Aloma of the South Seas is an American comedy drama film that grossed $3 million, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1926. It’s based on the 1925 play by John B. Hymer and and LeRoy Clemens. It’s not rated (in Australia). The following is the IMDb review for the film.
Warning: Spoilers
SYNOPSIS: A red-blooded American (Percy Marmont, of all people) tries to resist the wiles of a sultry native lass (Gilda Gray).
NOTES: The Broadway stage play opened at the Lyric on 20 April 1925, running a most satisfactory 163 performances, despite a panning from all the leading critics. Doubtless the charm of Vivienne Osborne in the title role contributed to the play’s popular success. She was ably supported by Frank Thomas, George Gaul, and William Gargan (in his Broadway debut). A.H. Van Buren directed for producer Carl Reed.
The film was re-made by Paramount in 1941 with Dorothy Lamour as Aloma and Jon Hall as the hero.
COMMENT: The stage play was no great shakes. The most that can be said for the screenplay is that it holds up in comparison. But the storyline doesn’t really matter so much. It’s not a stirring narrativem but it’s more important as a series of pegs on which a master stylist like director Maurice Tourneur can hang a dazzling variety of entrancingly picturesque compositions. Aloma of the South Seas fully justifies Tourneur’s reputation as the premier artist of the silent screen.
Moreover, the cast is interesting too. Gilda Gray, in her first starring role, displays a vivacious personality, and is ably supported by Warner Baxter, the beautiful Julanne Johnston and the delightfully rascally William Powell.
Unfortunately, Percy Marmont is totally miscast as the hero. True, it’s a silent film and we don’t hear him speak, but nonetheless it’s impossible to believe he could beat Harry Morey in a fight-yet he does just that!
Still, Marmont’s lack of credibility is merely a small irritant. Visually, the movie is stunningly attractive. Most of the exteriors were shot in Puerto Rico where director Maurice Tourneur’s penchant for strikingly beautiful compositions is always well in evidence. We also love the tinting. The early morning scenes are tinted pink, sepia is effectively used for late afternoon, while black-and-white does a noble duty by South Seas daylight.
If Tourneur had a fault, it was an inability to adjust to the factory system of manufacturing movies. When the money men gained control of the U.S. picture business, Tourneur left Hollywood and returned to France where the artist remained king and his freedom paramount. His son, Jacques, however, stayed on in Hollywood.
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