It is too bad that St. Peter, or the Devil (as the case may be), can't give Alexander Dumas a short vacation from his Life Eternal, just long enough for him to drop in at the University and see what United Artists have done with his adventure story, "The Man with the Iron Mask." He would be well-pleased.

All the fire and dash of Dumas' book have been taken out of the print and put into celluloid with remarkable skill. The fire, or at least the heat, emanates principally from Joan Bennett, who is making a noble effort to cash in on the Technique Lamarr with a black wig and a sultry eye. Though she's no Hedy, she'll do. The dash is supplied by Louis Hayward who really carries the show. With two vividly contrasting parts to work with, he has ample opportunity to prove himself a persuasive actor,--and he does.

With an ample budget to splurge on sets and costumes, with two fine leads and a capable supporting cast, Director James Whale has cooked up a rip-snortin' film paced and climaxed with plenty of gusto. Here's another case history to show that when moviedom is in command of its medium the result is grand entertainment.