The Girls of Pleasure Island

No, despite the title it's not x-rated, but rather a wholesome tale of 1500 U.S. Army men arriving to establish a base on a strategic little Pacific island presided over by an expatriate Briton (Genn) and his three nubile daughters and housekeeper. All (romantic) hell breaks loose when the oldest and the youngest very quickly decide which man to attach themselves to, while the middle girl intends to play the field, aggressively teasing and flirting with many. Even the housekeeper (Lanchester)gets some admirers. Don Taylor is ingratiating as the handsome American lead man, and Audrey Dalton his love interest with whom he deeply falls in love under uncertain conditions.. An altogether charming, light comedy and romance outing which will please most viewers.

It's a battle of proper upbringing versus surging hormones. That's the problem the three enchanting English sisters face as hundreds of US marines land on their little Pacific Island as WWII winds down. The three young women have never seen a 'white' boy since they're the only European family on an island that Dad administrates for the British empire. So now the girls meet not only one boy, but hundreds. Good thing Dad's very forceful in both speech and etiquette, but will that be enough to fend off nature taking its course. After all, both the guys and girls are, shall we say, starved for romance.

The movie's often amusing thanks to the sisters' high spirits, though Gloria, (Bromiley) spreads it on pretty thick, reminding me of the bubbly Debbie Reynolds. Eventually, each sister finds her own approach to romance, so the story's also about growing up under difficult circumstances .

The guys get less spotlight and amusement, except maybe for Taylor's handsome lieutenant. But it's really Genn's very proper father who makes the plot gel, as he must somehow manage both the guys and his three daughters. He may be a wet blanket but never becomes dislikable, quite a trick. I do wish the often hilarious and eccentric Elsa Lanchester had more screen time, but I'm afraid she's largely wasted.

The studio went out of its way to stock the crowd scenes of marines, but they could have popped for better-painted backdrops that mar some island exteriors. Anyway, I found the 95-minutes fairly amusing and at times charming, without being anything special. It's also noteworthy that the flick reflects very much the mores of its time (1953), with the titillating title and suggestive dialog that newly arrived TV couldn't emulate. Were it produced today, I wonder what levels the narrative would reach for or sink to depending on your perspective.

While I generally enjoyed this film, I must say that one actress in this film really didn't work for me. Dorothy Bromiley played the youngest girl in the film. While she was a lot older than the character she played, this didn't bother me--she was able to be convincing as a teenager. But, her voice....wow was it tough on my ears. She sounded a lot like Glynnis Johns but even younger and more piercing. Maybe it's just me and my wife, but the voice was tough for both of us to take.

The film is an enjoyable but tough to believe little fantasy set during WWII. A man (Leo Genn) has moved to a tiny island paradise and has three VERY lonely daughters. When he learns that 1500 US Marines are going to be living there, he is NOT pleased. As for the daughters, they seem amazingly horny--especially the oldest and youngest. The middle girl is a bit more sensible and she falls for nice-guy Don Taylor. Can the father manage to keep his daughters' virginity?! The film is amiable but not especially inspired. Enjoyable fluff--and nothing more.

Where can I find this movie?? I grew up in Australia watching reruns of classic World War II and John Wayne movies on Sunday with my Dad. This particular film brings such great memories to me. Now that I have children I want to spend my Sunday's watching reruns of great old World War II movies with my children. Any advice on how to find it please let me know. I have checked all the usual places such as Amazon and Ebay. According to TMC it was never released on DVD so I am trying to track it down on VHS. (For all you fans please go to the TMC website and type in this movie and request it to be released on DVD by Home Videos.) If you have any suggestions please let me know.

Oh Yes TMC please get this film,or whats left of it,onto some kind of recording and have it released for viewing,.I realize that the type of film used when this picture was made may have deteriorated and ended up floating around in the ether,but it would be a great shame if it was lost for ever,maybe it's lying around in the Paramount Studio cellars just waiting to be re discovered. I have contacted Audrey Dalton and she thinks that the film has probably either been lost or scrapped,but it seems a shame that such a harmless pleasant picture that has no 'smut', innuendo or even bad language as seems to be the norm nowadays is just conveniently forgotten,shame really. Joplaw-2