HURRICANE is not a great film, but it sure IS entertaining. Some of the scenes and situations are ludicrous (Jason Robards has the hots for his daughter, Mia Farrow) and the dialogue is often hilarious. But if you stick around, you'll find that the production values are astonishing. Among the talents behind the camera are Jan Troell (THE EMIGRANTS, THE NEW LAND), who directed; Sven Nykvist (cinematographer for many of Ingmar Berman's later films) who filmed on location in the South Pacific; and Nino Rota, who wrote a lovely, haunting musical theme. The performances aren't so bad (considering the dialogue) and the special effects at the end show you why this was one of the most expensive films of its day.
21 Reviews
HURRICANE (Jan Troell, 1979) **
Bunuel19766 May 2008
In view of the disaster-movie cycle of the 1970s, somebody got the bright idea of remaking the John Ford classic THE HURRICANE (1937) lavishing on it a considerable budget, a handful of stars, and the best that special effects wizardry could afford at the time; however, the end result was so dreadful (and old-fashioned) that the film proved a notorious flop!
The setting (adapted from a book by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall, best-known for another adventure with an exotic backdrop, "Mutiny On The Bounty") is a South Sea island run by the American Navy; the arrival of the Governor's daughter causes a commotion the newly-crowned native King forsakes his local girl for the white woman's charms; this obviously creates problems between the two sets of inhabitants, who do not wish to have their blood mingle but, before the situation can be resolved, the Forces of Nature contrive to mete out their own form of justice (via the titular catastrophe).
Jason Robards Jr. is the Governor, Mia Farrow his daughter, and Dayton Kane the young ruler; besides, Max von Sydow is a doctor, Trevor Howard a priest, Timothy Bottoms a Navy officer (with feelings for Farrow) and James Keach as Kane's hostile keeper (the latter having been convicted of his fiancé's death, who drowned after fleeing a ceremony in which her virginity was to be ascertained!). Despite enviable credentials producer Dino De Laurentiis, acclaimed Swedish director Troell, cinematographer Sven Nykvist, composer Nino Rota (whose contribution is particularly notable) and production designer Danilo Donati the film is something of a snoozer, with endless footage devoted to local color and the unconvincing central romance until the spectacular climax (but which still isn't really enough to redress the balance)!
Having re-acquainted myself with this (I'd already watched it as a kid), I hope someday to get a fresh appraisal of the Oscar-winning original as well; it was available on DVD very early into the format, but hasn't been re-issued since going out-of-print!
The setting (adapted from a book by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall, best-known for another adventure with an exotic backdrop, "Mutiny On The Bounty") is a South Sea island run by the American Navy; the arrival of the Governor's daughter causes a commotion the newly-crowned native King forsakes his local girl for the white woman's charms; this obviously creates problems between the two sets of inhabitants, who do not wish to have their blood mingle but, before the situation can be resolved, the Forces of Nature contrive to mete out their own form of justice (via the titular catastrophe).
Jason Robards Jr. is the Governor, Mia Farrow his daughter, and Dayton Kane the young ruler; besides, Max von Sydow is a doctor, Trevor Howard a priest, Timothy Bottoms a Navy officer (with feelings for Farrow) and James Keach as Kane's hostile keeper (the latter having been convicted of his fiancé's death, who drowned after fleeing a ceremony in which her virginity was to be ascertained!). Despite enviable credentials producer Dino De Laurentiis, acclaimed Swedish director Troell, cinematographer Sven Nykvist, composer Nino Rota (whose contribution is particularly notable) and production designer Danilo Donati the film is something of a snoozer, with endless footage devoted to local color and the unconvincing central romance until the spectacular climax (but which still isn't really enough to redress the balance)!
Having re-acquainted myself with this (I'd already watched it as a kid), I hope someday to get a fresh appraisal of the Oscar-winning original as well; it was available on DVD very early into the format, but hasn't been re-issued since going out-of-print!
