Pearl of the South Pacific

Pearl of the South Pacific is a 1955 American adventure film directed by Allan Dwan and written by Jesse L. Lasky, Jr. and Talbot Jennings. The film stars Virginia Mayo, Dennis Morgan, David Farrar, Murvyn Vye, and Lance Fuller. The film was released on July 4, 1955, by RKO Radio Pictures.[1][2][3] It was based on a story by Anna Hunger.[4]

Pearl of the South Pacific
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAllan Dwan
Produced byBenedict Bogeaus
Screenplay byJesse L. Lasky, Jr.
Talbot Jennings
Story byAnna Hunger
StarringVirginia Mayo
Dennis Morgan
David Farrar
Murvyn Vye
Lance Fuller
Music byLouis Forbes
CinematographyJohn Alton
Edited byJames Leicester
Carlo Lodato
Production
company
Benedict Bogeaus Production
Distributed byRKO Radio Pictures
Release date
  • July 4, 1955 (1955-07-04)
Running time
86 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Dan Merrill awakens on his boat after a night of drinking to find his former love, Rita Delaine, there with his partner, Bully Hague. Appealing to his greed, Rita and Bully coax him into coming along to an island where supposedly they can dive for a hidden treasure of rare black pearls.

On the island, high priest Michael, a white man, has a son, George, who is about to marry Momu, the daughter of Halemano, the native chief. The arrival of the boat carrying Dan, Rita, and Bully interrupts the wedding ceremony. Before the interlopers can be repelled, Rita poses as a missionary and George, who has never seen the outside world, persuades his father to welcome her to their isle.

After a prank during which her clothes are stolen, Rita ingratiates herself with the natives and infatuates George. He shows her a lagoon where the pearls can be found but refuses to dive, calling it taboo. Rita laughs and dives in, only to encounter a giant, deadly octopus.

Dan and Bully become more aggressive in seeking the pearls. Dan goes to the lagoon with George and together they slay the octopus. George does another dive for the pearls after making a deal with Bully for him to leave but Bully then stabs him in the back and takes the pearls. The natives come after the newcomers and kill Bully with a spear. Halemano also orders Rita to be put to death, but Dan rescues her. He gives back the pearls, however, and decides with Rita to remain there, living on the island, rather than sail away.

Cast

References
  1. "Pearl of the South Pacific (1955) - Overview - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  2. "Pearl Of The South Pacific". TV Guide. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  3. "Movie Review - Pearl of the South Pacific (1955) The Screen; 'Pearl of the South Pacific' at Palace". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  4. Goble, Alan (2011). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. p. 904. ISBN 978-3-11-095194-3. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
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