Johnny Lingo (1969)

Director:

Judge Whitaker

Writers:

Patricia McGerr (story)
Claire Whitaker (screenplay)

Genre:

Drama | Family | Short

Plot:

Johnny Lingo, one of the sharpest traders in the south pacific islands decides to bargain for a wife...

Plot Keywords:

Island | Cow | Marriage | Self Worth | South Pacific

Cast

Makee K. Blaisdell	...	Johnny Lingo (as Blaizdel MaKee)
Naomi Kahoilua	...	Mahana
Francis L. Urry	...	Trader Harris
Joseph R. TeNgaio	...	Moki's Counselor
Joseph W. Ah Quin	...	Moki
Malofou Maumasi	...	Tulo
Kent Fonoimoana

Runtime:

USA:25 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Laie, O`ahu, Hawaii, USA

Company:

Brigham Young University

Trivia:

On the first big day of shooting, the crew arose to find the sky had a peculiar orange cast. This caused concern because some of the major action of the film was about to be shot, and the effect of the orangish sky on the color balance of the picture was unknown. The crew was informed that a volcanic eruption had just started on The Big Island. Smoke and ash from the eruption of Kilauea in October, 1969 drifted over to the island of Oahu (which is not typical of such eruptions). Big, black clouds of soot filled the sky for a couple of days, with ash even landing at the filming location. Production ceased, with the film company waiting for the skies to clear. When filming resumed, tighter shots were used to exclude as much of the sky as possible. Production was then delayed by rain which came as a fine mist. The valley where the principal action (in the village) was to be shot turned out to be located just below a mountain where the heaviest rainfall on the island occurred. The production was on a tight schedule so filming continued in the rain, which was accompanied with a washed-out sky. Once again shots were framed to avoid showing the sky. Fortunately the drizzle-like rain did not show up on film, and shots with it matched those filmed when it was not raining. The color balance turned out to be acceptable as well, in spite of the unusually colored skies. However, the use of the lovely vistas in the background had been partially limited by the problems associated with atmospheric conditions.

Quotes:

[At Johnny's hut]
Trader Harris: Johnny, I can't get over it, she's beautiful .
Johnny Lingo: I have loved her ever since we were children, she was always beautiful. But tell me, do you think 8 cows was too high a price for her ?
Trader Harris: Oh, no.
[looking at Mahana in the distance]

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in The R.M. (2003)

So bad that it is brilliant

Of course the story of Johnny Lingo is one of the classics for Mormon children; the message it conveys is true and probably much more important today than it was at the time it was made. What makes it really watchable though, are the performances. Not their quality, but on the contrary, the lack thereof. The acting is so stiff and inept that You will laugh tears. I don't think, that Johnny Lingo was intented as funny as it comes out, but it is always worth watching. Beside trying to convey the message, that beauty is relative, inner beauty is that counts and that every one needs someone to believe in him to reach his full potential, there is no reference to the Mormon church or Mormon beliefs at all.