Rating: 
Summary: THE MOON OF MANAKOORA
Review: As a fan of Goldwyn films, I have always enjoyed this magical piece of hokum for it's unusual story, haunting musical score, appealing actors and especially for the terrific special effects which have never been exceeded in their overall effectiveness in nearly 65 years. Dorothy Lamour is beautiful as Marama and Jon Hall gives us his best-remembered performance as Terangi. Mary Astor plays Germaine with rare charm and grace and Raymond Massey is her husband, the Governor you love to hate. In all actuality, this makes a great family picture and for those who are interested, there's a colorized version. The theme is the haunting "Moon of Manakoora".
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Summary: Category 5 Hurricane
Review: Bliss of islanders Terangi (Hall) and Marama (Lamour) is threatened by overzealous, rigid (yet tenderly devoted to wife Germaine) colonial governor De Laage (Massey), obsessed with the letter of the law--until nature intervenes to settle the conflict and soften De Laage's heart. Enduring a lengthy period of false incarceration, Terangi is reunited with beloved Marama and young daughter Tita--on the eve of the hurricane that will overwhelm their tiny island, yet ironically, despite great human toll, reconcile persecutor and persecuted. Awesome, riveting hurricane sequence still is unsurpassed after more than sixty years. Ever intensifying gale force winds tear away the tattered tricolor, signalling the end of colonial government's vain attempt to impose bureaucratic order on the island. Storm surge violently and indiscriminately carries away trappings of church and state, as nature asserts its primacy over man. Top notch cast, especially Mary Astor as De Laage's gracious wife Germaine, more than hold their own with the hurricane--the real star of the film.
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Summary: Hurricane
Review: Don't watch this dvd if you are afraid of hurricanes! The last time I saw this marvelous John Ford film was on the morning of August 23, 1992-AMC Movie Channel, as bad coincidence would have it, was broadcasting The Hurricane, as Hurricane Andrew was tear- ing into Miami. I don't know which was more terrifying, the winds outside, smashing trees to the ground-or seeing the priest playing the organ as the walls came caving in, and the churchbell silenced........it is, for it's time, THE most realistic depict- ion of a hurricane as you are likely to get. And very advanced social commentary, that the imposition of rigidly-observed col- onial rules damaged those whom it was imposed on, that it drained the life out of them. Not to mention rigidity on a personal lev- el wrecked relationships, ruining love. Rather a parable of para dise lost and destroyed-to great effect. What could have been a humdrum boring sermon became an electrifying tale under the sure hand of John Ford. John Hall and Dorothy Lamour really never had such a workout of their craft again! Doesn't spare any puches. There's a terrifying scene of an is- lander mother giving birth in a canoe, surrounded by her family and the doctor, being jounced around and battered by the storm in all it's fury-you have to buy this. You won't regret it. It has not lost any of it's punch, it is as applicable today as then.
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Summary: Dorothy Lamour in Her Most Legendary Film
Review: Here is the film that made the gorgeous Dorothy Lamour one of the greatest sex symbols in movie history - and besides that it is a thrilling adventure picture with outstanding special effects. One of the top films of the 1930's - and of alltime!!
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Summary: Cinematic mastery of visual and sound effects.
Review: John Ford's 1937 masterpiece of romance and drama in the South Seas is punctuated by the most realistic hurricane sequence in cinematic history. With excellent performances as well as visual and audio effects that will leave you breathless, this film remains unchallenged as the ultimate "silver screen" hurricane movie.
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Summary: A special effects storm that has never been surpassed
Review: The main reason to watch this 1937 film directed by John Ford is for the special effects as the title storm wrecks the fictional island of Manikoora. Certainly the cornball romance between the native girl Marama (Dorothy Lamour) and the sailor Terangi (Jon Hall) is not particularly captivating. Terangi is unjustly imprisoned for a murder he did not commit and escapes just as a hurricane strikes the island and makes it difficult for him to return to his wife. The hurricane sequence is what justifies five stars for this film as giant waves and battering winds destroy the sets and miniatures. Let me put it this way: the special effects in this 1937 film are at least as impressive as anything you see in "The Perfect Storm." The supporting cast features Raymond Massey as the heartless Governor De Laage, Mary Astor as his more sympathetic wife, John Carradine as the warden, C. Aubrey Smith as Father Paul and Thomas Mitchell as Dr. Kersaint in an Oscar nominated role for Supporting Actor. If you can track down a copy of "Hurricane" check it out, but do not do so on a dark and stormy night.
Rating:
Summary: A special effects storm that has never been surpassed
Review: The main reason to watch this 1937 film directed by John Ford is for the special effects as the title storm wrecks the fictional island of Manikoora. Certainly the cornball romance between the native girl Marama (Dorothy Lamour) and the sailor Terangi (Jon Hall) is not particularly captivating. Terangi is unjustly imprisoned for a murder he did not commit and escapes just as a hurricane strikes the island and makes it difficult for him to return to his wife. The hurricane sequence is what justifies five stars for this film as giant waves and battering winds destroy the sets and miniatures. Let me put it this way: the special effects in this 1937 film are at least as impressive as anything you see in "The Perfect Storm." The supporting cast features Raymond Massey as the heartless Governor De Laage, Mary Astor as his more sympathetic wife, John Carradine as the warden, C. Aubrey Smith as Father Paul and Thomas Mitchell as Dr. Kersaint in an Oscar nominated role for Supporting Actor. If you can track down a copy of "Hurricane" check it out, but do not do so on a dark and stormy night.
Rating:
Summary: Hurricane is Rare Event
Review: This film is very exciting and has good production. It the head of its time in the seventh art for its high quality effects. The message of the film is about destructive natural hurricane with its similar hurricane of human life represented in black side of man. I.e. hatred injustice and conspiracy. These bad things are the true hurricane that travels inside man which would get ride of what it meets like natural hurricane. This is quite clear in the film the ruler(Raymond Massey ) and the young man(Jon Hall ). The similarity between the two films is the destruction of every thing that the hurricane meets. It among lines message which the film seeks to convey.
Rating:
Summary: Hurricane is Rare Event
Review: This film is very exciting and has good production. It the head of its time in the seventh art for its high quality effects. The message of the film is about destructive natural hurricane with its similar hurricane of human life represented in black side of man. I.e. hatred injustice and conspiracy. These bad things are the true hurricane that travels inside man which would get ride of what it meets like natural hurricane. This is quite clear in the film the ruler(Raymond Massey ) and the young man(Jon Hall ). The similarity between the two films is the destruction of every thing that the hurricane meets. It among lines message which the film seeks to convey.
Rating:
Summary: Your jaw will drop
Review: Wow. Incredible special effects close out the last half hour of this film, in which a small Pacific island near Tahiti is obliterated by a collossal hurricane. The action scenes are amazing, as buildings, boats, people and trees are swept away by unstoppable nature. The plot revolves around the noble seafaring Terangi, a native who runs afoul of an unbending legal system, and has to go to great lengths to return to his family, and to prove his valor and nobility. Played by athlete-turned-actor John Hall, Terangi has a major "me Tarzan" quality to him, but is compelling nonetheless. Dorothy Lamour, in her trademark sarong, also plays a Polynesian. If you can get past the silliness of these white folks playing "ethnic" roles, this is a superior, and quite stunning film. As ever, a tightly crafted movie by director John Ford.
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