SOUTH SEA WOMAN
US, 1953, 99 minutes, Black and white.
Burt Lancaster, Virginia Mayo, Chuck Conners, Arthur Shields, Leon Askin.
Directed by Arthur Lubin.
South Sea Woman was released the same year as Burt Lancaster’s classic, From Here to Eternity. You would not think so, considering Lancaster is a rather stolid presence in this film (with bursts of his old-style action). It was directed by Arthur Lubin who directed a number of the Abbott and Costello comedies and the Francis series.
It is a World War II story, starting with a court-martial with a huge list of crimes with which Lancaster was being charged. Eventually, the story is told in flashbacks and an entirely different interpretation, favourable, was put on all the events leading to the charges. Virginia Mayo is a showgirl stranded in Shanghai and caught up in the events as she tries to get back to the United States prior to Pearl Harbor, and proposed to by Chuck Connors.
The main part of the action is a series of accidents culminating in some noble World War II activity against the Japanese and Guadalcanal.
1. A 1950s entertainment, Burt Lancaster, Virginia Mayo? Chuck Connors at the beginning of his career?
2. Black-and-white photography, the courts, the flashbacks to Shanghai, on the open seas, Pacific islands? Musical score?
3. The provocative title – with minimal reference to characters and situations?
4. The court-martial, the judges, the O’ Hearn being brought in, his standing mute? The defence appointee? The range of witnesses, overt hostility? His wanting to preserve Ginger? His wanting to save Dave’s reputation? His intervening in the cross-examination?
5. The serious young judge, no sense of humour, no experience? The other judges and their beginning to enjoy the rollicking story?
6. Ginger, witness, taking photos, stranded in Shanghai, wanting to get out, with Dave, his proposal, getting away from the club boss and the shooting? Stealing the owner’s boat? The collapse of the hotel? Their missing their ship, stranded, floating in the sea, rescued by the Chinese junk, the fights, the junk set alight, arriving at the island? Wanting to get married, the captain of the ship, the ceremonials on the island?
7. Davey, marine, action man, in love with Ginger, wanting to bring her back to America, the clashes with O’ Hearn overturned, sharing the adventures, trying to get married, pretending to be a deserter on the island, the challenge to go into action, on the cruiser, his love for Ginger, clashes with O’ Hearn, his heroism in taking the TNT onto the Japanese ship, his death, rehabilitation?
8. O’ Hearn, a Burt Lancaster character, his interventions, clashes with Ginger, the fight, the collapse of the hotel into the sea, the escape on the boat, the junk, fighting and the fire, on the island, the madam and her three nieces, the allegedly Dutch leader, his being a German, his cargo, the head of the island and the Vichy French, interrupting the wedding ceremony and in disguise, the plan to get out, freeing the loyal French, the embezzler from Seattle, the alcoholic Australian, the former pilot for the Marines? The fights, the escape?
9. At sea, Guadalcanal, the Japanese boats, the attack and the fight, Davey’s death? Ginger on board? The heroism of the crew?
10. The court case, the Vichy leader and his testimony, the madam, the vindication of O’ Hearn?
11. The happy ending and the marriage proposal?
