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Pacific Destiny

  • 1956
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
88
YOUR RATING
Pacific Destiny (1956)
Drama

Life is strange and worrying for a cadet who arrives in the Pacific in the colonial service. And the testy resident commissioner, who had been expecting an experienced man, soon shows his di... Read allLife is strange and worrying for a cadet who arrives in the Pacific in the colonial service. And the testy resident commissioner, who had been expecting an experienced man, soon shows his disapproval.Life is strange and worrying for a cadet who arrives in the Pacific in the colonial service. And the testy resident commissioner, who had been expecting an experienced man, soon shows his disapproval.

  • Director
    • Wolf Rilla
  • Writers
    • Richard Mason
    • Jack Lee
    • Arthur Grimble
  • Stars
    • Denholm Elliott
    • Susan Stephen
    • Felix Felton
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.8/10
    88
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Wolf Rilla
    • Writers
      • Richard Mason
      • Jack Lee
      • Arthur Grimble
    • Stars
      • Denholm Elliott
      • Susan Stephen
      • Felix Felton
    • 2User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos1

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    Top cast28

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    Denholm Elliott
    Denholm Elliott
    • Arthur Grimble
    Susan Stephen
    Susan Stephen
    • Olivia Grimble
    Felix Felton
    • Uncle
    Peter Bathurst
    • Uncle
    Clifford Buckton
    • Uncle
    Michael Hordern
    Michael Hordern
    • Resident Commissioner
    Gordon Jackson
    Gordon Jackson
    • District Officer
    Inia Te Wiata
    • Tauvela
    Henrietta Godinet
    • Lama his wife
    Ollie Crichton
    • Taloa his son
    Hans Kruse
    • Kitiona his son
    Moira Walker
    • Voice-of-the-Tide his daughter
    • (as Moira Macdonald)
    Rosie Leavasa
    • Sea-Wind his daughter
    Sani
    • King's-Bundle-of-Mats his daughter
    Fiti
    • Grandmother
    John Bryce
    • Tulo
    Ezra Williams
    • Tiki-Tiku
    Tuiletefuga
    • Matangi
    • Director
      • Wolf Rilla
    • Writers
      • Richard Mason
      • Jack Lee
      • Arthur Grimble
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews2

    5.888
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    Featured reviews

    5malcolmgsw

    A slice of colonial life

    There seem to have been a plethora of films set in the South Seas during the 1950s.Possibly to relieve audiences of the gloom they felt in austerity Britain.Also this would be the last decade when audiences were unable to visit these locations themselves.This film revolves around a young colonial officer and his wife in a south Pacific colony.Rather strange timing for the film when Britain was getting rid of its colonies at a rate of knots.Denham Elliott plays the young officer who is not quite what District Commissioner had expected.Elliott goes with his wife to a remote island.He decides that he will meet every challenge head on.This includes being tattooed and helping to catch a rogue shark.At times it reminds one of Sanders Of The River it is that old fashioned.Beautiful scenery but story is out dated.
    6JoeytheBrit

    Pacific Destiny review

    Modest fish out of water comedy-drama set on a picturesque South Sea island sees a young Denholm Elliott play an inexperienced Colonial Service Cadet at odds with crusty Commissioner Michael Hordern. Elliott was a fine character actor, but shows here that he lacked the screen presence to make it as a leading man. There's plenty of potential in his difficult relationship with Hordern, but he is too quickly shipped off to another island where every mild dilemma is resolved within a couple of scenes. The under-rated Sue Stephens provides an occasional distraction, but the film is too lightweight to make much of an impression.

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      This movie was filmed in Western Samoa, but was based in the Gilbert Islands.
    • Soundtracks
      Rule Britannia
      (uncredited)

      Music by Thomas Augustine Arne and lyrics by James Thomson

      Sung by the island children

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 1957 (Belgium)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Escuela de navegación
    • Filming locations
      • The Island of Upolu, Western Samoa, Samoa(apart from the London opening, the whole film was shot on the Island of Upolu, in Western Samoa)
    • Production companies
      • Lawrie Productions
      • British Lion Film Corporation
      • Shepperton Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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