Atlantic ** (1929, Franklin Dyall, Madeleine Carroll, John Stuart, John Longden) – Classic Movie Review 10,694

Producer-director Ewald André Dupont’s 1929 black and white British drama Atlantic is ambitious but tragically dated, though it is of interest to buffs as a milestone as the first British all-talking picture and the first film to be made simultaneously in three language versions (English, German, French) with different stars.

It’s not nice to laugh at films, especially ones that have become funny simply because of their silent-movie-style acting and dated sound technique. But if you want a good laugh, go ahead.

Among a generally sound cast, John Longden gives a hysterical performance, spelling out every word for dramatic effect as Lanchester, the ship’s officer on board the liner SS Atlantic, sinking, Titanic-style, into the Atlantic Ocean.

John Longden also appeared in Hitchcock’s Blackmail that year.

Also in the cast are Franklin Dyall, Madeleine Carroll, Monty Banks, John Stuart, John Longden, Donald Calthrop, Arthur Hardy, Helen Haye, Joan Barry, Francis Lister, Gordon James [Sydney Lynn], Syd Crossley, Danny Green, D A Clarke-Smith, Dino Galvani, René Ray and Ellaline Terriss.

Gordon James makes his film debut as Captain Collins under his real name of Sydney Lynn, the brother of Ralph Lynn.

Victor Kendall’s screenplay is based on a play called The Berg by Ernest Raymond.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,694

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