against the flames is 3 particularly profound touch): it is drama. and quasi-Racinian at that, for the unity of time is preserved, but Racine would have given 0" an insight into the minds and motives of the men portrayed. Here we have none. The story of why and how Stauffenberg and others attempted to commit tyrranicide is per" haps the most perfectly dramatic episode °, the last war. But it is an epic drama. In 0' film it is the episode alone that we arc give:' Tramp go the boots, clank go the tanks. 01' flames burn low and Art is the Cinema.
Those men who attempted to influence h" tory in Germany in 1944 were, among other things, brave. It is said that it was 'brave' to make this film in Germany today. Thus is the reality to the cinematographic Art. The acting incidentally, is competent, the sub-titles un- inspired and at times misleading, the music, Which is by Johannes Weissenbach, excellent.
CONSTANTINE FITZGIBBON
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