THE HURRICANE
US, 1937, 110 minutes, Black and White.
Dorothy Lamour, Jon Hall, C. Aubrey Smith, Mary Astor, Raymond Massey, Thomas Mitchell, John Carradine, Jerome Cowan.
Directed by John Ford
The Hurricane is a John Ford film, an adventure set in Polynesia, a variation on his western themes which were soon to become a focus of his film-making with Stagecoach the following year.
The basic plot is rather creaky: a romantic picture of the South Sea Islands, autocratic French rule with an emphasis on law rather than justice, a group of estranged Europeans on the South Seas, the South Sea Islanders themselves losing their idyllic world. Into this screenplay comes an extraordinary hurricane which changes the island, destroying it, yet giving the islanders some kind of freedom as the French authority is forced to focus on justice rather than the letter of the law.
The hurricane sequences are quite spectacular, directed by James Basevi who had been responsible for the fire in In Old Chicago, the earthquake in San Francisco and the locust plague in The Good Earth. The screenplay is by Dudley Nichols, regular screenwriter for Ford.
The film introduced Dorothy Lamour and her sarong, gave a good role to Jon Hall who was to be an action star during the '40s. However, it is the strong supporting cast which makes a difference: Raymond Massey as the governor and Mary Astor as his wife, Thomas Mitchell as the alcoholic doctor, John Carradine as the guard and C. Aubrey Smith as the dedicated priest.
The film was remade in the late '70s on location, with a spectacular hurricane - but it made little impact in its time. Its stars were Mia Farrow, Jason Robards, Trevor Howard and Dayton Ka'ne.
1.Entertaining South Sea adventure? Themes of the colonial European authorities and the islanders? Natural disasters - and the possibilities for change?
2.Black and white photography, the Hawaiian locations? The beaches, the islands? The villages and the ritual customs? The special effects for the hurricane itself? The musical score?
3.The title and the focus on the hurricane, the dangers in the islands, the response of the islanders, of the European settlers? The destructiveness and cleansing of the hurricane?
4.The colonial background, French authorities, the letter of the law instead of justice? Not understanding the islanders? Their customs? Their being Christianised? The contrast with the Catholic ceremonies and moving into the traditional ceremonies as for the wedding? The life of the expatriates and their trying to preserve France in the South Pacific?
5.Marama (and Dorothy Lamour's career) and Terangi (and Jon Hall's career)? The Hollywood stars as islanders? The idyllic life, the customs, the betrothal? Terangi on the ship, working as a white sailor on a white ship? Diving overboard, the return to the island? The wedding ceremony? The clash with the authorities, Terangi required on the boat? His arrest, imprisonment? The humiliation, the cell, his attempts to escape, the increase in his sentence? The authorities, Mr De Lage and his severity? The guard and his brutality? The years passing? Marama at home, the consolation from the church, the help from Father Paul? The doctor and his help? The birth of the child, growing up? The escape of Terangi, the violence and the authorities searching for him? The islanders sending the message, Father Paul rescuing him from the sea? The governor and his severe attitude? The coming of the hurricane, Terangi saving Marama and Mrs De Lage, tying her to the tree? The subsiding of the hurricane? De Lage's return, finding his wife? Letting Terangi and Marama go free? Their new life?
6.De Lage, his style, authority, autocratic? French traditions? Hosting meals? The return of his wife? His severity towards Terangi? The passing of the years, the escape attempts? Discussions with Father Paul, upbraiding Father Paul for helping Terangi? Searching for him, missing the hurricane, his grief for his wife, the search, finding her? His change of heart? Mrs De Lage, her life on the island, devotion to her husband? Concern for Terangi and Marama? The experience of the hurricane?
7.Father Paul, kindly, the French missionary, the role of the Catholic church, Christianising Polynesian customs? His help of Terangi? Taking the people to the church, holding them together, the destruction of the church?
8.The doctor, sailing past the island, telling the story to the tourist? His own years on the islands? Drinking? Concern for Terangi? Arguments with De Lage? Surviving?
9.The prison, the guards, the brutality of the Europeans towards the islanders? The contrast with the captain of the ship and his concern and help for Terangi?
10.Popular ingredients of South Sea Island films since the '30s? The establishing of the conventions in the hurricane? Their becoming conventions, even cliches afterwards?
