Daily News from New York, New York • 93

C.25 A TALE OF TWO TRAITORS patterned after Burgess, is interviewed in his dismal Moscow apartment about his early days as a student in an attempt to establish the reasons behind the political disenchantment and subsequent defection. The idea is a fascinating one, but "Another Country," which is hardly the first movie to depict the English public schools as hotbeds of homosexuality, tends to oversimplify the situation, making it appear as though an overly repressive school was the sole reason for Bennett's eventual transformation into a Communist spy. Bennett, played with a great flourish by Rupert Everett, a potential matinee idol with his smoldering good looks, is an impulsive young student who spots "a glorious vision" dur- Surely, no one ever expected these traditional training grounds for the British establishment to turn out three of the country's most notorious traitors. But that is exactly what happened in the case of Guy Burgess, Donald Maclean and Kim Philby, all of whom were products of the English public school system "Another Country," Julian Mitchell's adaptation of his successful London play, is based, to some extent, on the teenage experiences of Burgess and Maclean. The two, who were friends during the 30s, wound up working for the British government and as spies for the USSR in the '50s.

Eventually, the two boyhood chums fled to Moscow. The movie begins as the Bennett, a character By KATHLEEN CARROLL ANOTHER COUNTRY. With Rupert Evtnll, Colin Firth. Directed toy Marek Kanlevka. At Cinema I.

Running time: I hour, minutes. Rated PO. ENGLAND'S public yp schools are actually ex-3 elusive boarding schools where the sons of upper class families are exposed, at a very early age, to the importance of social status and political power. A young man who makes it through such exclusive schools as Eton or Harrow can usually expect to have a brilliant future. Thanks to the added social pull of an "old-boys" network of fellow graduates, it's, more than likely he'll wind up as a captain of British industry or a leader in the government.

1 4 -n. i i ii "i i i ing choir practice. Hopelessly infatuated, he insists upon pursuing this vision, a dreamy-eyed boy played with appropriate shyness by Cary Elwes. But Bennett is also power-hungry. He longs to become na prefect," or, better still, "a God," the name given to the upperclassman who, in effect, rules over the entire student body or, as Bennett describes it, "the whole stinking heap." His friend Judd, a character who is a combination of Maclean and two other British Communists (namely, Esmond Romilly and John Cornford, who both died young), is an avid student of Marxism and thoroughly despises Bennett's "bourgeois" ambitions, his determination to collaborate with "a repressive system of government." Judd, played with a suitably grave demeanor by Colin Firth, even considers cricket "a fundamental part of the capitalist conspiracy." ft rr NOTHER Country," with its '30s uPPer-AsHlA crust atmosphere and its languid shots of beautiful young school boys indulging in such standard pastimes as cricket and boating, has much the same visual appeal as TV's elegant production of "Brideshead Revisited." It is a chilling indictment of the rigid caste system that exists even to this day in England's public schools, an intriguing movie that works perfectly well even Everett and Colin Firth though it fails to really explain why a privileged young man like Burgess would even tually shun his own country in favor of the Soviet Union.

BE': Rupert Everett (as British traitor Guy Bennett) ts called up before creepy csravjier A grunt of approval for 'Conan' wwjut ii "jnf. CONAN THE DESTROYER. Arnold Scttwanannver, Oraca iene. CNracteel ay Richard Fleiacher. At the Rlvoll, Cemlnl, Mth St.

Eat, Oramercr, ad Haw Yerkar. Running time: I hour, 41 minute. Rated PO. I ON AN THE DESTROYER is practically a if work of art when compared to "Conan the Barbarian," the absurdly pretentious adven ture saga in which Arnold Schwarzenegger first muscled his way to fame as a reasonably well-mannered CANNONBALL RUN II. With Burt Reynold, Don) Da Lwlw.

Directed by Hal Needham. At Mevieland. Loew Ud Gemini and Art. Runnina time: 1 hour, 41 minute. Rated PS.

IANNONBALL Run which once again V3 fe'ati features Burt Rey nolds as that completely forgettable character car-crazy J.J. McClure is such a disgraceful mess that it looks more like a rolling cocktail party than an actual movie. The cast is full of familiar faces, some of which, sad to say, appear to be in dire need the "Gods" In "Another Country" Arnold if "'V A I Schwarzenegger t' ft1 7 of the services of a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon. Burt even managed to persuade the rich-and famous members of the Hollywood Rat Pack to show up for this worthless comedy which, like "Cannon-ball Run," attempts to keep pace with cheating competitors in a cross-country automobile race. Dean Martin gets to spout off such tired jokes as "My liver died last year." Sammy Davis Martin's favorite sidekick, is allowed to wear his most expensive jewelry even in those tasteless scenes in which he's masquerading as a priest Shirley MacLaine, who, along with Marilu Henner, plays a footloose member of a backroad touring company of "The Sound of Music," poses as a demure nun before stripping off her habit and expos ing her shapely gams.

Even "the King," Frank Sinatra, puts in a brief appearance, playing his favorite role himself. As it is, the entire cast seems to be sniggering over some private dirty Joke which they refuse to reveal to the audience. Let's just hope this is one Hollywood joke that backfires at the box office. Kathleen Carroll barbarian. For one thing, the producers tnis tune nave cut the dialogue to the bone which, considering Schwarzenegger's inability to deliver a line of more than two words, was an extremely smart move.

An example: "Stop," Conan orders his charge, a virgin princess (Olivia D'Abo) and her ever-present body guard (Wilt Chamberlain). Conan, who is unusually polite for a barbarian, has paused in his task of escorting the petulant princess on the usual thrill-packed journey not to refresh himself, but to find out why a feisty woman warrior (Grace Jones) has insisted upon following him into the vast desert Schwarzenegger also has acquired another facial expression since his film debut as the mighty Conan. He can now look scared and his eyes actually appear to bulge with fear at certain critical moments, such as when his head is being squeezed by the monster Dagoth, a hideous blob. To be fair, "Conan the Destroyer" Is a rather handsome-looking adventure movie with some striking-looking landscape shots. Chamberlain's impressive height makes him a perfect foil for the he-man star.

D'Abo, who keeps her lips puckered throughout the entire movie in anticipation of the chaste kiss which Conan finally gives her, is amusing as the princess. Jones, an extremely sultry rock singer, is certainly an exotic-looking creature in her scanty warrior's bikini, which is only slightly more extreme than her normal off-stage attire. All in all, "Conan the Destroyer" is for those perpetual kids who are still foolishly fond of sword-carrying cartoon heroes. -Kathleen Carroll 8 2 '4, if" 'ft w-f. I in-run 1 Oom and Burt: yucklng It up.