Better than its reputation, but still pretty weak
zetes28 February 2016
The much maligned remake of John Ford's 1937 film (or at least the second adaptation of the novel, which came out in 1936) is not as bad as its reputation, but it doesn't really work. They change things up a bit to make it about an interracial romance. Mary Astor's character (now played by Mia Farrow) is now the daughter of the governor character (played here by Jason Robards), and the lead native character (played by newcomer Dayton Ka'ne) falls in love with her. This being the 1920s, their romance is looked down upon (by both races). The initial premise change isn't too bad, but it weakens the rest of the plot, which plays out pretty similarly to the original film. Ka'ne's crime is far less sympathetic than it was; there he was arrested for assaulting a racist who insulted him. Here, he, as chief of his people, allows a custom of checking for a bride's virginity before she's married - the girl is so upset about it she drowns herself. Farrow helps Ka'ne escape, but their plans, and everyone's lives, are disrupted by the hurricane. Jon Hall was kind of the weak link in Ford's film, but Ka'ne is far worse. Even besides his more detestable crime, he's just not that likable an actor. Farrow's infatuation with him never comes off as real love, so there's no romance to latch onto. Farrow herself isn't too bad, but she's ten years older than the character should be at least. Robards is the best thing about it. Trevor Howard plays the priest and Max von Sydow the doctor. Both are fine, but the roles probably should have been reversed. It doesn't really matter, though, since both characters get short shafted by the script. Timothy Bottoms is pretty good as Farrow's initial love interest (he doesn't really have an analogue in the original). The actual hurricane is still pretty good, but the ending is lame. The film looks great, thanks to Sven Nykvist and, you know, Bora Bora just being beautiful in general.
This Hurricane really blows.......
Poseidon-316 July 2008
Warning: Spoilers
After "Avalanche", "Meteor" and such other creatively titled TV-movies as "Fire!" and "Flood!" there were few places left to go except to dig into Hollywood's past and remake "The Hurricane." Thankfully, the cycle finally burnt out before such epics as "Landslide", "Hail" or "Mud Puddle" could be produced. Original director Roman Polanski became embroiled in his (still not completely resolved!) statutory rape case, causing him to withdraw from the troubled project, though Farrow stuck with it for reasons known only to her. She plays the single daughter of a strict naval Captain (Robards) who is in place in 1922 Samoa to uphold order. Once there, she catches the eye of a young man (Ka'ne) who is in line to be King of the local natives. When he tosses aside the bride who had been arranged for him in order to canoodle with Farrow, both his people and Robards (who nurses a barely concealed incestuous bent for his daughter) are up in arms. Meanwhile, young naval officer Bottoms, who has feelings for Farrow himself, and sneering Sergeant Keach, who delights in looking down on the locals, set their sites on Ka'ne as well. As the passions and tensions reach a high point, the title event descends on the area with little warning (or even surprise, it seems!) and decimates virtually everything and everyone. Farrow, though only 34, is far too old for her role. She tries to inject some degree of feeling into her part and is sometimes ably photographed by cinematographer Sven Nykvist (with whom she was having an affair during filming), but it's pretty hopeless. A lot of actresses look great wet, but scrawny, fine-haired Farrow is not one of them. Also, her ill-fitting, unflattering costumes succeed in making her look even more bird-like and gangly than she already is. This is strange since Theoni V. Aldredge succeeded in making her look stunning only a few years earlier in the same basic time period. Part of the problem must be attributed to her really bad hairstyling on his film. Robards is mostly one note and has a fairly ludicrous role to play. His final scene is particularly stupid. Ka'ne is actually not as bad as one might expect, though he needed a more intuitive director in order to give the role and the film its due. He was simply too green. At least he is very easy on the eyes at all times and seems to be giving his all to the part. Bottoms, who reportedly tangled with Farrow during filming, does all right and Keach is one note, though not ineffective. Other names among the cast include Howard as an alcoholic priest and Von Sydow (there no doubt at the request of his frequent director Troell) as a doctor. Every other cast member performs as if it is his or her first-and-only time in front of the camera and, for most of them, it was. None of the below the title actors seem to have any concept of how to move, look or speak like someone from 1922, a chief culprit being Rutgers as a local society matron. The scenery is lovely, the Nino Rota score is strong, but the story is hackneyed, the screenplay is disjointed, the editing is choppy and the direction is weak. In striving for convincing winds and waves, the makers forgot to a) allow the viewer to clearly see what is happening and b) make the viewer care about the people being tossed about and drowned. The finale is unrealistic to say the least with NOTHING in sight except a few bits of debris and the besieged lovers. Where did the massive ship drift off to? Where are the bodies of the many, many natives and others? This is the least of the film's problems, though. It's just a big, expensive misfire.
