I'm an anthropologist and have been one for over 30 years. One of the reasons I decided to study this field, believe it or not, were the island films. They fascinated me as a kid. This one is no exception. I saw it in '51 at least a dozen times. I ate it up and craved more. Also, I lapped up the Dottie Lamour and Jon Hall films as well as Burt Lancaster's His Majesty O'Keefe. Well, truth is I never got to the islands during all of my professional career. The closest was a port of call at Pearl Harbor on the way to Japan when I was in the Navy. But, the portrayal of these people, however flawed in detail it was, started me on the road to finding out about how we humans differ and yet, are really the same. I loved this film. It has much to offer. No, it's not perfect and I concur with the reviewer from Spain on Chandler's wooden dancing, but with that iron-grey hair and dark Jewish face, he did make a convincing Polynesian. Too, let's not overlook the hamboning of old Maurice Schwartz, some good villainous moments by Jack Elam and a dark, mysterious presentation by the veteran actor, Everett Sloane. Jourdan was French and charming and Debra Paget was beautiful. That alone was worth the price of admission.
Review of Bird of Paradise
