Themes: Interracial/Cross-Cultural Romance, Military Life, Women During Wartime
Main Cast: Rossano Brazzi, Mitzi Gaynor, John Kerr, Ray Walston, Juanita Hall
Release Year: 1958
Country: US
Run Time: 167 minutes
Plot
Producer/director Joshua Logan's long-awaited filmization of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Pulitzer Prize winning musical South Pacific was not the classic that everyone hoped it would be, principally because of some curious creative choices made by the production personnel. Adapted from James A. Michener's best-selling novel Tales of the South Pacific, the film stars Mitzi Gaynor as WAVE officer Nellie Forbush, who while stationed overseas during World War II falls in love with wealthy French planter Emile De Becque (Rosanno Brazzi). The Navy would like DeBecque to help them in a reconnaissance mission against the Japanese, but he refuses; having run away from the outside world after killing a man in his home town, De Becque sees no reason to become involved in a war which he did not start and in which he has no interest. But when Nellie, her inbred bigotry aroused when she discovers that Emile has two mixed-race children, refuses his proposal of marriage, DeBecque, having nothing to lose, agrees to go on the mission. His partner in this venture is Lt. Joseph Cable (John Kerr), who like Nellie is a victim of prejudicial feelings; Cable has previously thrown away a chance at lasting happiness by refusing to marry Liat (France Nuyen), the dark-skinned daughter of Tokinese trader Bloody Mary (Juanita Hall). When Cable is killed and DeBecque is seemingly lost in battle, Nellie, realizing the stupidity of her racism, prays for Emile's safe return. The dramatic elements of South Pacific are offset by the low-comedy antics of "Big Dealer" seabee Luther Billis (Ray Walston). Outside of Walston and Hall, both repeating their stage characterizations, South Pacific suffers from a largely noncharismatic cast. Mitzi Gaynor never rises above cuteness in the difficult role of Nellie Forbush, while Rosanno Brazzi (whose singing is dubbed by Giorgio Tozzi) seems to be striking poses rather than acting as Emile DeBecque. These casting deficiencies might have been ignored had not South Pacific been laboring under an additional handicap: director Joshua Logan's decision to use colored filters in several key scenes, representing the emotions experienced by the actors. The constant color shift is more unsettling than attractive, drawing attention to Logan's technique and thereby taking the audience "out" of the picture. With all this going against it, however, South Pacific has much to be treasured. For one thing, all of Rodgers & Hammerstein's immortal songs--"Some Enchanted Evening," "Bali H'ai," "There is Nothing Like a Dame," "I'm in Love With a Wonderful Guy," "Younger Than Springtime" etc.--are retained, and, as a bonus, a song cut from the original stage production, "My Girl Back Home," is revived herein. In addition, the film is a bonanza for movie buffs who enjoy playing "spot the bit player:" among the supporting-cast ranks are Tom McLaughlin, Ron Ely, Doug McClure, John Gabriel and James Stacy (rumors persist that Joan Fontaine shows up unbilled as a nurse, but we've yet to spot her). Though artistically disappointing, South Pacific ended up one of the biggest box-office gold mines of the 1950s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
On the heels of such hit films as Oklahoma!, Carousel, and The King and I, the Broadway songwriting duo of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein produced this Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical based on James Michener's novel, Tales of the South Pacific. The film version is the epic story of a young American Navy nurse (Mitzi Gaynor) who falls in love with a French planter (Rossano Brazzi) during World War II. Long-awaited, the lavish, big-budget film was shot almost entirely on location in Hawaii and became a box-office hit even though it disappointed many critics. Director Joshua Logan changed color filters to emphasize the moods of different characters, an experiment that looks dated and amateurish in retrospect. But the lush photography and well-staged musical numbers carry the ambitious, three-hour film, in which Gaynor holds her own despite her controversial casting over Broadway veteran Mary Martin, who originated the role (and who also saw Julie Andrews take the the role that she originated in The Sound of Music). Memorable songs include "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair" and "Some Enchanted Evening." ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
