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A concert pianist, as concert panists are wont to do, goes pearl diving in the South Seas to find a giant pearl for his girlfriend. He does, and that's when all the trouble begins.

A must see for those of us who are tired of watching the usual Hollywood confections!

Certainly &quot;Lovers and Luggers&quot; has its defects: — some minor (a bit of obvious process work, especially near the beginning; one or two unflattering profile shots of Miss Hamill) and a number that are more irritating (a too-juicy performance from Ron Whelan and overly theatrical thrusts from Sidney Wheeler, though he does handle some later dramatic moments with greater sensitivity). At 100 minutes, the film is the longest Cinesound ever made on its own account, and could stand just a little trimming after the action climax, just 5 minutes or so). Plus one major shortcoming: — Lloyd &quot;Midnight Phantom&quot; Hughes lacks the charisma, depth and sympathy required of the hero. He often mechanically recites his lines without feeling the part. Fortunately, all these problems tend to fade away when confronted with the film&#39;s virtues: — its superlative photography, in particular Captain Hurley&#39;s evocatively picturesque images of Thursday Island; plus the entrancing Shirley Ann Richards as the spunky little heroine and ultra-glamorous Elaine Hamill as a svelte femme fatale; plus James Raglan, wonderfully convincing as the despairing pearler; and of course, Alec Kellaway, appealingly off- beat, as usual, as the comically desperate McTavish. Ken G. Hall has directed and produced with his usual smooth finesse. Music, art direction and wardrobe attire all conjure a feast for the senses, whilst the script provides a reasonably engaging plot on which to hang drama, comedy and romance. Its mockingly sardonic dialogue gives many of the characterizations an unusual edge. Above all, the movie allows for many glimpses of Thursday Island&#39;s long-vanished traditions and customs. Yes, it&#39;s a great setting, which director Ken G. Hall &amp; Co. have most effectively utilized.

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Vengeance of the Deep

Quite a fascinating but obscure Australian adventure film about the rather unknown Thursday Island and the diving for giant oysters and search for pearls. Dull but well spoken Lloyd Hughes deals with the evil Ronald Whelan (as Mendoza) who is after the large pearl Hughes found and other greedy men, dealing with the dangerous risks of diving and the heavy equipment. There&#39;s also the attractive Shirley Ann Richards and Elaine Hamill as the love interest. Maybe not as colorful as later films on the subject (&quot;Beneath the 12 Mile Reed&quot;, &quot;Underwater&quot;, &quot;Pearl of the South Pacific&quot;), but pretty good technically considering its age. While the running time is listed as 100 minutes, the print I saw clocked in at 67 minutes. The character of Kishimuni (whom I presumed to be the nearly angelic hard working crew member) is played by someone named Charlie Chan, and the gruff good natured captain is the barking Sidney Wheeler who is like a 30&#39;s version of Alan Hale.

User reviews

Vengeance of the Deep

A must see for those of us who are tired of watching the usual Hollywood confections!

Definitely a pearl before swine.

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