Inconceivably dull.
gridoon10 January 2000
One of the worst movies ever made. It's a remake of a 1937 disaster epic, which I haven't seen, and it's so impossibly dull, so lifeless and enervated that my guess is, if you ever start watching it, you won't finish it through. The climactic hurricane sequences are OK, but not really spectacular by today's standards - and how many viewers will have survived the 90 minutes that the movie takes to get there? Lots of good actors (Farrow, Von Sydow, Timothy Bottoms) are pitifully wasted. Don't say you weren't warned.
What were they thinking???...awful remake of classic John Ford film...
Doylenf10 October 2006
Although this is a remake of the famous and far superior John Ford masterpiece, HURRICANE manages to be one of MIA FARROW's least impressive jobs as an actress--not entirely her fault since the script, based this time on the Nordhoff-Hall novel, is a mess. It's really not the same storyline used in the Ford film.
The only similarity to the original is that it ends with a furious hurricane that cost $22 million to recreate but doesn't save the disastrously weak story from being anything but an unmitigated bore. The love interest is practically non-existent, consisting of close-up stares between Mia and her island sweetheart. Whenever there is any dialog, it's about as clumsy as can be. (Example: When he proposes that they elope, he says: "Come to the altar with the white flower--I will be there with the red.") Somebody should of been there with some directorial talent. Jan Troell falls far short of John Ford, as does the script. Usually, it's worth it to sit through a boring romance to see the howler of a hurricane. In this case, not so.
The only similarity to the original is that it ends with a furious hurricane that cost $22 million to recreate but doesn't save the disastrously weak story from being anything but an unmitigated bore. The love interest is practically non-existent, consisting of close-up stares between Mia and her island sweetheart. Whenever there is any dialog, it's about as clumsy as can be. (Example: When he proposes that they elope, he says: "Come to the altar with the white flower--I will be there with the red.") Somebody should of been there with some directorial talent. Jan Troell falls far short of John Ford, as does the script. Usually, it's worth it to sit through a boring romance to see the howler of a hurricane. In this case, not so.
The stuff that erotic dreams are made of.
mark.waltz21 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Okay, so there's no Maltese falcon or even a Samoan one, but this campy romantic disaster film is a fun old fashioned style drama that would have been a smash hit in 1937. Oh wait. It was, with Dorothy Lamour and Jon Hall. Altered quite a bit, it still had 1937 sensibilities and even in 1979, seems silly and cliched and filled with outlandish stereotypes, even though it said in the 1920's. A very micast Mia Farrow is hardly any man's fantasy, let alone native Chief from Pago Pago, the very sexy Dayton Ka'ne. With his tan, toned arms and chest, curly hair and shy demeanor, he is a simply divine object of lust to look at, the type that makes jaws drop. Farrow is the daughter of divorced naval officer Jason Robards who has more dad just a fatherly interest in his daughter, possessive in a sick way and laughably clingy. It Is by great reluctance that he allows her to stay on the island where Ka'ne has taken over as Chief and is being prepared to marry native girl chosen for him. That's the type of role that Myrna Loy would play in the early 1930's and Rita Moreno in the 1950's, but in 1979 terms, it's a stereotypically degrading role.
While very dated and extremely silly (and most likely offensive to Polynesian people), it is certainly a visual tree with its exotic setting and decent special effects and a very good background musical score. Technically, it is superb. But as of film, there is so much to laugh at it within the context of the film itself, and the performances are frequently laughable. Trevor Howard and Max von Sydow try to bring some class to it, but their roles are peripheral. Robards, coming off two Oscars and a nomination, as well as a slew of films I've seen where he is amazing, doesn't really give any effort, most likely embarrassed by the dialog he has to spout and the story in general. Farrow is no longer Allison Mackenzie or Rosemary preparing to have the devil's baby, and her attempts at appearing younger than she is come off as ridiculous. This certainly didn't appeal to the teenage audiences at the time like "The Blue Lagoon" would a year later, and adult audiences probably saw right through the ridiculousness of it. Definitely a fascinating failure.
