South Pacific: From Stage to Screen

The Cast				Stage to Screen
The Crew				The Store
The Songs				The Links

THE CAST

Rossano Brazzi .... Emile de Becque

Mitzi Gaynor .... Ensign Nellie Forbush, USN

John Kerr .... Lieutenant Joseph Cable, USMC

Ray Walston .... Luther Billis

Juanita Hall .... Bloody Mary

France Nuyen .... Liat

Russ Brown .... Captain George Brackett, USN

Floyd Simmons .... Commander Bill Harbison, USN

Tom Laughlin .... Lt. Buzz Adams

Jack Mullaney .... The Professor

Ken Clark .... Stewpot

Candace Lee .... Ngana

Archie Savage .... Ceremonial Dance Chief

Warren Hsieh .... Jerome

Francis Kahele .... Henry - Emile's Servant

Robert Jacobs .... 1st Comnmunications Man

John Gabriel .... 2nd Communcations Man

Richard Harrison .... Co-Pilot

Ron Ely .... Navigator

Steve Wiland .... Seabee Dancer

Richard H. Cutting .... Admiral Kester

Joe Bailey .... U.S. Commander

Buck Class .... Fighter Pilot

Richard Kiser .... Fighter Pilot

Linc Foster .... Pilot in Hospital

Doug McClure .... Pilot in Hospital

Stephen Ferry .... Pilot in Hospital

rest of cast listed alphabetically

Beverly Aadland .... Nurse in Thanksgiving Show

Darleen Engle .... Nurse in Thanksgiving Show

Joan Fontaine .... Polynesian Woman

Ed Fury .... Bit Part (uncredited)

Bill Lee .... Lieutenant Joseph Cable, USMC
(singing voice) (uncredited)

Muriel Smith .... Bloody Mary
(singing voice) (uncredited)

James Stacy

Giorgio Tozzi .... Emile de Becque
(singing voice)

THE CREW

	Directed by		Joshua Logan
	Writing credits		Oscar Hammerstein II (play) Joshua Logan (play) James Michener (novel Tales of the South Pacific) Paul Osborn
	Produced by		Buddy Adler
	Original music by		Richard Rodgers
	Cinematography by		Leon Shamroy
	Film Editing by		Robert L. Simpson
	Art Direction		John DeCuir Lyle R. Wheeler John de Cuir
	Set Decoration		Paul S. Fox Walter M. Scott
	Costume Design by		Dorothy Jeakins
	Makeup Department		Ben Nye Helen Turpin
	Assistant Director		Ben Kadish
	Sound Department		Fred Hynes Joseph I. Kane
	photographic effects		L.B. Abbott
	music editor		George Adams
	orchestrator		Robert Russell Bennett
	music arranger: choral and vocal arrangements		Ken Darby
	color consultant		Leonard Doss
	orchestrator		Pete King
	music editor		Robert Mayer
	orchestrator		Bernard Mayers
	music supervisor		Alfred Newman Edward B. Powell
	choreographer		Le Roy Prinz

THE Songs

The Overture

The beautiful Overture of South Pacific is played over the opening credits. Here is also the introduction of one of the strangest elements of the film, the color filter. Used throughout the film, these filters may have been of interest some time back but upon today's viewing, it is used often and without reason. Perhaps they bought 20 filters and decided to use them all, no matter how appropriate it was to the scenes. More on that later on.

Bloody Mary

The first vocal in the film is sung by the Seabees about a tonkanese trader, a woman named Bloody Mary. Our director, Joshua Logan has such a strong theatrical background that occasionally it gets in the way. Here we see Mary reacting and grunting laughter to the offscreen singers but only occasionally get a glimpse of them. When the 'dance section' occurs the widescreen is filled with the men dancing festively around and restores a normalcy to the number. The song culminates with the introduction of Luther Billis (Ray Walston), the person to go to for everything.

There is Nothin' Like a Dame

This very funny song fares much better on stage. Logan's 'stand around-ography' is marred even more by several cuts between the performers. Additionally, the song is obviously recorded in a studio and, with the exception of Billis, the voices seem to belong to the wrong people. The song is interrupted by a troupe of nurses jogging down the beach. The pacing during this point in the song is nothing short of amateur. The humor is missing from the song and is replaced by a couple unbelievably gorgeous shots of the island.

Bali Ha'i

Well, since Mary got so much screen time during the guys earlier song, now, when she sings, we see Lt. Cable standing like a statue while the different color filters pass over the screen. In fact, at least once during the song they attach and repeat the same scene one in back of the other. He's so still that it is hardly noticeable. Mary's voice was dubbed so this might be why we so little of the singer. But when she is seen, Juanita Hall does a good job of creating mystery, no matter what hue the picture is.

A Cockeyed Optimist

This cute song is well lip synched by Mitzi Gaynor but is presented as either a facial close-up of her or a 'falling in love' shot of Emile DeBecque. Pretty boring for an entire song. (And the colored filter is once again a curiosity...)

Twin Soliloquies

This song and the piece of dialogue that follows are the setup for Some Enchanted Evening. But the presentation is one of thoughts. We see the peoples faces but the voices are their thoughts. Both performers do a great job of conveying the hidden voices thoughts but, its not much to watch... On the positive side, the scenery and photography are beautiful. Colored Filter Alert!

Some Enchanted Evening

This beautiful song is richly orchestrated and performed by Giorgio Tozzi. The visuals are static but pretty, even when viewed through the Yellow Filter. Ironically, at the songs end, the colored filter is quickly removed and the beautiful sharpness of the film is restored... until the next filter...

