19 Nov South Pacific
South Pacific starring Mitzi Gaynor and Rossano Brazzi
(1958) This romantic musical just happens to take place during World War II. First South Pacific was a 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway show starring Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza. It ran for 1,925 performances.
They were both based on a tale written by James Michener a Navy lieutenant who was stationed in the South Pacific in 1945. His collection of short stories was called Tales of the South Pacific, and it won a Pulitzer Prize.
According to the TCM article when it was time to do the movie, Pinza had just died, and the producers decided against Mary Martin. The female lead went to Mitzi Gaynor. Even Elizabeth Taylor tried out for the role! The male lead, the Frenchman, went to Rossano Brazzi.
I was surprised when I read after watching the movie that only Mitzi Gaynor was really singing. The other actors’ voices were dubbed!
The songs are so memorable … “Bloody Mary,” “There is Nothing Like a Dame,” “Some Enchanted Evening,” just to name a few. They will be remembered forever.
South Pacific was filmed in Hawaii and other exotic locations. And yes, it took place during World War II. There really were some skirmishes with the Japanese with some sad endings but all in all it was like a lush tropical fairy tale.
South Pacific (Collector’s Edition) at amazon.com
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