On the South Pacific island of Bora Bora, a young couple's love is threatened when the tribal chief declares the girl a sacred virgin.
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Title: Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
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Matahi | ... | The Boy |
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Anne Chevalier | ... | The Girl (as Reri) |
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Bill Bambridge | ... | The Policeman (as Jean) |
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Hitu | ... | The Old Warrior |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
In his final film, F.W. Murnau presents the tale of two young lovers on the idyllic island of Bora Bora in the South Pacific. Their life is shattered when the old warrior declares the girl to be the Chosen Maid and it is forbidden for any man to even look upon her. Refusing to accept a life apart, they run off to another island, one that is decadent and westernized. The boy works as a pearl diver but not quite understanding the concept of money, is soon in debt. When the old warrior tracks them down they again plan to run away but in a desperate attempt to pay off his debts, the boy dives for pearls in shark-infested waters. The boy is successful but fate seems determined to keep the two lovers apart. Written by garykmcd
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
1 August 1931 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Tabu See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$150,000 (estimated)Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (R.C.A. Photophone System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.20 : 1
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Producer/director/co-writer F.W. Murnau died in a car accident a few days after starting work on the music for this film. It had its New York premiere a week later. See more »Quotes
The Girl: [writing a goodbye letter] I must go. Hitu is here and waits for me. You will die if I do not obey. I will go so that you may live. The tabu is upon us. I have been so happy with you far more than I deserved. The love you have given me, I will keep to the last beat of my heart. Across the great waters, I will come to you in your dreams when the moon spreads its path on the sea. Farewell.See more »
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People with prejudice against silent films should see "Tabu"; it´s a masterpiece of cinema. The storyline is superb, a struggle not between good and evil, but between human will and fate; there´s a beautiful love story of natives of the South Seas, mystery and suspense; and, to boot, some of the most wonderful sights you´ve ever seen in a b&w flick. The anthropological genius of Robert O´Flaherty, and the creativeness of F.W. Murnau cannot be denied; this is the meeting of two movie titans.