Rating: 
Summary: Hey, I think it's pretty good!
Review: I don't agree with the perceived need in other reviewers that a new production of South Pacific must somehow mirror the qualities of the old ones, otherwise it can't be good theater or be emotionally satisfying. Hogwash! A great work, South Pacific endures like the works of Shakespeare because it encourages new interpretations that reveal new riches in the work. True, Glenn Close is not young and perky like Mitzi Gaynor was, nor is the camera willing to hide the wear of life and age, as the stage did for Mary Martin, but that makes Ms. Close's conflicts, her highs and lows, all the more poignant. Chronological age doesn't translate into wisdom. A woman doesn't have to be young to be immature and prejudiced. Nellie's experience can be just as true for a 50-something as a 20-something, especially when it comes to falling in love. I found Glenn Close's performance to be musically capable and poignantly realistic.Overall, I felt a grittiness to the production that rang true of a bloody war and wasn't necessarily present in the '58 movie version. Bloody Mary is unattractive and conniving. Harry Connick, Jr. is a warrior who wants to be a hero, who's willing to die for it, until he learns too late that maybe love, regardless of its color, is more important. That knowledge is what drives Emile DeBecque. Rade Sherbedgia makes a great Emile. The man is sexy just walking across a room. Who cares if he's not a booming baritone? The spiritual yearning and joy of "Some Enchanted Evening" SHOULD be whispered in a lover's ear. He wants to woo the woman, not blast her out of the water. The quality and tone of Sherbedgia's tenor voice convey a sultry passion and joy of love that rings true and doesn't compromise the song. I found his renditions pleasant, and I think the composers would have approved. It's a good version. I've got recordings of the original stage production and the movie, and frankly, I prefer this one.
Rating:
Summary: A error gone good!
Review: I had joined Netflix and wanted to see (the 1958 version of) South Pacific as I am soon to participate in the pit orchestra of a local community theater. Lo and behold, when I opened the Netflix package, they had sent the 2001 version instead. Only having seen the "original", I was pleasantly surprised by Glenn Close's version, and VERY impressed with the four main characters (Glenn Close, Harry Connick Jr., Rade Sherbedgia and [can't remember his name, but Murphy Brown's painter]. Thought they were all a vast improvement from the 1958 movie. Conversely, Juanita Hall and Ray Walston were much better in their respective parts in the 1958 film. Would love to see Rade Sherbedgia in other roles, as he just oozes sensuality and had this writer's attention in every scene in which he appeared!
Rating:
Summary: Old versus New
Review: I have long been a lover of the old South Pacific movie and was a little reluctant to see a TV version of this classic. I must say I enjoyed it more than I expected. The new version is more realistic and graphic than the original. I must say I enjoyed the vocals of the old better than the new but then in the old version only one of the cast really sang. (Mitzi Gaynor). The story conveys the racial overtones and stigma in todays world. It brings the fairy tale of old to the reality of now with charaters that are more believeable. I have found that I want both in my library but find in my audio the old is much more pleasing.
Rating: 
Summary: The DVD is perfect
Review: I have seen the dvd today. This is one fine production. I agree with the other 5 star reviews and add that it has been quite some time since I have enjoyed television this much. It is about as perfect as I could imagine, now that the commercials are gone and the picture is flawless. This South Pacific is serious, extremely well acted, sincere, beautiful, humane and real. All the lead acting is perfect, especially Glen Close. I loved Bloody Mary. This important movie is a treasure. If you have seen it and did not like it, remind me not to listen to you again.
Rating:
Summary: What a wonderful surprise!
Review: I have the original South Pacific sound track on record, and a VHS of the original movie version and didn't really know what to expect from this release with Glenn Close, Harry Connick, Jr and Rade Sherbedgia. What a wonderful surprise!! Rade Sherbedgia as the French planter is suburb, Glenn Close plays a perkey spirited nurse, and Harry Connick is also quite good. The scenery is good, the music adaptation is wonderful and I really can't recommend it enough! The sound track is very well done and a joy to listen to.
Rating: 
Summary: Glen Close as Nellie? Yuck!
