South Pacific poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Rossano Brazzi, Mitzi Gaynor, John Kerr (II), Ray Walston, Juanita Hall ... see more see more... , France Nuyen , Russ Brown , Jack Mullaney , Floyd Simmons , Candace Lee , Warren Hsieh , Tom Laughlin , Galvan de Leon , Ron Ely , Robert Nelson Jacobs , Archie Savage , Darleen Engle , Richard H. Cutting , Beverly Aadland , Kenneth Clark , Buck Class , John Gabriel , Doug McClure , James Stacy , Georgio Tozzi , Richard Harrison , Joe Bailey , Stephen Ferry , George Hooper

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 becau... read more read more...se 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, Rovi

Flixster Users

66% liked it

11,930 ratings

Critics

88% liked it

8 critics

Unrated, 2 hr. 47 min.

Directed by: Joshua Logan

Release Date: January 1, 1958

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: April 27, 1999

Get It:

Stats: 558 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Ray Walston, Glen Fontane South Pacific
Upload a Photo | View All South Pacific Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (558)

  • sanjurosamurai
    October 25, 2009
    sanjurosamurai
    mitzi gaynor is absolutely stunning. south pacific is a fine musical with wonderful landscapes and really solid music. i did feel that the war story could have been used a little more and the love story a little less, but overall this is a great musical.
  • jjnxn
    September 27, 2007
    jjnxn
    A mere shadow of the stage play. Overproduced and almost painfully overbright.
  • binky013
    May 7, 2006
    binky013
    There is nothing you can name, nothing in the world . . . like it. A great song line-up. Ray Walston is one of the most memorable character actors . . . Bali Ha`i may call you . . . And a young France Nuyen--beautiful . . . Some enchanted evening, you may see a stranger across... read more a crowded room . . . That booming Brazzi voice: Still dreaming of paradise, this nearly was mine . . . Not to mention it was shot on Kaua`i!



    05/07/06: Up a half star.
  • fb20312798
    February 22, 2009
    fb20312798
    Out of all the Rogers and Hammerstein musicals South Pacific is probably the best. Still it's a wildly uneven piece with a few really good songs scattered among some very mediocre one's. As for this film, it's a very poor adaptation. The color filtered scenes gave me a headache a... read morend its really boring because almost none of it is at all interesting.
  • adfill7
    February 25, 2007
    adfill7
    Saved by its songs.
  • Doctor0Quinzel
    December 14, 2009
    Doctor0Quinzel
    I enjoyied a couple of the songs, but overall it was just okay.
  • PinkMinkPrincess
    August 14, 2011
    PinkMinkPrincess
    "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair" ~ I still sing this in the Shower from this Beloved Musical that I've seen maybe a Dozen or so times in my life.
  • TonyPolito
    November 9, 2010
    TonyPolito
    A second-tier mid-Century musical that nevertheless is still well respected, as it contains a goodly number of great Rodgers & Hammerstein numbers that will be re-remembered fondly by many viewers.

    Two love affairs blossom on a quiet island, sheltered from most of the conflict ... read moreof World War II. One affair is between a Navy Nurse and a French plantation owner with native children; the other between a young Marine and a far younger native girl.

    Accordingly, each affair is inappropriately interrupted by the racial stigmas of the day. Such a topic was surely considered a touchy one in its day. Loosely based on the award-winning James Michener memoir 'Tales of the South Pacific.'

    Even aficionados of mid-Century musicals may well have forgotten the many high quality R&H numbers that fell from this production, including 'Bali Ha'i,' 'Some Enchanted Evening,' 'I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair,' 'This Nearly Was Mine,' and 'Younger Than Springtime.' Such numbers readily qualify the film for a revisiting.

    Director Logan controversially imposed heavily colored lens filters whenever there was presence of strong human emotion. Today's consensus is that the filters highly detract from the viewing experience. Logan eventually disowned the technique as a lapse in judgment. A proper restoration might bring the filtering down to a level that does not require such begrudging tolerance of the viewer.

    RECOMMENDATION: This film will likely never be rated as well crafted as, say, 'The King and I', but it surely rates inclusion in the catalogs of viewers who are fans of the genre.
  • markisme009
    September 19, 2010
    markisme009
    I've heard so much about this movie from everyone, and seen it talked about on countless t.v. shows, So, I decided to buy it, on v.h.s., & watched it
    last night. I wasn't that impressed with it though. The odd thing is, in 1958
    they were still tooting about younger women dat... read moreeing or even marrying older men. That it was o.k. Yet, now a day's if a young girl & older man are seen
    together, it's considered a bad thing, or a crime. I think, if everything clicks,
    things just work out perfectly, then I see no reason why a young girl, or
    young boy, can't have an older guy or girl as thier lover. It's in what the person see's in the other. You can't cage love. It will happen, no matter what. Obviously, they arranged it, so it was just fine for the 2 couples to marry. They were in another country. Not in the U.S.A., where it would have been illegal . Why, I'll never know. It's thier lives, allow them the freedom to live it how they want to.
  • jjb3332003
    September 4, 2010
    jjb3332003
    Visually stunning, with a decent storyline, but overall a good movie to go to sleep to. This was almost like two separate movies, the second half being much more serious than the first - much like The Sound of Music.

View All South Pacific Reviews

Critic Reviews

Brian Webster
May 13, 2009
Brian Webster, Apollo Guide

Might not be musical enough for some, and it's certainly not going to be substantial enough for some. But it's entertaining and more emotionally true than you might expect. Full Review

Walter Chaw
February 11, 2007
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central

What the hell could anyone have been thinking in literalizing an "enchanted evening" as a toxic cloud? Full Review

Steve Crum
February 18, 2006
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com

Despite the reddish hues, one great Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.

Emanuel Levy
December 18, 2004
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

music is glorious

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Bosley Crowther
May 20, 2003
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Sarah Chauncey
June 4, 2004
Sarah Chauncey, Reel.com

No review available.

Robert Roten
September 14, 2002
Robert Roten, Laramie Movie Scope

No review available.

Philip Martin
July 26, 2002
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

No review available.

David Bezanson
September 26, 2001
David Bezanson, Filmcritic.com

Click to read the article Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • The Sound of Music
    The Sound of Music (67%)
  • The Music Man
    The Music Man (89%)
  • Carousel
    Carousel (100%)
  • The King and I
    The King and I (100%)

More Movies like South Pacific

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

South Pacific : Watch Free on TV

South Pacific Trivia

  • "We got sunlight on the sand, we got moonlight on the sea, we got mangoes and bananas you can pick right off a tree." What musical is this from?  Answer »
  • Two youngsters are shipwrecked in the South Pacific and they discover their own sexuality.They are Brooke Shields and..  Answer »
  • Juanita Hall, the actress who played Bloody Mary in the film adaptation of South Pacific, committed suicide a day after production ended. It was rumored to be caused by her love affair with married Rossano Brazzi, a well-known womanizer.  Answer »
  • What does Ensign Nellie Flatbush do in South Pacific ?  Answer »
More South Pacific Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Meet Other Fans

Add South Pacific to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?