On a South Pacific island during World War II, love blooms between a young nurse and a secretive Frenchman who's being courted for a dangerous military mission.On a South Pacific island during World War II, love blooms between a young nurse and a secretive Frenchman who's being courted for a dangerous military mission.On a South Pacific island during World War II, love blooms between a young nurse and a secretive Frenchman who's being courted for a dangerous military mission.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 1 win & 10 nominations total
Giorgio Tozzi
- Emile De Becque
- (singing voice)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaJuanita Hall, who had played Bloody Mary in the original Broadway production, obviously sang her own songs onstage, but was dubbed in the film version at the request of composer Richard Rodgers. Rodgers and musical director Alfred Newman brought in Muriel Smith (who had played Bloody Mary in London).
- GoofsThe appearance of African Americans as Seabees is not an error. Over 12,000 such sailors served in the Construction Brigades, despite segregation in other parts of the WWII military.
- Quotes
Emile de Becque: When all you care about is here, this is a good place to be.
- Crazy creditsThere are probably more dubbed singing voices in this film than in any other screen version of a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, but the only one which actually receives screen credit is that of Giorgio Tozzi, who dubs the singing voice of Emile de Becque (Rosanno Brazzi). This is because Tozzi was a renowned bass-baritone with the Metropolitan Opera.
- Alternate versionsThe 1999 DVD contains some scenes where the color filters are either more subtle or completely removed compared to previous versions. However, the filters were reinstated for the 2006 DVD and 2009 Blu-Ray.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Siege (1983)
- SoundtracksSouth Pacific Overture
(1949) (uncredited)
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Performed by the 20th Century-Fox Studio Orchestra Conducted by Alfred Newman
Featured review
South Pacific Update
I remember when South Pacific was first released in the movie theaters, and if a person had been around for that time and witnessed the viewing on the large curved Todd-A-O screen with surround sound stereophonic sound like Cinerama had. Yyes dear people; surround sound is nothing new], then the younger critics today would have a different outlook on this film, but I will admit that it is a little bit too long, but a beautiful movie it is. The only thing that I find wrong is that it's just too perfect. You expect a little flaw here or there, but there's nothing, and even though most of the actors and actresses singing voices were dubbed except for Mitzi Gaynor, you can't see any flubbing up of the lip-sync hing. Look at Rozzano Brazzi - his lips look like he's really singing. Even his breathing is right in there with Giorgio Tozzi who did the actual singing.
This was directed by the very manic-depressive Josh Logan whose insanity is all over the screen in his directing of the movie version of "Paint Your Wagon", but Logan said that his first choice for Nelli was Elizabeth Taylor, but when she tried to sing for Rogers and Hammerstien, she was so nervous that her throat closed up on her, and she lost out. He was too afraid that Doris Day would turn South Pacific into a Doris Day vehicle, and then one day Mitzi Gaynor showed up and told him, "I know you probably think I can't play Nelli, but I'd like to test for it anyway!" After the test, he asked someone what he thought of her as Nelli and he was told, "Oh! She'll be very good if you can get her to do the things she should be doing instead of the things she's doing, her Gaynorisms - big winking eye's etc., and then he added, "Of course, you'll have to police her!" She smoked cigarettes like a chimney. So, Mitzi got the part, and at the world premier it was then well known that everyone's voice was dubbed except for Mitzi Gaynors and some woman in the audience was explaining to her friend who sang for who, and then ended up asking, "I wonder who sang for Mitzi Gaynor?" and not knowing that Ms. Gaynor was sitting in front of them, she turned around, looked at the two women and quipped, "Frank Sinatra"!
Personally, I love the filters on the musical sequences, and it really adds to the enjoyment of the film. Josh Logan didn't like them, but he was warned not to film the movie in Technicolor for fear that it would look like a picture post card that you could turn over and write "Having a Wonderful Time", but with it being a little bit too long, I love the movie, and again, it's just a shame that these movies cannot be seen in a movie theaters anymore. Then - the would see the expert craftsmanship in such movies as the glorious "South Pacific"!
