Kona Coast

It's Richard Boone as you've never seen him before! Usually an evil villain in westerns, in this Honolulu-set movie, he's an islander in every sense of the word. He wears tropical shirts, he has blonde highlights in his hair from the sunshine, he hula dances with babes in bars, and he seduces women on his yacht. It's no wonder he co-produced this movie himself! It's clear this isn't exactly an A-tier movie, but I couldn't stop watching it. He was laughing and grinning in every scene; how rare is that? Vera Miles also gets to play a different part. She has a tearful monologue about her sordid life, right after a steamy kiss scene with Richard - pretty different from her Disney movies like Follow Me, Boys!

Richard Boone lived in Hawaii for several years, so that probably explains why he wanted to be a part of this movie. However, as much fun as the ancillary scenes are, the plot is actually a drama. Richard's daughter dies of a drug overdose, and rather than rely on the incompetent and disinterested police, he takes matters into his own hands. He enters the seedy drug world and tries to kill the men who got his daughter hooked. As a parent, you totally understand his anger and resignation that he has nothing left to lose. If you're not a parent, you can just appreciate the scenery and relaxed Hawaiian energy. Although this movie shows that bad things do happen in Paradise, you can still have fun while seeking revenge.

DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. The entire opening sequence shows a drug-induced party, and the camera swirls, shows double vision, and uses quick editing that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"

To the other reviewers here, I would add:

Cons: The dialog is contrived, the acting is poor, and the story is sophomoric. This all adds up to "hokey" as an apt description for this movie that must have escaped as opposed to being released. It's a miracle that Boone was even able to get Blondell and Miles to be in it. They must have needed to pay some bills.

There was one scene in which the goons hired by the bad guy beat him up next to a phone booth, and the police arrive not more than five seconds after he hits the ground! How's that for response by our boys in blue? What this adds up to is a hokey film, so save your time (and money if you thought of buying the DVD).

Pros: The scenery is nice. A lot has changed in the 40+ years since the filming of this movie, but those who have been to Kailua-Kona will recognize some of the views along Alii Drive.

Just happened to wake up at 3am last night and went to watch satellite TV to try and get back to sleep and this came on. This film was so bad that it was compelling viewing and as a result I couldn't get back to sleep!

A quite poor script, and dreadful acting by ALL concerned, but worst of all was the plot which has been explained by previous posters so I won't repeat it here. The film attempts to potray emotion and dignity and utterly fails - not even the funeral of one of the main characters made you care. The characters are completely devoid of any depth or meaning, and you really don't give a damn about what happens to any of them.

Kona Coast is good drama fare One of the simplest movies to follow and get behind, allowing that you don't follow it too closely. Kona Coast stars Richard Boone (Have Gun, Will Travel) as crusty old Hawaiian fisherman Sam Moran whose daughter washes up OD'd on the beach. Forget the cops, Sam's gonna deal with the lily-livered punk who got his kid strung out. Unfortunately, his own boat is torched when he gets too close, critically injuring an old fisherman buddy of his. Now this old guy wants to die at home "Take me to Kona, Sam..." Using his buddy's crew of three young, distrustful hippie types,including a girl, who seem to be as surly as he is, Sam takes his friend, and his friends' boat to Kona Coast, which is kind of like the Long Beach of the islands; dirty, but people still party. Sam is enough of a thorn in the side of the new luau/drug king to get the guy's attention as he sends his thugs numerous times to mess him over. Sam Moran, it seems, makes friends easily, and enemies three times easier than that! I think it's because he takes a certain percentage of lip off of people. What's the percentage? Well, i'm not sure i got it exactly, but i think it's pretty near...ZERO, my friend. You cross this guy, he hurts your ass. No freakin' joke. He'll slap you, punch you, spank you and sometimes when he's telling you how worthless you are, you can FEEEL the booze on his breath. I have loved this film ever since i was a kid and i think that's one of the aspects i liked about it. He said what he meant, dam the consequences. Some jackass strung his daughter out and killed her. And this same jackass was now screwin' with him. Something definately has to give, and it does. When this baddie (played with comic evil flair by Steve Inhat)gets his, it just plays right. It's raw, it's real, and it makes us all feel better. Joan Blondell plays the sister of Sam's dead friend. I didn't like her in the movie as Sam's friend was from Australia with this thick as syrup accent and his sister was from Queens or something. Whatever. I did like Sam's love interest played by an actress whose name i can't remember. She whined a lot but i think i had a crush on her anyway. Nice hair. This movie is unavailable on video and will probably always be. A shame. It was VERRRY 60's and VERRRY islandy. If you have a copy of it or more info, write.

Creepy men drug up young Dee Carol during a party with lots of beautiful girls. In a haze, she calls her estranged father, charter boat captain Sam Moran (Richard Boone). A few days later, her dead body washes up on shore. Sam investigates by himself without help from the police. Soon, he's beaten up and his boat is burned.

It's a revenge B-movie filmed in Hawaii. Death Wish would come a few years later. That's what this premise wants to be. Sam needs to start killing these creeps one by one. It needs to go full Death Wish, but it's more a Surface Wound Wish. The investigating is not much, but it still has Hawaii.