France Nuyen - Liat; Russ Brown - Capt. George Brackett; Jack Mullaney - Professor; Floyd Simmons - Bill Harbison; Candace Lee - Ngana, Emile's Daughter; Warren Hsieh - Jerome; Tom Laughlin - Buzz Adams; Galvan de Leon - Sub Chief; Ron Ely - Navigator; Robert Jacobs - Communications Man; Archie Savage - Ceremonial Dance Chief; Darleen Engle - Nurse in Thanksgiving Show; Richard H. Cutting - Adm. Kester; Beverly Aadland - Nurse in Thanksgiving Show; Kenneth Clark - Stewpot; Buck Class - Fighter Pilot; John Gabriel - 2nd Communcations Man; Doug McClure - Pilot; James Stacy; Georgio Tozzi; Richard Harrison - Co-Pilot; Joe Bailey - US Commander; Stephen Ferry - Pilot; George Hooper - Seebee
Hanalei bay on Kauai, one of the Hawaiian Islands, served as the filming location for the movie, with special effects providing distant views of the fantastic island Bali Ha'i. A second-unit filmed aerial views of Fijian islands while some sources claim footage of Tioman Island, off Malaysia's south east coast, were also featured, though this seems unlikely given the logistics involved. Location filming provided sweeping shots of tropical island scenes, as well as a memorable sequence in which Billis, having parachuted from a damaged plane, has a boat dropped on him, then comes under a series of attacks, following his fatalistic "Oh, it's going to be one of those days, huh?"
The film includes the use of colored filters during many of the song sequences,[3] which has been a source of criticism for the film. Director Joshua Logan wanted it to be a subtle change, but 20th Century Fox, the company that would distribute the 35mm version, made it an extreme change and since tickets to the film were pre-sold (it was a roadshow attraction), they had no time to correct it.
All of the songs from the stage production were retained for the film. A song entitled My Girl Back Home, sung by Lt. Cable and Nellie, cut from the Broadway show, was added.[4]
Juanita Hall sang in the stage production and took part in the recording of the stage production cast album. However, she had her singing dubbed for the film version by Muriel Smith. Metropolitan Opera star Giorgio Tozzi provided the singing voice for the role of Emile de Becque. John Kerr starred as 2nd Lt. Joseph Cable, USMC and his voice was dubbed by Bill Lee. Ken Clark, who played Stewpot, was dubbed by Thurl Ravenscroft. Thus, Mitzi Gaynor, as well as Ray Walston, a noted Broadway musical actor, were the only principal cast members whose own singing voices were used.
Release
Criticism of the color filters did not prevent the film from topping the box office of 1958. The 65mm Todd-AO cinematography (by Leon Shamroy) was nominated for an Academy Award, as were the music adaptation and the sound. South Pacific won for Best Sound.
The soundtrack album has spent more weeks at Number 1 in the UK album chart than any other album, spending 115 weeks at the top in the late 50s and early 60s. It spent 70 consecutive weeks at the top of the chart and was Number 1 for the whole of 1959.
Originally shown in a nearly three-hour roadshow version, later cut to two-and-a-half hours for general release, the three-hour version, long feared lost, was rediscovered in a 70mm print owned by a collector. This print was screened in Bradford, England at the National Museum of Photography, Film, and Television on March 14, 2005.[5] When Fox (which by that time owned partial rights to the film, including home video) learned of the print's existence, they took it to the United States to reinstate the fourteen missing minutes and attempt to restore as much of the color as possible.[6] A 2-disc DVD set of both the longer and shorter versions was released in Region 1 on November 7, 2006.
Today, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (through their acquisition of The Samuel Goldwyn Company), owns the U.S. domestic theatrical and television rights, while Fox handles home video and all other underlying rights.
"Some Enchanted Evening" was ranked #28 on the American Film Institute's 100 Years...100 Songs (2004).
On March 31, 2009, South Pacific became the first Rodgers and Hammerstein musical available on high definition Blu-ray Disc.[7]
Song list
Note: The film opens with a three-minute, thirty-second orchestral overture
