South Pacific

Movie review by Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media
South Pacific Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 8+

Classic Broadway musical with serious themes, great songs.

NR 1958 157 minutes
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Parents say

age 14+

Based on 2 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that there's some warfare in this movie, set during WWII. Airplanes bomb Navy vessels, and an airplane is hit by enemy fire. There's a machine gun attack on an unarmed man in a rubber raft. Heroes are caught by gunfire behind enemy lines. However, these are not realistic, gruesome battles: there are no on-camera hits with the exception of a hole in an airplane, no blood, and no one is injured on camera. One leading character is killed (off-camera), but his body is shown without any wounds or blood.

Community Reviews

Thefithfive
Thefithfive Adult
October 5, 2020
age 18+

Full of sexual innuendo and content

We sat down to watch this with our kids ages 18-7. What a mistake. The entire movie is about getting some action. In one scene a couple of guys head over to a forbidden island. Upon arrival there are women and men barely dressed shaking their bodies. Then one of the men meets a young girl and they immediately have sex. The mother of the girl wants them to marry, but the man refuses. There is a show for the troops later on in the movie. Just too suggestive and a lot of innuendo. We were so uncomfortable that we started fast forwarding through scenes and eventually turned it off to have a talk with our bewildered children. We are not prudes, but feel people should know that this is not at all a family movie. If you’re looking for a family movie- keep looking.

This title has:

Too much sex
1 person found this helpful.
Erika F.
Erika F. Adult
February 6, 2017
age 10+

Lost movie

This is an excellent movie, that never gets played on television. I have been watching TCM for at least 15 years. South Pacific has never been shown. It's a comedy, it's drama, it's a musical. It's an absolutely fantastic film. The lyrics to the songs stay with you. Once you have seen the film, you can't forget it. Songs of "Some enchanted evening", "I'm gonna wash that man right out of my hair", "Balihai", they are so memorable and great. Why doesn't TCM ever play this fantastic movie?
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Troops of US Navy men and women are stationed on a beautiful island in the Pacific during World War II. Their assignment is to send scouts to watch for Japanese Imperial Fleet ships on the move and report activity. The island is a paradise, and the troops mingle happily with the native Polynesians, as well as some expatriates from France. Love is in the air, and while Nurse Nellie Forbush (Mitzi Gaynor) falls for French landowner Emile DeBecque (Rossano Brazzi), Lieutenant Cable (John Kerr) is smitten with the daughter of Bloody Mary, one of the island's most colorful characters. But the narrow-minded prejudice rampant in mid-20th century American life shows its face and threatens the flowering romances.

Is It Any Good?

Rodgers and Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC is a lighthearted musical with serious themes playing under the rhythms of some of the most wonderful standards in the American Songbook. "Some Enchanted Evening," "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair," and "I'm in Love With a Wonderful Guy" are among them. In retrospect it seems that Director Joshua Logan made some clumsy and ham-handed choices when he designed the lighting and elicited performances that are "as corny as Kansas in August." It's not the best translation to film of the masterful composers' work, but the music alone makes it worth another trip to the island.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how musicals have evolved since 1958, when this movie was made. What are some of the filmmaking techniques that make today's musicals more realistic? And how have the morals and values shown in this film evolved?

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