A beautiful film

zetes

A flawed film, certainly, but also an enormously beautiful one. It seems like simple, frivolous fun at first, but I also found it quite moving. I love the setting, above all else. The film is set on a small island in the Pacific where elements from a handful of cultures have been mixing for many years already. There are the Polynesians who originally inhabited the island, the Japanese who took it over during WWII, the French who established a mission there, the Americans who washed up there after their ship was sunk during WWII, the Australians who occasionally dock there, and the various Asians who have established themselves there. Perhaps the most beautiful scene takes place on Christmas Eve, where all the people of the island celebrate in a joyously syncretic festival. "Silent Night" is sung first in the Polynesian and then in English. During a Nativity play, the three wisemen are the ancient Polynesian king of the island, then the emperor of China, and then the king of America. After the king of America delivers his gift (a broken phonograph), a cloud bursts into torrential rains that easily penetrate through the roof. The audience unfurls a gorgeous rainbow of umbrellas. This sequence brought me to tears.

The film's problem is its plot. It seems to just want to exist in its state of sheer beauty, but is worried that its audience will walk out if they aren't spoonfed a conventional romantic plot. A young, would-be heiress from Boston, Ameilia (Elizabeth Allen), goes to this tropical paradise to find the father whom she has never met. She was born near the beginning of WWII, and her father, although he had survived, had decided against coming home. Now he stands to inherit millions of dollars unless she can prove that he is morally undeserving of the inheritance. When she arrives, she finds not her father but his friend, "Guns" Donovan, who owns a local saloon, Donovan's Reef. Donovan is afraid that an uptight Boston woman would immediately reject her father, who has since had three children by a Polynesian princess. The most cliched part of the plot has to do with the burgeoning relationship between Donovan and Ameilia. It's basically adopted straight from The Quiet Man, which is, despite its fame, one of my least favorite of Ford's films. Not too much time is wasted on this part of the plot, and what is there isn't too bad. Lee Marvin and Cesar Romero have really nice supporting roles, as well. In fact, Lee Marvin is so funny in his role that I almost wish he had more scenes. 9/10.

score 9/10

zetes 6 September 2002

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw0081128/