Dites Moi

Emile and his children sing this little french ditty. To me, this is the first piece that really works on film and its a throw away... No colored filters, beautiful cinematography and a real relationship between Daddy and the kids.

I'm Gonna Wash That Man
Right Outta My Hair

So, by now we can see a pattern forming. the filmmakers were so conscious of portraying the island as a paradise, they avoided the humanity and humor provided to them in the play. No worries. This song is now portrayed as cute and Gaynor gives us a glimpse of musical comedy.

A Wonderful Guy

An amazing decision to cast a dancer in the role of Nellie Forbush and have her stand still during most of her numbers. While singing so still, Gaynor looks like someone giving an editorial on public television. This song does have a brief dance break but it is used for character movement as opposed to dance.

Younger Than Springtime

The whole Bali Ha'i section could be very beautiful and the attention to detail is wonderful. But, that detail is washed out in the color washes that have marred the entire film. Still, this song is so beautifully sung (By Bill Lee who also did the Captain's singing voice in The Sound of Music) that for a moment we are watching the film for the right reason. The wonderful music by Richard Rodgers. The song is sung to Liat, Bloody Mary's daughter who Lt. Cable met a good 40 seconds before he sings to her.

Twin Soliliquies
A Wonderful Guy
A Cockeyed Optimist
Some Enchanted Evening
(All brief reprises)

A big party at Emile's house has ended and Nellie and he are alone at last. Several songs are reprised here and if I may be grumpy, somewhat inappropriately. (Why would they sing Cockeyed Optimist?) Additionally, Nellie has dialogue saying that she and Emile are people who 'get really excited about things'. She obviously had not seen the final cut of the film because his excitement level is as dormant as Bali Ha'i's twin volcanoes. This is how we end the first Act of the film. Cross your fingers for Act Two.

Entr'acte

Over the glorious Entr'acte we see Lt Cable arriving back on Bali Ha'i to see Liat. Typical muted visuals. By now, the colored filters make the film look old and deteriorated.

Happy Talk

This really works. I mean it. When compared with all that preceeded, this song allows for the static camera close-up to work. Liat does a small child-like pantomime that shares some charm and beauty. By the time Bloody Mary joins her dance, the song has blossomed. Of course, the scene that follows the song is one of the most embarrasing on film record, but while this song is on, all is well with Bali Ha'i.

Honey Bun

Tis a shame. This number should be a fun distraction from all the heavy drama that has been prevelant the past hour or so. But the fun is gone. Gaynor is fine in sailor garb. Walston is given a bum rap however as 'Honey Bun' wearing a grass skirt and a coconut bikini top. Firstly, the film has not introduced him as an endearing person but rather as someone who is calculating and dark. So, when he comes out in costume, the feel is one of indifference. Secondly, the crowd's negative reaction to Billis' 'performance' in the show is ugly. The last half of the song is overpowered by cat calls and thrown objects (including a dart that lands in Luther's rear end. Funny?) But, most importantly, it fails the story. Just 3 minutes earlier, Nellie, in a deep depression, was given a 'these men need this show' speech to cheer her up. But I find their reaction as a poor example of appreciation. (People yelling "Get off the stage"?) This belittles her accomplishment. Maybe she should be crying after all.

My Girl Back Home

This song was cut from the stage production and restored for the film. It can cause confusion so the cut seems logical. Here we find out that Lt Cable has a girl at home that he likes so the relationship with Liat loses its importance. Still, the number is well sung by Bill Lee even if John Kerr's performance is stiff.

You've Got to be Carefully Taught

Cable sings this learned song to his elder. It seems like it should be reversed, but, eh. Never allowed to disappoint, nothing spectacular happens.

This Was Nearly Mine

The last song of the film (with the exception of a brief 'Dites Moi' reprise) comes half an hour from the end. Rodgers and Hammerstein at their best, joined by a great vocal performance. Yet again, Joshua Logan is trapped by his own vision. Maybe someone will remake the film...

Stage
to Screen

Following the film success of Oklahoma, it only seemed natural to film yet another of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musicals. And what more visual story than South Pacific. Much of the film was done on the Hawaiin Island of Kauai With only some studio work.

The film was shot completely in Todd-AO, A 65 millimeter process that allowed for great crispness and detail in a widescreen format. This might also be the culprit for some of the elements of the film that seem uninspired. The camera was a big, cumbersome thing and much of the film was shot on location. So, it is possible that some of what looks like uninspired camerawork could just be limitation on the setup of the TODD-AO.

Logan also insisted on the soundtrack be completed befor ethey started shooting. This way, performers could synch to the final product even when on location in the islands. This idea seems half-baked when watching the film where voices do not match the heads they are supposed to emerge from. That is only one of Logan's questionable decisions. He was a wonderful man and an incredible force on the stage, but little of that value exists in the film South Pacific.

The casting was another enigma. Only Mitzi Gaynor supplied her own singing, all others were voiced by someone else. In fact, Juanita Hill- who originated the role of Bloody Mary on Broadway, was dubbed by Muriel Smith, who portrayed Bloody Mary in London. Most of the male performances are extremely rigid. The set must have been so mellow that energy is rarely seen onscreen.

Finally, the worst element of the film is the use of colored filters. In what must have been a spark of innovation, these filters now harken back to the color toned silent films. Hardly ever does the filter work to good effect.

Still, the show itself is a great show, even when performed by a community theatre and the music by Rodgers and Hammerstein is top notch, and well preserved musically on film... Seen through a kaleidoscope of strange hues.

If you would like to discuss
South Pacific or suggest another musical
contact Glenn Whelan here
glenn whelan

Luther Billis'
underground
Trading Post


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