South Pacific (2001) (TV)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Richard Pearce

Writers (WGA):

James Michener (novel)
Oscar Hammerstein II (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

26 March 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Drama | Comedy | War

Plot:

During World War II in the South Pacific love is found between a young nurse, Nellie Forbush (Glenn Close) and an older French plantation owner...

Plot Keywords:

Nurse | Love | Remake | Based On Book | Based On Novel

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys.

Cast

Glenn Close	...	Nellie Forbush
Harry Connick Jr.	...	Lt. Joseph Cable
Rade Serbedzija	...	Emile de Becque (as Rade Sherbedgia)
Jack Thompson	...	Captain George Brackett
Lori Tan Chinn	...	Bloody Mary
Ilene Graff	...	Singing Ngana
Natalie Jackson Mendoza	...	Liat (as Natalie Mendoza)
Simon Burke	...	Harbison
Steve Bastoni	...	Bus Adams
Kimberley Davies	...	Luann
Robert Pastorelli	...	Luther Billis
Craig Ball	...	Austin
Damon Herriman	...	Professor
Salvatore Coco	...	DeVito
Peter Lamb	...	Bruno

Also Known As:

Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Australia

Company:

Trillium Productions

Trivia:

The original Broadway production of "South Pacific" opened at the Majestic Theater on April 7, 1949, ran for 1925 performances starring Mary Martin as Nellie Forbush and Ezio Pinza as Emile de Becque, won the 1950 Tony Award for the Best Musical, Libretto and Score and won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 1950.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The film depicts the military using a Grumman Goose seaplane. The Goose was never used by U.S. forces outside of the U.S. or in any war zone.

Movie Connections:

Version of South Pacific (1958)

Ghastly remake even worse than the 1958 movie...

Seldom does one get a chance to see a musical in which EVERYONE'S VOICE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DUBBED--and most of the charm has been so diluted as to be invisible.

And that's just one of the shortcomings of this awful, uninspired remake of 'South Pacific' with some hopelessly miscast performers trying hard to look convincing in singing roles beyond their scope. Once again, the great original score of Rodgers and Hammerstein is rendered by such inept orchestrations and weak voices that it makes you wish there was a Society for the Protection and Integrity of Original Broadway Musicals.

Glen Close is not only physically miscast, her voice lacks the rich quality the song numbers deserve. Likewise for her male co-star, utterly lacking the continental charm of either Ezio Pinza or Rossano Brazzi. I have never seen a worse Bloody Mary than the actress who does her own singing (as opposed to Juanita Hall in the '58 movie) but to no avail whatsoever, throwing away the beautiful 'Bali Hai' in a shameful manner. It's hard to work up any enthusiasm for Harry Connick, Jr.'s rendition of 'Younger Than Springtime', another beautiful song that deserves to be sung in full-bodied fashion by a singer-type like Vic Damone in his prime.

Absolutely the worst movie musical remake in memory, with nobody up to the demands of either the script or the vocals. Mercifully, Rodgers & Hammerstein are not around to watch this travesty.

And I thought the 1958 movie was bad enough...