While very dated and extremely silly (and most likely offensive to Polynesian people), it is certainly a visual tree with its exotic setting and decent special effects and a very good background musical score. Technically, it is superb. But as of film, there is so much to laugh at it within the context of the film itself, and the performances are frequently laughable. Trevor Howard and Max von Sydow try to bring some class to it, but their roles are peripheral. Robards, coming off two Oscars and a nomination, as well as a slew of films I've seen where he is amazing, doesn't really give any effort, most likely embarrassed by the dialog he has to spout and the story in general. Farrow is no longer Allison Mackenzie or Rosemary preparing to have the devil's baby, and her attempts at appearing younger than she is come off as ridiculous. This certainly didn't appeal to the teenage audiences at the time like "The Blue Lagoon" would a year later, and adult audiences probably saw right through the ridiculousness of it. Definitely a fascinating failure.
Kiss my paw paw baby.
ptb-815 July 2006
Have you heard the old LP or CD score for this film? It is one of the most exquisite suites of film music ever created. Memorable and infinitely playable at home. Friends say: "what is that lovely music?" and you say: "the love theme from Hurricane, you know, with Mia Farrow." They do not understand and you just keep sashaying about as you serve a tray of crackers with pineapple chunks. Sadly though, HURRICANE was a monumental disaster of its own when released in 1979. Here in Sydney Australia it played the 900 seat ASCOT Theatre, built for My Fair Lady (alas that never screened there) but found huge success with 70mm spectaculars like SWEET CHARITY and RYANS DAUGHTER, two films that struggled overseas but ran for over 12 months each in Sydney. Perhaps that was the reason HURRICANE went in, after all, the Ascot also had a 60ft cinema-scope screen, and HURRICANE looked as spectacular as SOUTH PACIFIC meets THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, given this film was set both in the 1920s and on Bora Bora. Within 2 weeks, the distributor sent another print to the theater. Gone was half an hour, and HURRICANE shrank from 120 mins to 90mins overnight. Other comments here complain about how boring it is, but really, it isn't, HURRICANE is quite exquisite, a bit silly, and a lot beautiful... then whoosh, mighty seas and winds that see our ukulele crossed lovers up a tree. Great special effects, a church squashed by a freighter in the middle of the storm, and that heavenly plunking and strumming. HURRICANE deserves re appraisal and a DVD release with extras, set and costume pix and clips, and maybe Mia Farrow and Timothy Bottoms hosting a chat. It was made with real heart and basically is a slow tropical drama with a mighty windy finale. But that music! Oh! so sublime.
It has a beautiful music score...
JasparLamarCrabb28 August 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Jan Troell's remake of the '30s classic stars Mia Farrow as the daughter of the governor of Pago Pago who falls in love with one of the natives, much to the displeasure of father Jason Robards. Tensions erupt into violence as Robards tries to keep the two apart. To boot, a ferocious hurricane is about to hit. Is that a metaphor for something? Who knows! Any attempt to point out the submission of peaceful island people to the white man is diluted by the film's extremely slow pace and cardboard characters. Farrow's not bad, but Robards seems bored senseless. The supporting cast includes James Keach, Timothy Bottons, Trevor Howard and Max Von Sydow. Somebody named Dayton Ka'ne plays Farrow's love interest. The visual effects are fine and the music score by Nino Rota is beautiful, but they're not enough to save HURRICANE from a lousy script and chilly direction.
Trouble in Paradise
tomsview11 May 2018
Long before I saw "Hurricane", I bought the soundtrack album in a second hand store.
It was a happy purchase. I knew Nino Rota's music for "War and Peace", the Fellini movies and "Death on the Nile", but his score for "Hurricane" was a surprise. It is a seductive blend of mandolin, ukulele, orchestra, primitive instruments, wordless chorus and even whistling. The whole thing beautifully captures the mystique of the Pacific islands of legend. It was Rota's last score. He died before the film was released.
It's interesting how often those mega-budget movies set in Polynesia seem to have been lured to destruction by swaying palms and swaying hips. "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1962), "The Bounty" (1984), and Kevin Costner's Rapa Nui (1994), all hit a reef financially. Mind you, I find them all guilty pleasures in their own way. Unfortunately "Hurricane" didn't fare any better.
