owenrussell

I am working from a very vague and indistinct childhood memory of a film which I think is Rainbow Island, but cannot be certain. My most vivid memory of this film, which I recall as being in technicolor and having a large number of native-type people in it, is of a kind of idol which was worshipped by the natives and had a curious expression on its face - the most distinct feature being an underlip that stuck out. If I recall the scene correctly, the natives never looked at this idol, believing that it caused death. Eddie Bracken (if it was he), not knowing of this custom looked at the idol and found himself assuming the same expression of face, complete with protruding underlip. On seeing this, the natives began to worship him instead of the idol. Was I watching Rainbow Island? Or was it a different film altogether? Does anyone know?

This, for me at age 9, was not so much a film as an absolutely terrifying experience, the memory of which kept me awake at nights for weeks afterwards (seen on Tuesday 13 February 1945 at the Empire Cinema, Glossop). The jungle, the volcano with its flames reflecting on the faces of the actors, the snakes, the extraordinary and frightening costumes, the sinister drumming music, the bright colour with green costumes and orange flames, the terrifying and evil expression on the face of the Queen, Kado's blowpipe - all these made up a cocktail of complete terror, and I stayed in the cinema only because I was with friends and was ashamed to show my feelings. I was far too young to be aware of any niceties in the way of crudities of dialogue or acting technique, and the whole thing was simply an unbelievable cinema experience, which can never, never be forgotten. What a shame if this remarkable creation is lost to us for ever!