BIRD OF PARADISE

US, 1932, 80 minutes, Black and white.
Dolores Del Rio, Joel Mc Crea.
Directed by King Vidor.

Bird of Paradise is an early sound film – and looks and sounds it. However, it was directed by King Vidor who had shown such skill for many years in silent films, The Crowd, and in the sound era through the decades with Stella Dallas, Duel in the Sun, the Audrey Hepburn- Henry Fonda War and Peace.

The film showed the interest in the South Seas and exotic locations at the time. Flaherty’s Moana and Pabst Tabu had been released in the years before Bird of Paradise. The South Sea settings became ever more popular with Dorothy Lamour, John Hall and Maria Montez, with popular films like South of Pago Pago with Frances Farmer to more serious films like Mutiny on the Bounty, with the establishment of the community on Pitcairn Island through Fletcher Christian, and John Ford’s Hurricane.

The screenplay, in retrospect, seems to take a condescending attitude towards the natives of the South Pacific – idealising them as perfectly happy yet critical of their superstitions and the rituals and behaviour. The film has a contemporary setting, a luxury yacht going to the islands, the Americans superior to the natives and, eventually, wanting to take the heroine back to America.

Most of the film is a lyrical love affair between Dolores Del Rio as Joel Mc Crea as one of the sailors. This is the Fletcher Christian type of experience. However, Luana is the daughter of the king, is forbidden to have any relationship with a white visitor, has to be the victim to the gods when the volcano erupts. However, she is able to rescue Joel Mc Crea who ultimately dies. She then offers herself in self-sacrifice.

For those who enjoy this South Seas adventure – but a little creaky by later standards. It was remade nineteen years later in colour with Debra Paget and Louis Jourdan.

1.An entertaining film of the 30s? Its technical side of the 30s? Direction, sound engineering, performance?

2.Hollywood interest in the South Seas? This a contemporary story rather than historical? The sailors, the wealthy Americans? The encounter with the natives? The clash of cultures?

3.The black and white photography, studio sets, special effects, the volcano? The choreography (seeming more like Broadway than anthropological)?

4.The attitude of the screenplay towards the South Sea islanders, seeing them living in a paradise, yet seemingly primitive, superstitions, rituals? The superiority of American culture and wealth?

5.The yacht, the sailors, going into the bay, through the narrows? John and his expertise? The encounter with the natives, friendliness? The natives swimming and diving for gifts? Luana amongst them? The shark, John falling overboard, Luana rescuing him?

6.The language barrier – and the film not making the easy switch to English? Luana taking time to learn English?

7.The celebrations, the rituals, the dancing? John picking up Luana, the king and his reaction? The explanation of the customs?

8.Luana, daughter of the king, her swimming? The life together, the swimming (and the frankness and explicitness pre-Code)?

9.The eruption of the volcano, the traditions, Luana to be the victim? John and his trying to help her, his swimming, the whirlpool? His being saved by Luana?

10.John, rescued by the boat, his death? Luana and her grief? The possibility of her going to America?

11.Luana, her self-sacrifice, the volcano, robed for the ceremony, with her father, going to her death?

12.Popular melodramatic story and style of the period?