Set in the 1920's, Charlotte Bruckner (Mia Farrow) arrives on Pago Pago to visit her father Captain Bruckner (Jason Robards), the U.S. Governor. She falls in love with Matangi (Dayton Ka'ne) an islander destined to become chieftain. Dad is not pleased; there are racial tensions and somewhat disturbing father/daughter tensions. Then the hurricane hits.
Apparently there were also tensions on the set. In fact, all those big epics had tensions behind the scenes. Maybe it was the isolation with stars and crew trapped on their respective islands for weeks on end. According to an article in "The Independent", at some point during the making of "Hurricane", Mia Farrow fetched co-star Timothy Bottoms a smack in the mouth.
Few critics had a good word for "Hurricane". The love affair between Charlotte and Matangi doesn't quite register. Dayton Ka'ne was a good-looking surfer plucked from obscurity, but he struggled with his lines. He made one other movie and retired from the screen - he died a few years ago aged only 61. The film suffers from some one-dimensional characters, but the storm at the end is good if a little long although it is called "Hurricane" after all.
I feel the film has a certain ambience definitely helped by Rota's haunting score. It's a long way from being the worst movie I have ever seen.
It was a happy purchase. I knew Nino Rota's music for "War and Peace", the Fellini movies and "Death on the Nile", but his score for "Hurricane" was a surprise. It is a seductive blend of mandolin, ukulele, orchestra, primitive instruments, wordless chorus and even whistling. The whole thing beautifully captures the mystique of the Pacific islands of legend. It was Rota's last score. He died before the film was released.
It's interesting how often those mega-budget movies set in Polynesia seem to have been lured to destruction by swaying palms and swaying hips. "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1962), "The Bounty" (1984), and Kevin Costner's Rapa Nui (1994), all hit a reef financially. Mind you, I find them all guilty pleasures in their own way. Unfortunately "Hurricane" didn't fare any better.
Set in the 1920's, Charlotte Bruckner (Mia Farrow) arrives on Pago Pago to visit her father Captain Bruckner (Jason Robards), the U.S. Governor. She falls in love with Matangi (Dayton Ka'ne) an islander destined to become chieftain. Dad is not pleased; there are racial tensions and somewhat disturbing father/daughter tensions. Then the hurricane hits.
Apparently there were also tensions on the set. In fact, all those big epics had tensions behind the scenes. Maybe it was the isolation with stars and crew trapped on their respective islands for weeks on end. According to an article in "The Independent", at some point during the making of "Hurricane", Mia Farrow fetched co-star Timothy Bottoms a smack in the mouth.
Few critics had a good word for "Hurricane". The love affair between Charlotte and Matangi doesn't quite register. Dayton Ka'ne was a good-looking surfer plucked from obscurity, but he struggled with his lines. He made one other movie and retired from the screen - he died a few years ago aged only 61. The film suffers from some one-dimensional characters, but the storm at the end is good if a little long although it is called "Hurricane" after all.
I feel the film has a certain ambience definitely helped by Rota's haunting score. It's a long way from being the worst movie I have ever seen.
What Movie Were YOU people watching??