Review: I haven't even seen this movie, but I want to object to it strenuously! As any dirty old man knows perfectly well, the whole point of Emile's and Nellie's relationship was the almost-over-the-hill wealthy man hooking up with a fresh-faced, hopefully reasonably innocent (ideally virgin), preferably gorgeous, sweet young thing. ("This is what I need, this is what I long for, someone young and smiling, climbing up my **** (South Pacific is full of double entrendres, just in case anybody didn't notice)). Mature or even semi-mature ladies need not apply! Glen Close is not anywhere close to this ideal! In present times, this idea is not looked on favorably. Young girls want to find a life partner of their own age, so they can have romantic love forever (rarely does it actually happen!). But not that long ago, when women frequently died in childbirth, wealthy men routinely obtained new, young wives, young women who were still interested in the same thing that the man was still interested in, and who would hopefully combine pleasure with production of children. Mitzi Gaynor may have not been a teenager, but she definitely was perky. Having Glen Close as the love interest smacks of modern, femininist political correctness. Incidentally, I agree with a previous reviewer that the dialog in the original South Pacific is rather wooden. A lot of the lines sound like they're being delivered by non-actors. But, of course, it is still a wonderful movie. Would it be possible to have a new version which improved upon the original? Probably not, because (in my opinion) political correctness and marketing considerations would severely interfere with the story. The all-important youth market would not want to see a young girl get friendly with a (yuck!) old guy. Witness the Audrey Hepburn Story, which had William Holden and Gregory Peck changed from middle-aged men into young men.
Rating:
Summary: South Pacific
Review: I like this remake, like Glenn Close and love the music, the scenery and overall feel that is is a good "take me away" musical!
Rating:
Summary: You've Got to Be Taught
Review: I looked forward to this tv movie and hoped it would be an improvement on the original. It wasn't. It made me appreciate the original. Glenn Close is just too old for that part. She is supposed to be a naive young girl falling for an older French man. While she sings fine, she is just too old. I think they tried to pretend like age wasn't an issue but it was. Mitzi Gaynor did a better job and was the right age. I think the racial issue in the movie of marrying a man with Polynesian children is not such an issue in 2001. Also to Lt. Cable being with a Polynesian woman. Harry Connick Jr. didn't really change the way the original did his part except for I think wanting to marry the Polynesian girl. How in the world could he fall in love with a girl that he just met? It was just a roll in the hay. Also, I saw him on some show like Rosie and he had never seen the original. I found that very hard to believe being a music person. How could you not see the great musicals of all time? The French man cannot nearly sing as well as the original though I think in the original movie he was dubbed.
Why in the world did they have to sensationalize Lt. Cable's death by having him being blown away by a land mine. In the original he dies with dignity quietly. Maybe it's just because kids want to see action these days.
Billis is not as funny as Ray Walston's portrayal. He doesn't seem the least bit as embarrassed or have any strong portrayal or insight of his character that I can see.
I know the orignal is no masterpiece and the colored filters kind of take away from things, but it does have it's good points. Mitzi Gaynor seems so flustered and bothered when she learns that Emile has mixed children which then she would have been. I think it's not such an issue in this because like I said this is 2001 although the story is set during WWII. The movie needed a younger leading lady, a better singing French man, and they should have kept You've Got to Be Taught because that is one of the most important themes of the story that people are taught racism;they aren't born with it.
I wish that they would remake Mame( the Lucille Ball fiasco). Heard they might. Now that one needs to be remade. I think I read that they were thinking about Cher which I don't see how in the world that would work. Too bad they didn't make it with Angela Lansbury when they could have back then. I love Lucy but she was horrible. I know this doesn't have anything to to do with SP but just needed to get it off my chest.
Rating:
Summary: Unwatchable
Review: I love R & H but this version with Glenn close?? is painful to watch and unevenly made. What was Glenn Close thinking? Why are there so many good reviews of this monster? I'll never understand. Stick with the original. It seems more comfortable with itself and it's simply more fun.
Rating:
Summary: A Must See for Rade Serbedzija fans!!!
Review: I really enjoyed this movie. I did not see the original screen version, there-fore I can judge this version on it's own merrits. The main characters are all very good. Glenn Close is such a wonderful actress. Her singing voice is not the strongest, but you have to give her credit for her sincerity.
My favorite part of this movie is listening to Rade Serbedzija sing. He has a beautiful, dreamy voice. It is probably not the most comfortable thing, to sing in a language that is not your mother tongue. I believe that he was born in the former Yugoslavia, and in this movie he sings in English and in French! I am glad that he did not put on a phony French accent to play this Frenchman. His own accent did just fine.
When you watch this movie, just remember that it is a musical!
Just enjoy it. Also the scenery is breath-taking.
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