Paradise Isle (1937)

A blind artist is on his way to Java to see a doctor about an operation to restore his sight when the ship sinks and he washes up on a tropical island. A native girl finds him and begins to... See full summary »

Director:

Arthur Greville Collins

Writers:

Allan Vaughan Elston (story), Marion Orth (adaptation)

Stars:

Movita, Warren Hull, William B. Davidson

Cast

Cast overview:
Movita	...	Ila
Warren Hull	...	Kennedy
William B. Davidson	...	Hoener
John St. Polis	...	Coxon
George Piltz	...	Tono (as George Pilita)
Pierre Watkin	...	Steinmeyer
Kenneth Harlan	...	Johnson
Russell Simpson	...	Baxter
Tau Mana	...	Islander
Malia Makua	...	Islander

Storyline

A blind artist is on his way to Java to see a doctor about an operation to restore his sight when the ship sinks and he washes up on a tropical island. A native girl finds him and begins to nurse him back to health. However, the girl's boyfriend wants the artist out of the picture so he can have her to himself, and the only other white man on the island also wants the artist out or the picture so he can cheat the girl out of her prized possession, a large black pearl.

---

Plot Keywords:

island | native | madness | exotica | palm tree | 

---

Taglines:

HIS STRONG ARMS DREW THIS RED-LIPPED BEAUTY TO HIM! He thought it was South Seas madness that made his heart beat so wildly...but when the flaming lips of this exotic maid of the tropics met his...he knew it was love at its most primitive!

---

Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Music | Romance

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 July 1937 (USA)

Also Known As:

Siren of the South Seas

Filming Locations:

Samoa

Company Credits

Production Co:

Monogram Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

73 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in A Bride for Henry (1937)

---

Soundtracks

"Paradise Isle"
Written by Lani McIntyre and Napo Tuiteleleapaga
Sung by Warren Hull

User Reviews

It's passable entertainment and nothing more

The film begins on a small Polynesian island where Movita lives along with her people. A White guy (Warren Hull) washes up on the beach and she nurses him back to health. Once he regained his strength, she finds out he was on a ship that wrecked that was taking him to see a doctor about an operation to restore his sight, though Movita is thrilled to keep him whether he's blind or not. Unfortunately, a young islander loves her and wants her new boyfriend to go, so he makes a dangerous voyage in a small boat to other islands to try and find this doctor. In the meantime, the only other White man on the island is a dirt-bag that decides to pretend to have the doctor to cheat Movita out of her most desirable treasure--a huge black pearl. After cheating her and giving Hull false hope, all is not lost as the real doctor shows and operates. But will Hull stay behind or abandon his loyal Movita? Watch this film and see for yourself.

This is a very capably done movie by poverty row studio, Monogram. Considering how cheap the productions generally were, this is a very good Monogram film. However, being not especially interesting or compelling, it's nothing more than a time-passer that has lapsed into the public domain.