DrStefanSvevo26 June 2008
While researching some info on this movie so that I could list some lobby cards from it on Ebay...I stumbled onto this great site. However, after reading the "FAINT PRAISE" that a few have written regarding this absolutely dreadful film, I have to wonder...exactly WHAT movie were you watching? "Good things going for it"??..."Had Jan Troell directing it" (as if that means anything!!)..."Jason Robards was good"... I mean COME ON!! Sure...the "opening title credits of HOWARD THE DUCK" were well-done, but does that mean the film has any merit at all? "Children of the Living Dead" had TOM SAVINI (a great makeup artist in it), but does that redeem that awful excuse to waste good celluloid at all? HURRICANE is SOOOOOOOOOOO bad, that it can be summed up in TWO WORDS: "Dayton Ka'ne" (or is that 3 words, because of the stupid apostrophe in his last name?) And is it pronounced "Kaaaah nay", as in "Kaaaant Act", or is it pronounced "CANE" as in "This film is so far from Citizen Kane, that it makes Revenge of the Nerds 3 look like Hamlet?" Maybe it was a "play on words" created by that master-craftsman Jan Troell (who is CERTAINLY deserving of being a "TROLL" for dropping this dreck on society), and the movie was intended to be titled "Hurri-Ka'ne". Maybe Dayton was taking too long in his trailer fixing his hair, rather than reading his lines, and Troell-doll had to yell into his megaphone..."HEY DAYTON...we are ready for the 123rd take on your opening lines!! Report to the set before I attack you with a "Ka'ne"!! Oh...and as for MIA FARROW...she never could act her way out of a wet paper bag anyway, and even when the paper bag is drenched in Hurri-ka'ne water, she STILL was dreadful. Plus...she weighs about 17 pounds, so if the winds were really that strong, wouldn't she simply blow away and then land somewhere on the set of a Woody Allen film? Lucky for her, the 37 people who actually saw this film in theaters got the treat of watching her spout off lines that are so embarrassingly bad, that you are almost WISHING you could've run screaming out of the theater and into the next one to watch...AVALANCHE. Ooops...ANOTHER Mia Farrow disaster movie. Let's face it. Dino DeLaurentiis was NO Irwin Allen. Mia Farrow, Jason Robards, and Dayton Ka'ne are NOT "disaster movie-worthy" actors. They simply aren't the type. Robards, while a GREAT actor...stunk in this thing and the upcoming Raise The Titanic. By 1979, even IRWIN himself couldn't "sell" a disaster film. The genre was dead. Why they continued to make these when the audience was WAY past them is beyond me. It was a sad ending to a great genre. A FUN genre as well. From 1972-1976, DISASTER rules the theaters. It was FUN to go to the movies then. But then Meteor, The Swarm, Hurricane, Avalanche, Raise The Titanic, When Time Ran Out, and Airport '79 had to screw it up.
Wonderful movie!
josephheard-885293 September 2019
Dayton Ka'ne, Perfect!
james3620019 November 2002
The only thing I liked about this film is Dayton Ka'ne. Perfect. But Mia Farrow was badly chosen. Miscast. They should have chosen a much younger actress. Dayton Ka'ne was in another film, completed in 1979, "Beyond The Reef" (1981) (Also known as "Shark Boy of Bora Bora" and "Sea Killer"), produced by Dino De Laurentiis. I sure wish "Beyond the Reef" was available on VHS and DVD. It would have been nice if Dayton Ka'ne had a longer acting career.
Sleepytime
captgage-120 February 2013
I saw this with my sister and some friends on a double feature with "Meteor." Neither movie was that good, but my sister preferred "Hurricane," other friends and I believe, because it was a love story. And that's it! I loved when one of the people I saw it with said it sucked. Roger Ebert picked it as the worst movie of 1979, which was something of a pleasant surprise for some of us LOL.
The old adage about the scenery and cinematography apply well enough here, but all I remember was a few minutes here and there. That's probably for the best. The movie was plodding and took forever...and ever..and ever...to get to anything. Then it ended! I occasionally teased my sister about it, and she blew up LOL. "I like it, you don't!" She would yell. Nuff said.
The old adage about the scenery and cinematography apply well enough here, but all I remember was a few minutes here and there. That's probably for the best. The movie was plodding and took forever...and ever..and ever...to get to anything. Then it ended! I occasionally teased my sister about it, and she blew up LOL. "I like it, you don't!" She would yell. Nuff said.
Modern Day Classic
etetreault7 March 2003
I have also heard negative feedback about this movie. This is one of the greatest examples of romance in any movie I have ever seen. Only unromantic men usually don't like it, movie critics for one. Luckily I don't base watching a movie on what a critic has to say. I could care less about what they think. Hurricane is a beautiful and moving story of the cost of love and what love can do. The special effects are also excellent as far as they go in 1980 or now. See it and then see the original which is also excellent and moving. Beware young lovers !!!
Lifeless disaster love story.
