Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
166 of 171 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Terrific Adaptation of the Broadway Classic, December 11, 1999
I first saw South Pacific when it was released in 1958 at the age of 10, and remember being totally overwhelmed by the orchestrations, performances and photography. Over the years I have regularly heard the film trashed by critics and many members of the public, so I was curious to see how I would respond to it now when I recently bought the video. Well, maybe it's just me, but I found the film as thrilling and beautiful as I did forty years ago. I agree with everyone else that it was a mistake to use those colored filters in many of the sequences, but the film still packs a heck of an emotional whallop, and I think along with The King and I stands out as the most successful of the Rogers and Hammerstein shows put on film. The weakest of the cast is John Kerr, who is somewhat wooden; however, Juanita Hall is magnificent as Bloody Mary (she will never be surpassed in the role she createwd on Braodway), Rossano Brazzi is thoroghly convincing as Emille DeBeque (even if he was dubbed by Giorgio Tozzi), and Mitzi Gaynor gives an unforgettable performance as Nelly Forbrush. Of all of the criticism one hears of South Pacific, to me the most puzzling is the bashing of Mitzi Gaynor, who to me is not only excellent but perfection in the role. I realize a lot of this probably stems from anger that Mary Martin didn't get the role and is basically sour grapes, but the fact is Ms. Martin was too old to be convincing in 1958. The scenes in which Ms. Gaynor struggles with her small-town prejudices are moving and very real, and when Bloody Mary brings Liat to her to find Lieutenant Cable, who has been killed, it breaks one's heart. Anyway, the movie still knocks me out, even if that makes me, as Nelly Forbrush calls herself, a "knucklehead." The incredible photography, gorgeous music, and theme of the need to triumph over bigotry which is still so relevant even today, makes this film a 5-star winner in my book. As trite as it sounds, "They don't make 'em like that anymore!"
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
 
|
|
|
|
|
|
54 of 55 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
well worth the wait, August 29, 2006
This brand new edition of SOUTH PACIFIC is a must for all fans of the beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein classic. Based on characters and segments from James Michener's "Tales of the South Pacific", the story takes place on the islands during the tail-end of World War II. A pretty young nurse from Arkansas, Ensign Nellie Forbush (Mitzi Gaynor), falls in love with a wealthy French plantation owner Emile de Becque (Rossano Brazzi). Their relationship is tested when she discovers that he fathered two children with a now-dead Polynesian wife, and that he is wanted for the murder of a man in France. As Nellie confronts her own fears and prejudices, the handsome Lt. Joe Cable (John Kerr) falls helplessly in love with Bali Ha'i island beauty Liat (France Nuyen). Filling out the comedy in the tale are Bloody Mary (Juanita Hall), the wheeler-dealer with a heart of pure gold; and Luther Billis (Ray Walston), the tattooed leader of the beach-bound troops.
This DVD has been available for a while in the UK and Australia, and now finally gets a US release this November. The double-disc set includes two versions of the film: the original theatrical cut, and the rarely-seen Roadshow version which runs for 20 minutes longer with material that was subsequently trimmed for the film's general theatrical release. Audio commentary is provided by Ted Chapin and Gerard Alessandrini (original theatrical cut); and Richard Barrios (Roadshow version).
Extra features will include the fascinating "60 Minutes" report by Diane Sawyer with James Michener returning to the islands and reuniting with people that served as the inspirations for characters in the book...including the real Bloody Mary. Vintage performances from the "General Foods" Rodgers & Hammerstein TV tribute (original Broadway leads Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza), two MovieTone news segments and the trailer.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
56 of 60 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More than a love story. And the music is great!, February 9, 2003
With the world a little shaky now, it's a real pleasure to be able to put on a DVD and take a trip down memory lane to 1958 when South Pacific was released in movie theaters. The Rogers and Hammerstein score sets the tone for this musical adaptation of the Broadway show that was based on Tales of the South Pacific" by James Mitchener.The story is set on an island in the South Pacific during WW2. The Japanese are entrenched in a nearby island and are bombing American forces that go near, but life is sweet for the G.I.s at the naval base. Mitzi Gaynor, cast as a nurse, is beginning a romance with an older distinguished French planter played by Rossano Brazzi. John Kerr is a young lieutenant who comes to the island to convince the planter to risk his life to spy for the Americans. And Juanita hall is the older native woman who pushes her daughter, the lovely France Nuyen, at John Kerr. The music is excellent and the words of the songs really do move the story along. The theme however, is more than a love story. It deals with racism and the tragedy of war too. And these themes are what held it all together for me. It's a great human statement surrounded by wonderful familiar melodies that I'm still humming this morning. I loved it. And I didn't even care that, with the exception of Rossano Brazzi and Ray Walston, whose role as a sailor who always has a scheme and adds some really funny comic relief to this tale of love and war, the acting in general was mediocre. Everyone else gave rather stilted performances, and Mitzi Gaynor might be pretty, but she can't quite show a wide range of emotion. Also, the songs were all dubbed and obviously so. But that was the way Hollywood did things in those days. It's also interesting to note what the standard for beauty was in 1958. With the exception of the dancers, it was youth alone and not workouts in the gym that shaped the actors' bodies. Narrow waists were in style for the women, but hips were allowed to flare naturally. I loved South Pacific in spite of its few faults. It was great entertainment even though it didn't make me forget the prospect of war. If you've never seen this film, don't miss it. And if you've seen it before, it's certainly worth a revisit. Highly recommended.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
![The Rodgers & Hammerstein Collection [Remastered] (The Sound of Music / The King and I / Oklahoma! / South Pacific / State Fair / Carousel)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/511PNV6EA1L._SL75_SS50_.jpg)
DVD ~ Gordon MacRae
DVD ~ Yul Brynner
DVD ~ Robert Preston
~ Rodgers & Hammerstein
DVD ~ Gordon MacRae
on 
