SOUTH PACIFIC
US, 2001, 125 minutes, Colour.
Glenn Close, Harry Connick Jnr, Rade Serbedgia, Jack Thompson, Simon Burke, Steve Bastoni, Henri Szeps.
Directed by Richard Pearce.
This version of South Pacific was filmed in Queensland. It has quite a number of Australians in the supporting cast including Jack Thompson (doing his American accent from films such as Broken Arrow, The Last Dance, Original Sin), Simon Burke and Steve Bastoni.
The film is a star vehicle for Glenn Close who acted as executive producer. She is very good as Nellie Forbush, the head nurse on an island in the South Pacific during World War Two. It gives audiences the opportunity to hear her sing, not often available except in the television version of Barnum. She created the role of Norma Desmond in Andrew Lloyd Weber's Sunset Boulevard. Harry Connick Jnr is a genial Joe Cable. The big surprise in the casting is Rade Serbedgia. Normally he appears as a gangster or a tough as in The Saint and Mighty Joe Young. However, when one looks at the character of Emile Lebecq, one sees that he is not the refined aristocrat like Rossano Brazzi in the 1958 version. Rather, he grew up in a tough area outside Marseilles, killed a man in a card game with a knife, worked in the Pacific as a planter and lived a rough life. He also joins with Lieutenant Cable in a mission against the Japanese. This is visualised and Serbedgia gives a different dimension to Emile Lebecq. His singing voice is not operatic and therefore seems more normal in the circumstances.
The film was directed by Richard Pearce, director of such films about the American countryside and the past as Northern Lights, Country, The Long Walk Home. However, he also directed an action film with Richard Gere in No Mercy.
The decision of the producers and the writer, Lawrence D. Cohen, is to make the film as realistic, naturalistic as possible. In fact, it could stand as a television movie about World War Two without the songs. This gives the film a more solid background of credible drama, credible characters. While they do move into song, they do not burst into song as in past musicals. And, with the exception of I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair, none of the songs goes to fadeout. Rather, they are presented as part of the drama. This works particularly well and makes this version of South Pacific very enjoyable. One criticism would be that some of the songs are presented very briefly, especially the dramatic songs of You've Got to be Taught, sung by Cable, This Nearly was Mine sung by Lebecq. (There was a television version of a recording by Kiri Te Kanawa as Nellie Forbush, Jose Carreras as Lebecq and Mandy Patinkin as Cable - his version of You've Got to be Taught was extremely powerful, and dramatic.)
Criticism of the 1958 version, directed with Broadway panache by Joshua Logan, was that it sidestepped the race issue. This film does not. There is a fuller background given to the Chinese culture of Bloody Mary and her daughter, the Lieutenant Cable romance with her daughter is strong and he makes a decision not to return to the US where he had previously feared taking such a bridge because "they" would criticise. The racism inherent in Nellie Forbush is also brought to the fore, her being unable to give any solid reason but just feeling a prejudice against coloured people. While this is resolved, it makes for a stronger drama (and reminds audiences that Rodgers and Hammerstein treated the same issues in The King and I).
The 1958 film disturbed audiences with its succession of changing colours. The realism of this film makes it much more accessible and enjoyable.
1. The popularity of Rodgers and Hammerstein? South Pacific? The Pulitzer Prize novel by James A. Michener? The adaptation by Rodgers and Hammerstein, for the Broadway stage in the 50s, for the screen in the 50s? An adaptation and modernisation for the 21st century?
2. The quality of Richard Rodgers' music, the impact of Oscar Hammerstein's lyrics? For comedy, for drama, for sentiment, for issues of racism?
3. World War Two, the presence of the Americans, away from home? The film capturing this atmosphere, the rookies and their first Thanksgiving away from America, the nurses on duty, the military command? The base on the island? The invasion of the Japanese, the bombers coming and the preparation of the tarmac? The special mission to scout what the Japanese were doing, its dangers? The waging of World War Two against the Japanese in the Pacific and the role of the Americans?
4. The realism of the locations, the film made on so many outside locations including beaches? The base itself, the officers' rooms, the mess, the concert, the shower block? On the Island of Bali Ha'i? Authentic atmosphere, naturalistically photographed? The war action sequences, the flying, the shooting, the undercover work on the island, the escape?
5. The focus on the three central characters? Nellie Forbush, Glenn Close's age, older than Mitzi Gaynor in the original? This giving her more experience, and a more natural relationship with Emile? Little Rock, her saying she was a hick, her bursting out like a southerner? Getting on with the nurses, with the officers, showing the recruits around? Her support of Cable? Her meeting Lebecq, attracted? Her going to his house, the dinner? The return, her being asked to spy on him by Brackett? The discovery of his children, her racial prejudice, her fleeing? At the concert, Honeybun? His flowers, her turning him down? With her friend, talking, her being ashamed of herself? The coming to her senses, going to the children, staying at Emile's home? The return and her future? The range of songs illustrating her character, Cockeyed Optimist, I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair, I'm in Love, Some Enchanted Evening, Dites Moi?
6. Emile Lebecq, the casting of Rade Serbedgia? A more rugged individual and a credible past? His story of his life, growing up, the killing, his coming to the islands, his relationships with women, his love for the children's mother, his love for the children? Waiting for a person like Nellie? Attracted when he met her, the meal, Some Enchanted Evening? Singing Dites Moi with the children? His invitations to Nellie, her turning him down? The dinner, the friends, showing her the children? His being hurt by her prejudice? Discussions with Cable, going to the concert, offering the bouquet? Her refusal? His decision to go on the mission with Cable? Their radio messages, getting off the island, his return home? The importance of Some Enchanted Evening, This Nearly Was Mine?
7. Cable, youth, background, action on Guadalcanal? Coming in as adviser? His relationship with the men, ticking them off about their racism, their bashing him? His friendship with Luther Billis? Going to the island, the talking with Bloody Mary, his letter home, learning about the islands, her background? Going to the island, her giving her daughter, the sexual encounter, its effect on him, the return? His inability to marry her and take her back to America? The discussions with Nellie? Singing Younger Than Springtime, You Have to be Carefully Taught? Going on the mission, with Emile, the escape, standing on the mine? His being representative of the young Americans of the period?
8. Bloody Mary, her Chinese background, the deals and the bargains, Happy Talk? Her singing Bali Ha'i and intriguing Cable? On the island with her daughter? Her reaction to his refusal to marry her daughter?
9. Luther Billis, the conman of the island, his deals? Being Honeybun at the concert? Going on the mission, his throwing the smoke to the Japanese enabling the escape? The hero unexpectedly?
10. Brackett, in command, decisions, plans, the building of the tarmac? His assistant? The discussion with Emile and his refusal to go on the mission? Changing the tactic? Eventual success?
11. The portrait of the men, Marines and soldiers away from home, attitudes, behaviour - There is Nothing Like a Dame? The nurses, their work, I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair? Honeybun? The new nurses arriving?
12. Memories of World War Two, a touch of nostalgia via the musical, a glimpse of the action via the drama, the interpersonal relationships at the time?
