White Shadows in the South Seas (1928)

An alcoholic doctor on a Polynesian island, disgusted by white exploitation of the natives, finds himself marooned on a pristinely beautiful island.

Directors:

W.S. Van Dyke, Robert J. Flaherty (uncredited)

Writers:

Frederick O'Brien (famous novel), Ray Doyle (compiled by)

Stars:

Monte Blue, Raquel Torres, Robert Anderson

Won 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Monte Blue	...	Dr. Matthew Lloyd
Raquel Torres	...	Fayaway

Storyline

Matthew Lloyd has drifted away from a respectable career as a physician, and lives a mediocre existence in a Polynesian island. There, pearl-trader Sebastian and his associates recklessly exploit the natives working for them as divers. After witnessing the appalling consequences of "civilization" on the local population, Matthew vehemently condemns Sebastian's greed and ruthlessness. Sebastian, however, will not shy away from any means to crush opposition to his activities.

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Plot Keywords:

native | greed | doctor | death | shipwreck | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 November 1928 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bele sence

Filming Locations:

Franklin Canyon Reservoir, Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM),Cosmopolitan Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System) (talking sequences, music and sound effects) Silent

Color:

Black and White (tinted)

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Because there were no sound facilities in Hollywood, Douglas Shearer took the completed silent film to New Jersey, where he added a synchronized music score and sound effects.

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Goofs

The drowned young man's left arm moves by itself.

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Quotes

Opening Title Card: The coral atolls of the South Pacific... for happy centuries the last remnant of an earthly paradise... Islets "fresh from the touch of God"... Memories that lingered from the Morning of Creation... But the white man, in his greedy trek across the planet, cast his withering shadow over these islands... and the business of "civilizing" them to his interests began...

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Connections

Referenced in The Motion Picture Camera (1979)

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Soundtracks

Flower of Love
(1928) (uncredited)
Music by William Axt and David Mendoza
Lyrics by Dave Dreyer and Herman Ruby

User Reviews

Hidden gem

How nice is it to see this treatment, this attitude, of the white man's imperialism towards native cultures in the 19th century, especially when other movies from this time period often had such blatant or casual racism. Here we clearly see the white man as the bad guy, greedy for pearls, exploiting the Polynesians, and spreading disease. It may be over the top and idealized at times, with some non-factual bits such as attacking octopi and grand proclamations against the white race as a whole, but its heart was certainly in the right place, and this notion of which party was evil was certainly correct.

Filmed on location in the Marquesas (or perhaps in reality Tahiti), it shows beautiful footage of the islands as well as the culture, such as people dancing, scaling coconut trees, shaving breadfruit, diving, fishing, and making fire. I'm not an expert but it feels authentic, and without a doubt, it's certainly respectful of the indigenous people. Director W.S. Van Dyke ("One Take Woody", who would go on to an Oscar nomination for "The Thin Man") pulls all the right strings here, from a fantastic typhoon scene, to intimate moments between leading man Monte Blue, and an island woman played by Raquel Torres. Most of the rest of the cast consists of real Islanders. Cinematographer Clyde De Vinna was worthy of the Oscar he won for the visual treats he gives us throughout the movie, and we also get a few bits of sound on MGM's first film with a pre-recorded soundtrack. What a hidden gem this film is for 1928.