Return to Paradise

This is a very unusual Gary Cooper film, quite out of the ordinary, Gary Cooper beach-combing in the South Seas, escaping from a troublesome past, probably the war, and finding new trouble and a second world war in Samoa. It's beautifully made efficiently directed by Mark Robson and has a great story to tell.

It's James Michener's story like continuing from "South Pacific" to another island with another human wreck of the war. Gary Cooper is a hard Irishman used to having to fight to get out of trouble and with a very hard and stubborn head. He gets into total conflict with a local tyrant of a missionary, who bullies the whole island, but the people, all Polynesians, see Gary as their possible saviour, and the conflict is gradually resolved as Gary and Barry Jones learn to cooperate. Domestic trouble awaits, though, and after a personal tragedy he finds himself obliged to continue running away from his fate. After many years he returns to the island just in time for new trouble from the second world war.

Curiously enough, this is not a very renowned or well known film, although it must be ranked among the best of its genre. It's filmed on location, and the insight into the life on the island among the natives is the chief asset and charm of the film. Gary Cooper makes a very convincing performance as a man of destiny having a hard time dealing with it, but ultimately he seems to come to terms with it. The happy end is perhaps the only objectionable detail of the film, which alone is not quite convincing. Like after "South Pacific", you expect the story to continue.

I have done many a review of Hary Cooper films and one thing has become apparent to me, he works best as either an action hero or with an excellent leading lady ( such as Barbara Stanwyck). Cooper in Samoa just does not cut it. There are very few Cooper films where he sucked: One Sunday Afternoon,, Design For Living, Good Sam, Love In The Aftermath. And Return To Parade. Even films of his that were no good, he gives a decent performance ( like Alice In Wonderland). Is it his worst film? No that is Design For Living from Lowe's by One Sunday Afternoon but this film does not cut it for me. 2 stars. Mostly for the scenery.

Let's get one thing straight, the actors in this movie are portraying Pacific Islanders NOT aboriginals.

I like this movie if only for the fact that it is probably the only Hollywood movie that was filmed in Western Samoa . It still gets played regularly there on one of the countries two t.v stations and it even has a beach proudly named after it where it was filmed on the south side of Upolu, the main island of Samoa.

Maybe not everyones cup of tea here but the story has had similar parallels in real life many times over.

Enjoyable !

This is not a review about the film, (which is amiable enough but we have all seen better) but a complaint. Yet look at the storyline regarding this movie written by Les Adams, completely ruins the film which we don't need to watch as he has told us the complete 'plot.' This happens far too often in my view, okay don't read the storyline, if so what is the point of putting it therea And as I finish this rant, there is a question, does this review contain spoilers

From the first day he was 'deposited' on the tiny South Pacific island, all Cooper was looking for a little peace and quiet. What he got was a bible thumper with a bad attitude, who meant well, but his priorities were a little screwed up. When Cooper hits the island, the "preacher" does everything in his power to let Cooper know he's not welcome. The narrator in the beginning lets us know right away that something is not right with the island natives, but they don't know if they can do anything about it.

After the girl he falls in love with is jailed, Cooper fights to break her out and eventually ends up leading the natives in a revolt. He settles down to a life on the island, but the sea calls to him whenever someone seems to get too close to him. And the man who is his worst enemy turns to him for help when the going gets tough.

As a movie watcher, this is not my "cup of tea." But my significant other recorded it the other night off one of the classic channels and I had nothing better to do, so I started watching it. Next thing I knew, it was after midnight and the movie was ending. As I said, I never really get into the older movies, but I did find this one rather enjoyable and I will be watching for more of Gary Cooper in the future.