South of Tahiti

South of Tahiti
South of Tahiti
Directed by	George Waggner
Screenplay by	Gerald Geraghty
Story by	Ainsworth Morgan
Produced by	George Waggner
Starring	Brian Donlevy ; Broderick Crawford ; Andy Devine ; Maria Montez
Cinematography	Elwood Bredell
Edited by	Frank Gross
Music by	Frank Skinner
Color process	Black and white
Production; company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	October 17, 1941;
Running time	78 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

South of Tahiti is a 1941 American south seas adventure film directed by George Waggner and starring Brian Donlevy, Broderick Crawford and Andy Devine.^[1] It helped launch fourth-billed Maria Montez as a pin-up star.^[2] The response was such that Universal Pictures then cast her in Arabian Nights.^[3]

Plot

Three pearl hunters wind up stranded on a South Pacific island. While one of them falls in love with the daughter of a tribal leader, his two companions are more concerned with robbing the tribe's golden treasure.

Cast

Brian Donlevy as Bob
Broderick Crawford as Chuck
Andy Devine as Moose
Maria Montez as Melahi
Henry Wilcoxon as Captain Larkin
H. B. Warner as High Chief Kawalima
Armida as Tutara
Abner Biberman as Tahawa
Ignacio Sáenz as Kuala
Frank Lackteen as Besar
Barbara Pepper as Julie
Belle Mitchell as Taupa
Frank Brownlee as Harbor Master
Tom Steele as Brawling Sailor

Production

The film was intended to be Montez's first starring vehicle. It was originally known as Captive Wild Woman and was to star Montez, Brian Donlevy, Broderick Crawford and Andy Devine. Then its name was changed to White Savage. Gerald Geraghty and Ainsworth Morgan were originally reported as working on the script.^[4]

Henry Wilcoxon was then announced for the role of the main villain.^[5] The script was rewritten so his character survived at the end.^[6]

References

^ Fetrow p.471
^ South of Tahiti at Mariamontez.org
^ "Maria Montez Puts Paprika in New Glamor Type: Sensational, but Proper, She Calls Herself". Chicago Daily Tribune. 15 November 1942. p. H10.
^ DOUGLAS W. CHURCHILL (Aug 25, 1941). "SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD: Olivia de Havilland Gets Lead in 'The Male Animal,' Which is Set to Start Today SIX NEW FILMS DUE HERE ' Whistling in the Dark,' 'Dive Bomber' and 'Wild Geese Calling' to Arrive". New York Times. p. 18.
^ Scheuer, Philip K. (Sep 5, 1941). "Jed Harris Finally Signs for Movie Duty: Barnes, Truex Paired Also Landis, Shepperd Columbia Gets 'Pal Joey' Juvenile Film Planned Wilcoxon Awarded Lead". Los Angeles Times. p. 12.
^ "Tender-Hearted". Los Angeles Times. Sep 25, 1941. p. A10.

Bibliography

Fetrow, Alan G. Feature Films, 1940-1949: a United States Filmography. McFarland, 1994.

External links

South of Tahiti at IMDb
South of Tahiti at the TCM Movie Database
Review of film at Variety
South Seas Cinema

This article about an adventure film is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] Fetrow p.471

[2] South of Tahiti at Mariamontez.org

[universal-3] "Maria Montez Puts Paprika in New Glamor Type: Sensational, but Proper, She Calls Herself". Chicago Daily Tribune. 15 November 1942. p. H10.

[4] DOUGLAS W. CHURCHILL (Aug 25, 1941). "SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD: Olivia de Havilland Gets Lead in 'The Male Animal,' Which is Set to Start Today SIX NEW FILMS DUE HERE ' Whistling in the Dark,' 'Dive Bomber' and 'Wild Geese Calling' to Arrive". New York Times. p. 18.

[5] Scheuer, Philip K. (Sep 5, 1941). "Jed Harris Finally Signs for Movie Duty: Barnes, Truex Paired Also Landis, Shepperd Columbia Gets 'Pal Joey' Juvenile Film Planned Wilcoxon Awarded Lead". Los Angeles Times. p. 12.

[6] "Tender-Hearted". Los Angeles Times. Sep 25, 1941. p. A10.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]