LW-088543 February 2024
A peetty awful movie if I'm honest. Mia Farrow in her 30s by this point is still playing the much much younger character, it's a disaster movie but bogged down in a slow and predicable love story, the dialogue is horribly cliched, the music is also dated and so are the miniatures. The pacing is awful in this movie too, it's so unbearably slow and the politics is not interesting. I got so fed up with the drum music and the sheer amount of melodrama was very cheesy. Everything about this just felt so farfetched. This is one film you don't want to watch. In teems of the production design and costumes all of that side was okay, but the film just never came alive for me.
Memorable disaster movie
HotToastyRag17 September 2017
If you've been keeping up with my reviews, you'll know I hardly ever review horror or disaster flicks. Since I have such a soft spot in my heart for Mia Farrow, I've sat through both rather scary genres. While I've conveniently forgotten all the spooky parts of Rosemary's Baby, Hurricane will stay with me the rest of my life.
In the film, Mia Farrow visits a tropical island Alava—the movie was made on location in Bora Bora—to reunite with her strict, unyielding, and cold father. Jason Robards plays the dad, and it's not hard at all to see him as mean-spirited and unlikable. Mia isn't happy about Jason's treatment of the native islanders, and when she falls in love with Dayton Ka'ne, a servant, Papa Bear isn't happy.
Obviously, as given away by the title, a hurricane strikes the island. The special effects are incredible. If you're an East Coaster and have lived through hurricane season, you might not be as petrified by this film, but I'm a Californian, and this film scared the pants off of me. It's absolutely terrifying, especially because the buildup to the disaster is such an innocent, sweet love story.
Next to the special effects, Nino Rote's beautiful score is the most famous part of the movie. It's romantic, tragic, and totally perfect for the film. If you like disaster movies and want to hear some beautiful music, go ahead and rent this one. But if you're afraid of water like I am, just listen to soundtrack.
In the film, Mia Farrow visits a tropical island Alava—the movie was made on location in Bora Bora—to reunite with her strict, unyielding, and cold father. Jason Robards plays the dad, and it's not hard at all to see him as mean-spirited and unlikable. Mia isn't happy about Jason's treatment of the native islanders, and when she falls in love with Dayton Ka'ne, a servant, Papa Bear isn't happy.
Obviously, as given away by the title, a hurricane strikes the island. The special effects are incredible. If you're an East Coaster and have lived through hurricane season, you might not be as petrified by this film, but I'm a Californian, and this film scared the pants off of me. It's absolutely terrifying, especially because the buildup to the disaster is such an innocent, sweet love story.
Next to the special effects, Nino Rote's beautiful score is the most famous part of the movie. It's romantic, tragic, and totally perfect for the film. If you like disaster movies and want to hear some beautiful music, go ahead and rent this one. But if you're afraid of water like I am, just listen to soundtrack.
Lovely locations!
beetiesmom21 March 2006
I actually like this movie, if nothing else, for gorgeous Dayton Ka'Ne, the son of University of Dayton football star, LeRoy Ka'Ne, who graduated from U.D. in the early 50s (my mom was one of his professors). It's sad that he didn't do any more than one other film. The other well-known actors had to struggle with a pretty weak script, but Nino Rota's music was nice and the scenery was GORGEOUS! I watch this movie when I need a mini-trip from the Midwest. One thing I always wondered---what on earth did Matangi see in pale, bony Charlotte when he could have had any of the beautiful, voluptuous Polynesian girls on the island???
Better than most people said
philwissbeck2 March 2003
I don' understand why most words written about this film have been negative. Just because it is a remake of a film people think is a classic? This version of Hurricane with Jason Robards and Mia Farrow is a very competantly told story with good special effects. I was involved. I was moved from beginning to end. I felt that the characters were a little more credible than in the John Ford film. A very good film but not a popular one. I had to tape it at 3AM.
Love no matter what will always survive!!!!
runbojo10 April 2001
I don't suggest everyone to see this movie. Then again did everyone like the Romeo and Juliet movie? All love stories are not everyone's cup of tea. Let's not tell all not to view this island love story. For just a short moment the forbidden love between an islander and a howly(that is a person from the main island of the United States) makes love possible. To dream is to love so let us love because there is so much hate in this world that we should dream. It's good for our spirit.
