BALI MARVELLOUS

Well I'm halfway through reading a very long book, but feel I must feed my addiction to musicals so will write an opinion about one of my favourite films of all time South Pacific.......yes, I know, I'm a soppy romanticist! !

I first saw this film as a youngster and was hooked, in fact I was so hooked that life thereafter was a downer. I was convinced that one day I would sail off to the South Pacific and meet a handsome man who would sweep me off my feet in much the same way as Joe Cable did to Liat, swinging her from side to side and singing "younger than springtime"........no it's not a porno film either.Enough of the witless humour however,and on with a review of the film.

South Pacific is set in the Second World War. It is supposed to be l943 at a time when a U.S.navy base is set up in the Solomon Islands ready for an invasion towards New Quinea. One of the heroes is Joe Cable (my screen idol for many years after)who has been sent to one such island on a special mission.

The plot progresses and Joe Cable falls in love with a Polynesian girl Liat who is the daughter of Bloody Mary, a hideous fat rich native of the local island Bali Hi. Alongside Joe and Liat's love affair, we meet Nellie Forbush, played by Mitzi Gaynor who is a rather naive navy nurse who falls in love with Emile De Beque, a rich french plantation owner.Both love affairs have a background of underlying racial prejudice, Joe's because he loves a native girl, and Nellie's prejudice when she discovers Emile is a widower with two Polynesian children.

There's no point giving the complete storyline away as obviously this will spoil it for any who have not been fortunate yet to see the film, so I'll try to write up some backgrounds to the making of it. Originally South Pacific was adapted for the screen from two short stories. The two stories tie up on screen by Joe Cable and Emile De Beque going on a mission together behind Japanese lines.

Originally, of course, South Pacific was a stage production and Nellie's part was played by Mary Martin (J.R.Ewing, or Larry Hagman's if you prefer his real name, real life mother). The stage production was a huge success with Rogers and Hammerstein's musical scores and eventually the film was made and first hit the cinemas in l958. It was one of the first films to be produced in Todd AO and many people auditioned for the star roles, including Rock Hudson as Emile De Beque and Doris Day and Elizabeth Taylor as Nellie Forbush, but these parts were eventually given to Rossanno Brazzi and Mitzi Gaynor.Unfortunately, however most of the stars selected couldn't sing and their voices were therefore dubbed (some say very badly)although Mitzi Gaynor was an established singer and dancer and the voice in the film is her own.

The supporting cast include Juanita Hall who played Bloody Mary on stage as well as screen, France Nuyen who is beautiful as the Polynesian Girl and Ray Walston who plays the comic part of Luther. Ray Walston,some readers may remember, was My Favourite Martian on T.V. many years ago and unfortunately he died this year.

Apparently the movie was filmed in Malaysia, although some say it was Hawaii. There has been some criticism in later years of the racial content in that the Polynesian girl barely speaks and is offered for sale by her mother and the natives are portrayed as happy but idiotic savages. I can honestly say I never thought of this at the time, although I can understand this point of view now.Other criticisms are of poor dubbing and poor direction by Joshua Logan. I've never personally noticed this, but I suppose I will look for it now the next time it is on t.v. and I just hope it doesn't spoil my enjoyment.

All this aside, Rogers and Hammerstein's music steals the show with songs such as Some Enchanted Evening, Cockeyed Optimist, Bali Hi. and listen out for You've got to be carefully taught ...a well thought out objection to racial prejudice written at a time when such things were considered taboo. The colour filtering effect, especially during the singing of Bali Hi is glorious, if perhaps a bit too glorious, but manages to give the film an even more romantic air.

The film is available on video and I believe DVD at £9.99. It is one of the few musicals which I feel would appeal to both men and women with some comedy, some action and a lot of love stories......oh well.....I'm gonna wash that man right out of my hair......and perhaps watch the film again too. .... Bye.

Certainly one the family should not miss, even though it may perhaps be considered to be somewhat dated nowadays......

Other films obviously along the same lines are The King and I and My Fair Lady amongst others.