Bird of Paradise

"Todo el encanto de leyendas primitivas en una sinfonía de luz y color. Un himno al amor, a la belleza y a la aventura". With these words the Spanish newspaper "SUR" from Málaga in is issue nº 5249 announced on Saturday 4 October 1952 the release of the film "Bird of Paradise" in the Goya Cinema of this city.

Being then myself 11 years old boy this film met the expectations aroused by the advertisement in "SUR". I saw this movie on Thursday 9 October 1952 and I became extremely impressed by the aesthetic outlook and the contents of the adventure in spite of bitter ending.

Many years later, I saw this movie again on TV and I realised the there were many aspects I missed on my first watching, because they underlie what it was simply descrpitive or visual: the interesting anthropological study of the acculturation. This matter is announced at the beginning of the film. Tenga, a "kanaka" (Jeff Chandler), was unable to adapt to the occidental way of life; André Laurence (Louis Jourdan) is also unable to accept, in spite of this efforts, the way in which a tribal social organization solves the problems presented by wild nature, in this case with the ritual sacrifice of his beloved Kalua (Debra Paget).

Debra Paget's physical performance -gestures, looks, dances- as communitive elements, specially with André, is excellent. Her physical performance expresses very accurately her different states of mind: surprise, gratitude, tenderness, tranquility, happiness, panic, sadness, seduction o complicity with others; all this is in clear opposition with the performance uneasiness of Jeff Chandler. His dance with Noanoa (Mary Ann Ventura) is ghastly.

My family and i just loved this movie when we first saw it over 27 and a half yrs ago. we have not seen another one better. I too can not find this film anywhere.I have searched i don't know how many movie stores their is in hawaii and california and can't find it. The best part of all i love about his film is when kalua rubs her face against that red material in the end when andre is remebering her she looked beyond outstanding, absolutely ravishing, it's a shame they don't have it out on vhs or dvd by now what, on earth is the problem. I must say since that last time i saw that movie i was so glad i was with my family both parents and sisters and brothers if i were to watch it today i'd feel alittle empty because all my sisters and brothers are all over the world with families of their own and both my parents has passed, but i have children and grandchildren i'd love to watch this movie with, one great reason is because their is no violence,no nudity,no swearing,just a good clean home movie. so thank you for letting me express my comments and i hope to see that movie again before my time is over. I highly recommend this movie to anyone both young and old it's a movie you'll never forget............................. aloha

I will never forget when I saw "Bird of paradise" and I have never forgotten the name Debra Paget. I was 16 years old, it was in 1952 and the movie was shown at the local cinema, a tiny place hiding under the pine trees in the village in mid-Sweden where I grew up. It was a winter evening and I was deeply moved when walking home alone through the snow. Never shall I forget that TERRIBLE moment when Kalua jumped over the edge of the volcano! Oh, no!!! She was so beautiful and I loved her so much. Of course the volcano's eruption immediately stopped when this wonderful woman sacrificed herself for her people. The story represented something frightening and unknown to me, still remembering it after all these years. I tried to understand how parents could think in the way they did, slowly realizing that that there were different ways to look at life out there. Movie at it's best!

I'm an anthropologist and have been one for over 30 years. One of the reasons I decided to study this field, believe it or not, were the island films. They fascinated me as a kid. This one is no exception. I saw it in '51 at least a dozen times. I ate it up and craved more. Also, I lapped up the Dottie Lamour and Jon Hall films as well as Burt Lancaster's His Majesty O'Keefe. Well, truth is I never got to the islands during all of my professional career. The closest was a port of call at Pearl Harbor on the way to Japan when I was in the Navy. But, the portrayal of these people, however flawed in detail it was, started me on the road to finding out about how we humans differ and yet, are really the same. I loved this film. It has much to offer. No, it's not perfect and I concur with the reviewer from Spain on Chandler's wooden dancing, but with that iron-grey hair and dark Jewish face, he did make a convincing Polynesian. Too, let's not overlook the hamboning of old Maurice Schwartz, some good villainous moments by Jack Elam and a dark, mysterious presentation by the veteran actor, Everett Sloane. Jourdan was French and charming and Debra Paget was beautiful. That alone was worth the price of admission.

Bird of Paradise is a movie that stays in your mind after you see it for its fascinating story,natural sceneries and acting.Debra Paget is so sweet and sweet and sweet in her performance of "Kalua".Just remember the final scene when her lover (Louis Jourdan) is leaving the island after the volcano eruption, and he is thinking and remembering her,and the spectator can see that beautiful sweet smile of Kalua.Jourdan's acting was very good also as the lover. I dont know if the negative of this film has been lost or what.But is a good question why the studios has not released this film already on video.The only one available is the one of the 30's. I think we should have available on VHS and DVD this wonderful 1951 version. An amazing love story.