Main Cast: Esther Williams, Howard Keel, Minna Gombell, Charles Mauu, Rita Moreno
Release Year: 1950
Country: US
Run Time: 76 minutes
Plot
Pagan Love Song derives its title from a 1929 tune written by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown. The plot is cut from the same cloth as MGM's previous Esther Williams musicals. Sporting a black wig and deep tan, Williams plays American lass Mimi Bennett, who while on vacation in the South Seas is mistaken for a native girl by visiting schoolteacher Hazard Endicott (Howard Keel). Instantly falling in love with Mimi, Hazard attempts to court her according to Tahitian traditions. And that's about it for the plot; the rest of the film consists of Esther Williams swimming and Howard Keel singing. Based on the novel Tahiti Landfall by William S. Stone, Pagan Love Song was to have been directed by Stanley Donen, but Williams vetoed Donen in favor of Robert Alton. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
"Wet, she was a star," Joseph Pasternak once remarked about the silver screen's swimming sensation, Esther Williams, and that was the problem with her films -- there's only so much time that the star of a motion picture can spend in the water. All of Williams' films suffer from the (literal) "dry spells" between water ballets, but the mediocre Pagan Love Song suffers more than most. At best an adequate actor, Williams is particularly mechanical here and is not helped by the always stolid Howard Keel. The lack of chemistry between the leads is damaging, although both of them are in fine physical condition and look good together. They get little help from Robert Alton's uninspired direction, nor from Harry Warren and Arthur Freed's okay-but-nothing-more score. Williams' water ballet is a genuine keeper, of course, and other musical moments are diverting at least. And there's plenty of gorgeous scenery (courtesy of the island of Kauai) to keep the eyes entertained. Though not her best film, Pagan Love Song is still interesting as an example of a cinematic subgenre that is unlikely ever to be revived. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
