Poetic Film Review: High Treason (1929)

In realms of cinema's past, a gem is found,
High Treason, 1929, a science fiction sound.
Unique in its creation, a tale unfolds,
Of politics and love, as war's shadow holds.

Noel Pemberton Billing's stage play adaptation,
A bid for relevance, in Australia's isolation.
Maurice Elvey directs, with Art Deco flair,
A futuristic world, with miniatures to share.

Silent to sound, a switch mid-production,
An audience craving "talkies", their new attraction.
High Treason, a double-feature, lost and found,
Restored with partial sight, its legacy profound.

Comparing past to present, a fun pursuit,
Misses in fashion, music, and Prohibition's root.
Yet, the film predicts war's brink, two blocks collide,
Women in politics, a future they would stride.

Technical merits solid, Elvey's vision clear,
But quality falters, lacking Hitchcock's flair.
Weak scriptwriting, lacklustre direction too,
Plot holes and melodrama, a bittersweet brew.

Subpar acting, stagey performances mar,
Yet Raymond Massey shines, in a cinematic debut.
Anti-war stance, a relevance that remains,
A warning of catastrophe, arms makers' gain.

High Treason, a commercial failure, but a lesson learned,
Elvey's future films, with technical improvements burned.
A captivating piece, for sci-fi enthusiasts to behold,
A glimpse into sound-era experimentation, a tale of old.

(Note: The review in its original form can be read here.)

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