KING OF THE CORAL SEA
Australia, 1953, 85 minutes, Black and white.
Chips Rafferty, Charles Tingwell, Rod Taylor, Ilma Adey, Reg Lye.
Directed by Lee Robinson.
King of the Coral Sea was one of several films which Chips Rafferty made with producer-director Lee Robinson. They also made The Phantom Stockman and the more ambitious Walk Into Paradise with its New Guinea settings.
This is a routine action tale of the early '50s, very similar in plot and style to many of the small-budget features from Universal Studios, so popular as second features. The film has interesting Thursday Island settings, has the atmosphere, of life in Torres Strait in the 20th century. It is interesting in its presentation of the relationship between whites and Torres Strait Islanders.
Chips Rafferty is a reliable hero, Rod Taylor strong as his offsider, Charles Tingwell is the proper hero. Reg Lye has a good role as a beachcomber turned mastermind villain.
1. The popularity of Chips Rafferty? His being a symbol of A-Australia? and Australian men? Response in the '50s? Attitudes towards the film now?
2. Black and white photography, Thursday Island, the Torres Strait? Action sequences and pace? Underwater photography? Musical score?
3. A conventional action film and the use of action conventions? American models? The irony of the ending?
4. Thursday Island and the pearl divers, the population, their work, life in the town, its remoteness from the capitals, talk of Sydney and Canberra, talk of Hong Kong?
5. King and his work, crew, the dead man, contact with the police, diving and dangers, equipment, equipment failure, rescues?
6. Chips Rafferty as Ted King; his ship, decisions, his love for his daughter, relationship with Jack, Peter and his slinging off, Yusseph and the hit, the information from the government, top secret? Grundy and his plans? The diving, the island, the kidnapping of his daughter, underwater swimming, the rescue? The finale and its humorous tone?
7. Rod Taylor as Jake: tough, American style, on the crew, friendship with King, interaction, brawling, heroism?
8. Peter as the man from the city, the company man, preparations for his arrival, jokes about him, his strength, new equipment, the lyrical sequences with the crayfish-catching, saving Ted, action, romance?
9. Rusty as pleasant young heroine, helping her father, relationship with him, being kidnapped, rescued, romance with Peter?
10. Sirena and her place on the island, her help, misleading Rusty, misleading Ted, the church and her change of heart?
11. Grundy as the island drunk, his being laughed at, funny? The truth and the irony of his pretence, masterminding the plot, being shot?
12. Yusseph on the boat, as villain, the ending?
13. The theme of migrants, Asian contacts, Hong Kong, using islands as drop-off points? Adventure expectations? Predictable but enjoyable?
