South Sea Woman

South Sea Woman is a fun, entertaining, and sadly to say, forgotten old movie. Burt Lancaster hand-picked Chuck Connors for the supporting role; what a compliment, and what a debut to the movies! It's a court-martial drama, with Burt facing over one hundred years in prison. Despite having his reputation tarnished and serving the rest of his life in jail, he refuses to give a plea or testify in his defense. Ladies, this will be a fun treat for you. Not only is Burt playing a tough marine, but his strong, silent type is sure to make you love him even more!

Virginia Mayo, in the titular role, can't stand Burt's silence. She takes the stand when he won't and tells the true story. It's a very exciting story that shows so much of his character: strength, loyalty, courage, and selflessness. I would definitely recommend this military drama if you like these types of stories (a defendant refusing to talk is a common story element), if you like Burt, or if you want to see Chuck's film debut. I was a bit skeptical, since Virginia Mayo is no Susan Hayward, but she didn't detract from the drama. For a double feature, you can watch Burt in the same year's From Here to Eternity!

I don't know if the term war oater exixts but I don't care, I have no other word to describe this film, very watchable but worth only for movie buffs like me, from time to time nostalgic of the Hollywood golden years, the last ones, the fifties. Arthur Lubin was guilty of this comedy, after all comedy was his domain, with the exception of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA of course, his best movie. Not the Francis talking mule movie nor Abott and Costello's series. Exotic cinema charm lovers won't be deceived.

This was the best thing that Chuck Conners ever did. And Burt Lancaster was made to make Marine movies. Unfortunately,, Burt did not emerge until his next film, From Here to Eternity, where he had only a minor skirmish with the attacking Jap planes on Pearl Harbor. This film predates that one, and shows Burt as a crazy as can be jarhead; not to mention his sidekick, Chuck Conners, an even crazier jarhead. Between the two of them they stop a reinforcement of Guadacanal by Japanese troops and sink a battleship to boot. A bit reminiscent of African Queen with Bogart's final scene. This would be the PERFECT midnight cult film. I could see it now; the chicken marriage ceremony outfit, guys dressed up like marines, girls dressed up like islanders, bad Germans, bad Frenchmen , good Frenchmen, and one or two other costumes. This film is HIGHLY underrated, and is a hidden gem. It has more action than most other war films, and a decent amount of comedy to boot; not to mention a trial! The movie has everything but the kitchen sink, and is probably the reason Lancaster was cast in the lead for From Here to Eternity. DO NOT MISS THIS GEM!

In a recent biography of Burt Lancaster the only two things that were mentioned about South Sea Woman was that it enabled him to fulfill a commitment to Warner Brothers on a three picture deal and that he was instrumental in getting Chuck Connors the part of his fellow Marine in hijinks. Other than that this one is strictly minor league Lancaster.

The title role of South Sea Woman is played by Virginia Mayo who the two have a rivalry over. The story is narrated from several perspectives at a court martial that Lancaster is undergoing. These two manage to miss the withdrawal of Marines from Shanghai which occurred a few weeks before Pearl Harbor. Lancaster wants to get back to the outfit especially when they get news of the Japanese attack, but Connors has Mayo on his mind, he wants to get married.

Not since the Errol Flynn film Desperate Journey also by Warner Brothers was there ever a more lighthearted approach to war. These two guys also manage to liberate a Vichy governed French colony and turn it over to the Free French and from said island recruit a crew to get to Guadalcanal where they do distinguish themselves in their own private action. All this related to a rather incredulous court martial board.

What was interesting was that Burt Lancaster did two films at once. While this was shooting Lancaster went over to the set of Three Sailors And A Girl and did a small walk-on role in his Marine uniform costume in that musical. With that he fulfilled a three picture commitment the other being The Flame And The Arrow in which he also co-starred with Virginia Mayo.

The comedy was kind of forced and while it had a few laughs in it South Sea Woman is clearly a film that Lancaster wanted to get off his plate and move on. That year of 1953 he also did From Here To Eternity a much better film about the start of the Pacific War.

The early years of World War II is the setting for this action comedy starring Burt Lancaster, Virginia Mayo, and Chuck Connors (his biggest role to date). Directed by Arthur Lubin, it features an Edwin Blum screenplay from a William Rankin-Stanley Shapiro adaptation of William Rankin's play.

Lancaster plays Master Gunnery Sergeant James O'Hearn, whose court martial trial has just begun (Hayden Rorke plays the prosecutor and Cliff Clark is among the officers who sit in judgment). After a series of outlandish sounding charges are read, O'Hearn declines the opportunity to defend himself. However, his court appointed attorney (Bob Sweeney) will mount a defense anyway. A series of witnesses recall the events that lead to the charges, and flashbacks are used to tell their stories.

Ginger Martin (Mayo in the title role) was a displaced showgirl in Southeast Asia that Marine Private Davey White (Connors) was to marry before his Sergeant and mentor O'Hearn intervened. A barroom brawl and their ensuing fight causes the men to miss their ship on its way to sea. Further circumstances keep the AWOL Marines, with Ginger in tow, from returning right away. In fact, for months they are stranded on a remote island commanded by Vichy French sympathizer Pierre Marchand (Leon Askin).

After enjoying the pleasures of hotelier Lillie Duval (Veola Vonn) and her girls, O'Hearn learns that Dutch Captain van Dorck (Rudolph Anders) is really a Nazi that's been placing radar equipment throughout the South Pacific. He then frees or convinces the real deserters, who have made the island their home (including Arthur Shields), to join his plan to steal van Dorck's yacht, after which they discover and disrupt a Japanese invasion fleet by attacking it!

The details of the battle and the outcome of the trial are intertwined; Strother Martin appears as a spectator.