Bird of Paradise (1951 film)

Plot

Andre Laurence (Jourdan) takes a trip to a Polynesian island with his college roommate Tenga (Chandler). He assumes the native life and marries his friend's sister, Kalua. An eruption of a volcano and the Kahuna, the island's shaman, decides that the volcano can be appeased with the sacrifice of Kalua.

Cast

O'ahu native Queenie Ventura (married name Dowsett), born 1930, half pure Hawaiian and half Portuguese, joined the cast as a featured dancer and the local lead actress.

Production

The movie was announced in May 1950. It reunited several personnel from Broken Arrow including Deborah Paget, Delmer Daves and Jeff Chandler. Chandler joked that his character was a variation on his performance as Cochise in Broken Arrow.

The story is really about a conflict of worlds in 1850: a primitive people who live by their beliefs and the civilisation - in quotes - brought by the white man. The problem is never resolved; even marriage can't do it - but... we used some wonderful locations and the scenery is breathtakingly beautiful.

Sterling Hayden was mentioned as a possibility for the male lead. Eventually Louis Jourdan was cast. Delmer Daves claims he wrote "a practically new story" from the play. It was Maurice Schwartz's second movie role.

The film was shot on location in Hawaii starting in August 1950. Key locations were Hanalei Bay, Waikiki, Kona Coast and Volcano.

Chandler had to be flown back every weekend to Los Angeles in order to fulfill his radio commitment to Our Miss Brooks.

Critical response

When the film was released, The New York Times film critic Bosley Crowther panned the film, writing, "There is certainly nothing original—or particularly blissful, we would say—about the romantic tumble here taken by a visiting white man for a beauteous native maid...Unfortunately, Delmer Daves, who directed and wrote the script, either didn't or wasn't permitted to pitch the whole film in this slyly kidding vein. And the consequence is a rambling mishmosh of South Sea romance and travesty, of solemn high-priesting and low clowning, of never-never spectacle and sport."

On the other hand, the staff at Variety magazine gave the film a favorable review, writing, "Richard Walton Tully's old legit piece, Bird of Paradise, makes another trip to the screen in a refurbished version. Previous filming of the play was in 1932 and, while Delmer Daves' version deviates from the Tully form, the essentials of the drama are still there, plus a beautiful Technicolor camera job, haunting island music and the use of actual locales...Paget hits a high level in her performance as the Princess Kalua. She, as well as the other players give their characters considerable sincerity. Jourdan is an excellent choice as the island visitor, as is Chandler as the prince."