Down Among the Sheltering Palms (1953)

War-weary Captain Willoby and his men are the occupation force on an island of lovely women...and are forbidden to fraternize.

Director:

Edmund Goulding

Writers:

Edward Hope (story), Claude Binyon (screenplay),

Stars:

William Lundigan, Jane Greer, Mitzi Gaynor

Cast

Complete credited cast:
William Lundigan	...	Capt. W.W. 'Bill' Willoby
Jane Greer	...	Diana Forrester
Mitzi Gaynor	...	Rozouila
David Wayne	...	Lt. Carl G. Schmidt
Gloria DeHaven	...	Angela Toland
Gene Lockhart	...	Rev. Paul Edgett
Jack Paar	...	Lt. Mike Sloan
Alvin Greenman	...	Cpl. Kolta
Billy Gilbert	...	King Jilouili
Henry Kulky	...	First Sergeant Jones

Storyline

World War II is over but Captain Willoby and his men must "occupy" remote Midi Island. The men are disgusted at not going home...until they meet the friendly island women. Unfortunately, Willoby has been ordered to prohibit his men from "fraternizing." This task, already frustrating, is made worse by the presence of missionary's niece Diana and the arrival of gorgeous journalist Angela. Meanwhile, the island king has presented Willoby with equally gorgeous Rozouila as "wife"...

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Plot Keywords:

island | captain | missionary | duty | military governor | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 March 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

Friendly Island

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

June Haver turned down the part of Diana Forrester.

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Quotes

Angela Toland: Rugged men on an island of beautiful women, with a fence between them. An intriguing situation.
Capt. Bill Willoby: Delightful.

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Connections

Referenced in American Masters: Jack Paar: 'As I Was Saying...' (1997)

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Soundtracks

"THE FRIENDLY ISLANDS"
Written by Harold Arlen
Lyrics Ralph Blane
Sung by chorus

User Reviews

Mediocre musical -- yawn

Oddball cast fails to enliven unimaginative rip-off of SOUTH PACIFIC. Songs by the brilliant Harold Arlen and Ralph Blaine make little impression.

Mitzi Gaynor is amusingly miscast as a native Polynesian girl (with honey-colored hair?!)

Lundigan has about as much charisma as one of the coconuts Gaynor keeps dropping on his head (in real life, of course, a coconut falling on you could easily kill you). Still, the three women in the picture compete madly for his attentions while a pack of love-hungry G.I.s act really stupid every time they glimpse a woman's ankles.

Filmed in 1950 but not released till 1953 -- that suggests to me the studio knew it was a stinker.