So, considering Glenn Close in her version of South Pacific. Take it for what it is, it's not that bad. In fact, a big surprise that it turned out as well as it did. I understand that the Josh Logan version with Mitizi Gaynor is going to be released into the movie theaters again. After everyone today see's it as it should be seen, maybe this will cause the release of other musicals such as Oklahoma, The King and I, Carousel, and Guys and Dolls to be released into the theaters again. What a treat that will be, but here's another version, and a wonderful surprise:
You can purchase the South Pacific Concert on C.D. starring, ready for this, Reba McIntyre as Nellie Fobush, with audience response on the disc, and is everyone in for the surprise of their life. Beba is perfection. All of the music is combined with bits and pieces of the shows Dialogue so that you feel you're watching the complete show on the stage. Reba sounds like someone from Little Rock, and her singing is wonderful. All I can say is: Rogers and Hammerstien would approve 100% and be very proud of this version. Reba and the cast is perfection! Reba knocked their socks off on Broadway playing a dynamic performance as Annie in "Annie Get Your Gun"! No wonder she is simply wonderful playing Nellie in South Pacific! If Reba is smart, the next role she'll play is Sally Adams in the Ethel Merman hit "Call Me Madam"! Go girl! Go!
This was directed by the very manic-depressive Josh Logan whose insanity is all over the screen in his directing of the movie version of "Paint Your Wagon", but Logan said that his first choice for Nelli was Elizabeth Taylor, but when she tried to sing for Rogers and Hammerstien, she was so nervous that her throat closed up on her, and she lost out. He was too afraid that Doris Day would turn South Pacific into a Doris Day vehicle, and then one day Mitzi Gaynor showed up and told him, "I know you probably think I can't play Nelli, but I'd like to test for it anyway!" After the test, he asked someone what he thought of her as Nelli and he was told, "Oh! She'll be very good if you can get her to do the things she should be doing instead of the things she's doing, her Gaynorisms - big winking eye's etc., and then he added, "Of course, you'll have to police her!" She smoked cigarettes like a chimney. So, Mitzi got the part, and at the world premier it was then well known that everyone's voice was dubbed except for Mitzi Gaynors and some woman in the audience was explaining to her friend who sang for who, and then ended up asking, "I wonder who sang for Mitzi Gaynor?" and not knowing that Ms. Gaynor was sitting in front of them, she turned around, looked at the two women and quipped, "Frank Sinatra"!
Personally, I love the filters on the musical sequences, and it really adds to the enjoyment of the film. Josh Logan didn't like them, but he was warned not to film the movie in Technicolor for fear that it would look like a picture post card that you could turn over and write "Having a Wonderful Time", but with it being a little bit too long, I love the movie, and again, it's just a shame that these movies cannot be seen in a movie theaters anymore. Then - the would see the expert craftsmanship in such movies as the glorious "South Pacific"!
So, considering Glenn Close in her version of South Pacific. Take it for what it is, it's not that bad. In fact, a big surprise that it turned out as well as it did. I understand that the Josh Logan version with Mitizi Gaynor is going to be released into the movie theaters again. After everyone today see's it as it should be seen, maybe this will cause the release of other musicals such as Oklahoma, The King and I, Carousel, and Guys and Dolls to be released into the theaters again. What a treat that will be, but here's another version, and a wonderful surprise:
You can purchase the South Pacific Concert on C.D. starring, ready for this, Reba McIntyre as Nellie Fobush, with audience response on the disc, and is everyone in for the surprise of their life. Beba is perfection. All of the music is combined with bits and pieces of the shows Dialogue so that you feel you're watching the complete show on the stage. Reba sounds like someone from Little Rock, and her singing is wonderful. All I can say is: Rogers and Hammerstien would approve 100% and be very proud of this version. Reba and the cast is perfection! Reba knocked their socks off on Broadway playing a dynamic performance as Annie in "Annie Get Your Gun"! No wonder she is simply wonderful playing Nellie in South Pacific! If Reba is smart, the next role she'll play is Sally Adams in the Ethel Merman hit "Call Me Madam"! Go girl! Go!
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- darkinvader45210
- Mar 3, 2004
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Details
Box office
- Budget
- $6,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $458,000
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $258,350
- Aug 26, 2018
- Gross worldwide
- $476,564
- Runtime2 hours 37 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.20 : 1
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