Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Tabu: A Story of the South Seas

  • 19311931
  • TV-PGTV-PG
  • 1h 26m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
5.8K
YOUR RATING
Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)
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.
Play trailer3:02
1 Video
80 Photos
  • Adventure
  • Drama
  • Romance
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.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.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.
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
5.8K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • F.W. Murnau
  • Writers
    • F.W. Murnau(told by)
    • Robert J. Flaherty(told by)
    • Edgar G. Ulmer(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Anne Chevalier
    • Matahi
    • Hitu
Top credits
  • Director
    • F.W. Murnau
  • Writers
    • F.W. Murnau(told by)
    • Robert J. Flaherty(told by)
    • Edgar G. Ulmer(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Anne Chevalier
    • Matahi
    • Hitu
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 34User reviews
    • 50Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 4 wins & 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:02
    Trailer

    Photos80

    Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)
    Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)
    Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)
    Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)
    Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)
    Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)
    Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)
    Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)
    Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)
    Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)
    Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)
    Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Anne Chevalier
    • The Girlas The Girl
    • (as Reri)
    Matahi
    • The Boyas The Boy
    Hitu
    • The Old Warrioras The Old Warrior
    Bill Bambridge
    • The Policemanas The Policeman
    • (as Jean)
    Ah Fong
    • The Businessmanas The Businessman
    • (uncredited)
    Jules
    • The Captainas The Captain
    • (uncredited)
    Mehao
    • Boys Friendas Boys Friend
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • F.W. Murnau
    • Writers
      • F.W. Murnau(told by)
      • Robert J. Flaherty(told by)
      • Edgar G. Ulmer(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    City Girl
    7.7
    City Girl
    The Last Laugh
    8.0
    The Last Laugh
    Earth
    7.2
    Earth
    À Nous la Liberté
    7.4
    À Nous la Liberté
    Pandora's Box
    7.8
    Pandora's Box
    The Burning Soil
    6.9
    The Burning Soil
    October (Ten Days that Shook the World)
    7.4
    October (Ten Days that Shook the World)
    4 Devils
    7.1
    4 Devils
    Shanghai Express
    7.3
    Shanghai Express
    Faust
    8.1
    Faust
    The Docks of New York
    7.5
    The Docks of New York
    The Unknown
    7.8
    The Unknown

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • 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.
    • 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.

    • Connections
      Edited into Treibjagd in der Südsee (1940)
    • Soundtracks
      Nocturnes
      (1827-46) (uncredited)

      Written by Frédéric Chopin

    User reviews34

    Review
    Top review
    Murnau's final film is a fitting reminder of his genius
    For discerning fans of classic filmmaking, the surviving work of director F.W. Murnau remains some of the most significant and stunning of the silent era. Filmed entirely in Tahiti, `Tabu' would prove to be Murnau's last film (he died in a tragic car accident on March 11, 1931, just weeks before the film's premiere) and most unusual - he actually collaborated with director Robert Flaherty (`Nanook of the North') in this tale of two doomed lovers that unintentionally transports `Romeo and Juliet' into the South Pacific. Unlike his landmark expressionist titles such as `Nosferatu' and `Faust,' Murnau's `Tabu' is set mostly outdoors and features dazzling images of beautiful young native men and women at home in their Polynesian paradise in the first part of the film, with haunting images used to chronicle tragedy and paradise lost in the second half of the 81 minute classic.

    Although no members of the cast were professional actors, the performances by Matahi (as a young pearl fisherman) and Reri (as the `tabu' island girl) are moving. More than 70 years after its release, `Tabu' remains essential viewing, and UCLA's restoration of this classic has been a highlight of the schedule of new DVD releases in 2002. In fact, the film's luxurious black-and-white cinematography garnered cameraman Floyd Crosby an Oscar. DVD extras include audio commentary by UCLA Film Professor Janet Bergstrom; outtake footage; theatrical trailer; still gallery; short film titled `Reri in New York.'
    helpful•26
    0
    • rkinsler
    • Apr 9, 2003

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 1, 1931 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Tabu
    • Filming locations
      • Bora Bora, Leeward Islands, French Polynesia
    • Production company
      • Murnau-Flaherty Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $150,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 26 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Silent
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.20 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies Coming This Summer
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in June
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.