South Pacific

Having taped this off HBO nearly 22 years ago, I finally got to see the 1958 version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific just now (I had also seen the PBS Great Performances Carnegie Hall version with Reba McEntire, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Alec Baldwin last year). Mostly wonderful film version although I agree with most posters that the color filters during the songs can be a little distracting. Mitzi Gaynor is fine as Nurse Nellie Forbush in singing, dancing, and especially acting that I don't understand the criticism against her. Rossano Brazzi is likewise (although his singing, like the other cast members, was dubbed) as paramour Emile de Becque. John Kerr does indeed seem stilted and the dubbed singing of him is so obvious and I can't believe completely his love for France Nuyen. Ms. Nuyen is luminous, by the way. Juanita Hall and Ray Walston (who I first encountered as Mr. Hand in Fast Times at Ridgemount High) also lend fine support. That all said, this is classic R & H all the way in line with The Sound of Music, The King and I, Oklahoma!, and Carousel. P.S. Thurl Ravenscroft was the singing voice of Stewpot in the "There is Nothing Like a Dame" number. You might know him best as Tony the tiger and the singer of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" in How the Grinch Who Stole Christmas.