Horrid Story with Bad Performances
Michael_Elliott17 May 2011
Hurricane (1979)
* (out of 4)
This Dino De Laurentiis remake of John Ford's 1937 classic will always be remembered for two things. One is that the $22-million budget, which ended up losing money. The second thing is that this was the movie Roman Polanski was suppose to be making before fleeing the United States. After seeing this film I'm starting to believe that perhaps Polanski was fleeing having to make this wretched thing. A white woman (Mia Farrow) goes to the island of Samoa to stay with her Naval officer father (Jason Robards). Once on the island the white woman breaks a taboo and begins a relationship with a native (Dayton Ka'ne) who has already been promised to another woman. Soon we have double crossed love, a court trial and then a large hurricane that rips through. HURRICANE is a disaster movie in the purest sense because it really is a complete disaster from the opening frames to the closing credits. There's not a single thing that goes right with this thing and I guess it would be easy to throw some blame towards Polanski since his departure pretty much threw the production into the air where they had to bring in another director very quickly. It's clear that director Troell can't handled anything here and I can't say I blame him because the screenplay is also quite horrid. They have Farrow and Ka'ne running around like a couple teenage virgins and their "romance" scenes together are so laughable that you can't help but think of THE BLUE LAGOON and consider that movie a masterpiece in comparison. Another problem is that the entire taboo subject matter just isn't all that taboo and you can't help but feel they're making a lot out of nothing. I'm sure the racial, political and religious tensions could have made for an interesting movie but the film never really looks at any of it. The performances by the all-star cast are just another reminder that actors signed onto pictures like this to cash a paycheck. Robards sleepwalks through the entire film and I'm curious if he even remembered doing it. Farrow gives one of the worst performances I've seen from her as she hasn't an inch of energy and really brings the film to a halt. Trevor Howard, James Keach, Timothy Bottoms and Max von Sydow aren't any better. The film is a remake of the Ford film but they share very little in common outside the setting, a few other plot points and of course the hurricane. I think it's important to show this picture and the original together whenever people say old movies can't hold up with current technology. Just show people the hurricane sequence from both versions and I think people will see that the original holds up incredibly well and still looks effective while the stuff here is decent but you will be wondering where all the money went.
* (out of 4)
This Dino De Laurentiis remake of John Ford's 1937 classic will always be remembered for two things. One is that the $22-million budget, which ended up losing money. The second thing is that this was the movie Roman Polanski was suppose to be making before fleeing the United States. After seeing this film I'm starting to believe that perhaps Polanski was fleeing having to make this wretched thing. A white woman (Mia Farrow) goes to the island of Samoa to stay with her Naval officer father (Jason Robards). Once on the island the white woman breaks a taboo and begins a relationship with a native (Dayton Ka'ne) who has already been promised to another woman. Soon we have double crossed love, a court trial and then a large hurricane that rips through. HURRICANE is a disaster movie in the purest sense because it really is a complete disaster from the opening frames to the closing credits. There's not a single thing that goes right with this thing and I guess it would be easy to throw some blame towards Polanski since his departure pretty much threw the production into the air where they had to bring in another director very quickly. It's clear that director Troell can't handled anything here and I can't say I blame him because the screenplay is also quite horrid. They have Farrow and Ka'ne running around like a couple teenage virgins and their "romance" scenes together are so laughable that you can't help but think of THE BLUE LAGOON and consider that movie a masterpiece in comparison. Another problem is that the entire taboo subject matter just isn't all that taboo and you can't help but feel they're making a lot out of nothing. I'm sure the racial, political and religious tensions could have made for an interesting movie but the film never really looks at any of it. The performances by the all-star cast are just another reminder that actors signed onto pictures like this to cash a paycheck. Robards sleepwalks through the entire film and I'm curious if he even remembered doing it. Farrow gives one of the worst performances I've seen from her as she hasn't an inch of energy and really brings the film to a halt. Trevor Howard, James Keach, Timothy Bottoms and Max von Sydow aren't any better. The film is a remake of the Ford film but they share very little in common outside the setting, a few other plot points and of course the hurricane. I think it's important to show this picture and the original together whenever people say old movies can't hold up with current technology. Just show people the hurricane sequence from both versions and I think people will see that the original holds up incredibly well and still looks effective while the stuff here is decent but you will be wondering where all the money went.
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