South Pacific
Can a girl from Little Rock find happiness with a mature French planter she got to know one enchanted evening away from the military hospital where she is a nurse? Or should she just wash that man out of her hair? Bloody Mary is the philosopher of the island and it's hard to believe she could be the mother of Liat who has captured the heart of Lt. Joseph Cable USMC. While waiting for action in the war in the South Pacific, sailors and nurses put on a musical comedy show. The war gets closer and the saga of Nellie Forbush and Emile de Becque becomes serious drama.
Critics Sentiment
Cable sings You've Got to Be Carefully Taught about learned prejudice
Nellie rejects Emile after learning about his Polynesian children
The dramatic shift from Nellie's joyful Honey Bun performance (6.0) to her shocking rejection of Emile over racial prejudice (4.8), followed by the film's emotional peak with You've Got to Be Carefully Taught (8.5).
South Pacific received mixed critical reception, with reviewers consistently praising the memorable Rodgers and Hammerstein songs while criticizing the film's excessive length, distracting color filters, and wooden performances from the male leads. The film's bold treatment of racial prejudice, particularly in You've Got to Be Carefully Taught, was universally acclaimed as ahead of its time. Despite these strengths, critics felt the war sequences came too late and clashed with the romantic tone, making the overall experience uneven.
Full cast
Showing 20 of 186
Rossano Brazzi
Emile De Becque
Mitzi Gaynor
Ensign Nellie Forbush, USN
John Kerr
Lt. Joseph Cable, USMC
Ray Walston
Luther Billis
Juanita Hall
Bloody Mary
France Nuyen
Liat
Russ Brown
Capt. J.M. Brackett, USN
Jack Mullaney
The Professor
Ken Clark
Stewpot
Floyd Simmons
Commander Harbison, USN
Candace Lee
Ngana - Emile's Child
Warren Hsieh
Jerome - Emile's Child
Tom Laughlin
Lt. Buzz Adams
Giorgio Tozzi
Emile De Becque (singing voice)
Archie Savage
Ceremonial Dance Chief / Boar's Tooth Ceremonial Dancer: Chief
Francis Kahele
Henry - Emile's Servant
Robert Jacobs
1st Communications Man
John Gabriel
2nd Communications Man
Richard Harrison
Co-Pilot
Ron Ely
Navigator
Crew
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