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.
"Game of Thrones" Season 8 has finally premiered, so in celebration we find out which characters fans relate to the most.
Related News
-
Rock legend David Crosby on composing ‘Home Free’ (‘Little Pink House’) with his son: ‘Be as complex and strange with the music’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
10 December 2018 | Gold Derby -
Witness the Evolution of Cinematography with Compilation of Oscar Winners
06 February 2017 | The Film Stage -
Newswire: R.I.P. Lupita Tovar, Mexican star of Hollywood’s golden age
14 November 2016 | The AV Club
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
Learn more
More Like This
City Girl
(1930)
Certificate: Passed
Drama
|
Romance
Director:
F.W. Murnau
Stars:
Charles Farrell,
Mary Duncan,
David Torrence
The Burning Soil
(1922)
Drama
Director:
F.W. Murnau
Stars:
Werner Krauss,
Eugen Klöpfer,
Vladimir Gajdarov
The Last Laugh
(1924)
Drama
Director:
F.W. Murnau
Stars:
Emil Jannings,
Maly Delschaft,
Max Hiller
Faust
(1926)
Drama
|
Fantasy
|
Horror
Director:
F.W. Murnau
Stars:
Gösta Ekman,
Emil Jannings,
Camilla Horn
Phantom
(1922)
Drama
|
Fantasy
|
Romance
Director:
F.W. Murnau
Stars:
Alfred Abel,
Frida Richard,
Aud Egede-Nissen
Tartuffe
(1925)
Drama
Director:
F.W. Murnau
Stars:
Hermann Picha,
Rosa Valetti,
André Mattoni
À Nous la Liberté
(1931)
Comedy
|
Musical
Director:
René Clair
Stars:
Raymond Cordy,
Henri Marchand,
Rolla France
The Docks of New York
(1928)
Crime
|
Drama
|
Film-Noir
Director:
Josef von Sternberg
Stars:
George Bancroft,
Betty Compson,
Olga Baclanova
Vampyr
(1932)
Fantasy
|
Horror
Director:
Carl Theodor Dreyer
Stars:
Julian West,
Maurice Schutz,
Rena Mandel
Le Million
(1931)
Musical
|
Comedy
Director:
René Clair
Stars:
Annabella,
René Lefèvre,
Jean-Louis Allibert
La Chienne
(1931)
Crime
|
Drama
Director:
Jean Renoir
Stars:
Michel Simon,
Janie Marèse,
Georges Flamant
Boudu Saved from Drowning
(1932)
Comedy
Director:
Jean Renoir
Stars:
Michel Simon,
Marcelle Hainia,
Sévérine Lerczinska
Edit
Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
 |
Matahi | ... | The Boy |
|
|
Anne Chevalier | ... | The Girl (as Reri) |
|
|
Bill Bambridge | ... | The Policeman (as Jean) |
|
|
Hitu | ... | The Old Warrior |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
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
Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
Edit
Edit
See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
1 August 1931 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Tabu See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$150,000 (estimated)Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$1,028,960Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (R.C.A. Photophone System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.20 : 1
Edit
See more »
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 »
Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.Contribute to This Page
Enjoy a night in with these popular movies available to stream now with Prime Video.
Tabu might best be described as ethnographic-fiction which combines Robert J. Flaherty's documentary style with F.W. Murnau visual sensibilities. The result is one of the last great silent era films. The naturalistic setting is perfectly matched by the realistic acting of the non-traditional cast, the local Polynesian people. As a tragic love story, the plot is deceptively simple, yet it is unexpectedly engaging. Murnau's expressionist background continues to be expressed through his artful use of light and shadow. His decision not to use inter-titles to explain dialogue was perhaps the most fitting to the story and the setting, leaving the majority of the plot development to the actions of the characters and the work of the camera (Klaus Ming November 2008).