Bahama Passage

A tortured, angst-ridden story set on a salt farm situated on a remote island in the Bahamas. Madeleine Carroll and Stirling Hayden are visually resplendent but the lackluster story negates whatever potential there is for a passionate island romance. In fact, they manage to wade through the entire film without once kissing, a record for two stars who allegedly were engaged to be married at the time.

Leo G. Carroll and Flora Robson play a paranoiac pair who are convinced that the majority native population is bent on murdering them. The real star of the film is the cinematographer, who succeeds in offsetting a generally dull screenplay.

I'm yet to see a Madeleine Carroll film that was unwatchable, and Bahama Passage is no exception. It would have been nice if the story matched her inimitable beauty and charm, but you can't always get your wish.

As a homeowner on Salt Cay, Turks and Caicos, this movie is very special. Bahama Passage was filmed on Salt Cay and Grand Turk. It shows, for those of us who missed those days, what our island looked like. The White House..home of Adrian, is still standing. The office, where Moreno gets slapped around by Leo G. Carroll just fell down in Hurricane Frances. Some of the rooms in the movie still exist in the White House, and frankly, haven't changed a bit. I am very much interested in doing a history article on the filming of Bahama Passage--one of my sources for the story was only about 8 years old at the time, so her history is a little thin in spots..but she lived in the White House and remembers many things quite well. The content of the story, as in the book Dildo Cay, is somewhat thin. But I can look at Sterling Hayden and Madeline Carrol all day. You can obtain a VHS print of the movie on Ebay if you keep searching under Bahama Passage..that is how I got mine. I would appreciate any information anyone might have on the filming of this movie so my history is correct.

The above quote is from the introduction to "Bahama Passage" and a rather ill-named location it certainly is!

1941 was an eventful year for young Sterling Hayden. He had the distinction of starring in the first two films in which he appeared. Both of which his co-star was Madeleine Carroll...and they both soon married in 1942. Sadly, the marriage didn't last...but it did result in "Virginia" and "Bahama Passage".

When the film begins, Adrian's father is found dead on the beach. Adrian Ainsworth (Hayden) accepts that his father's death was an accident. His mentally ill mother insists that the natives murdered him. However, on this small island of Dildo Key, the natives are friendly and loyal to the Ainsworth family....and they'd have no reason to kill anyone...yet. I say yet because the overseer that Adrian soon hires (Leo G. Carroll) is a harsh and wicked man. Again and again, the overseer provokes the natives until ultimately disaster happens...and Adrian is left to care for the man's daughter, Carol (Madeleine Carroll).

Paramout spent a lot of money on this production, with a location shoot in the Turks & Caicos as well as filming it in color. Despite this, the story is weak due to the writing and some of the acting. While I love Hayden and his films, when he finds his father dead he was simply terrible...with zero emotion and making for a very unconvincing scene. Additionally, Ms. Carroll's character is very poorly written. While you are supposed to like her and cheer for a romance between her and Adrian, she is wishy-washy in dealing with her irresponsible jerk of a father. It makes no sense for her to adore Adrian yet again and again to side with her father against him when clearly her father is not only wrong but created all the problems. She is too weak...and unlikable as a result. Overall, a nice looking film that doesn't quite hit the mark.

I saw Bahama Passage in the Avon Theater in Providence, Rhode Island in 1941 or 1942. The film, with the Bahama's incredible water shown in Technicolor made a lasting impression on me. I have traveled throughout the Bahamas for many years never tiring of the beauty of these islands. I have not seen the film in sixty years and I am unsure if a print still exists. If anyone knows if a copy of the film exists and where a copy can be purchased I wouild greatly appreciate hearing from you. Many years ago I was able to make a color VCR tape of "Virginia" which is also a fine film starring Madeline Carroll, Sterling Hayden and Fred MacMurray. I believe Madeline Carroll and Sterling Hayden were married during the filming of either Bahama Passage or Virginia. Thanks for your help.

As I understand it, both of these films are among the Paramount films purchased by Universal. They are both fabulously beautiful films with wonderful casts and it is a shame that UNIVERSAL does not issue them as one of their DOUBLE FEATURE dvds. It is a shame that two films of this quality and historic interest are not available. Both of these films are exceptional. They have color photography and location filming unusual for the time (1941). Both have big name supporting players of interest, especially Dorothy Dandridge. Mr Hayden was encumbered with the irksome title 'the most beautiful man in the movies' at this time. Fortunately for his employers, he is a good enough actor that his annoyance does not show.