La belle des îles

London Light prefaced this glossy little trifle largely shot in the South Seas with a stern admonition that this film contains "cultural depictions of its era". Presumably they had in mind Herbert Lom in oriental makeup that makes him looks like Dr No expressing his disdain for White Trash, talk of leper colonies and James Mason's sarcastic reference to his Tahitian girlfriend's forty-six relatives; yet even before the credits roll we're already treated to a bevy of dusky maidens gyrating grass skirts.

John Mills with his hair combed into an outrageous quiff plays a stiff-necked old colonel for whom nemesis comes in the form of Mason who, bless him, once again shows that for all his talent he just couldn't play comedy (witness his attempt at pidgen English).

A personal favourite of mine, but sadly not available on either video or DVD. Two great British actors of the golden age, James Mason (he of the wonderful voice) and John Mills (who virtually won the Second World War single handed) work wonderfully together. Mills is the working boy made good, Mason his former employer's son. Mills finds himself temporarily in command of Mason towards the end of the war and sets in train a course of events which leads to them meeting again after the war in Tahiti. Admire their actors craft, their comic timing, the under-stated nuances of class warfare. A wonderful little gem of a film.

Tiara Tahiti is a strange film and not one I think that should be something that James Mason and John Mills should be noted for. Their one film collaboration should have been something better.

Of course pictorially the film is fine. The South Seas in color cinematography is impossible to do badly.

Mason comes off far better. He's from the upper classes and at one time Mills clerked for his father. But when they got in the army the positions were reversed. Mills has risen to be a colonel and he's quite the little martinet. But when Mason comes into his command those old feelings of inferiority take over. When he gets a chance he rats Mason out during the post war occupation years as someone doing a bit of smuggling. Which gets Mason cashiered from the army and a disgrace to his family.

So here he is on Tahiti living the good life and here comes John Mills now a big hotel tycoon, but still with the same feelings about Mason. What happens next is quite frankly not to be believed on any level.

In many ways the character that John Mills is playing is a variant from one of his greatest films Tunes Of Glory. He's the same kind of uptight character in Tiara Tahiti. But works in a tragedy really does not go well in this comedy.

In fact there's jealousy all around as Herbert Lom all made up as an Oriental is also quite jealous of Mason's upper class breeding even though he's two steps above a beachcomber. Tables get turned on him as well.

Tiara Tahiti is a beautiful, but quirky film that never quite gels.

Anyone want a free trip to Tahiti in 1962? James Mason and John Mills did, so they made Tiara Tahiti. It's a silly comic romp, but at least you'll get to see some pretty beaches and scenery.

The movie starts off during WWII. John Mills is the head honcho among his troops, until an unexpected visit from James Mason shakes everything up. James is just so likable, everyone's loyalty shifts. Add in that John used to work for James before the war and still has a chip on his shoulder, and there's a bit of bad blood between them. To get even, John anonymously blows the whistle on James's smuggling racket.

Or is it anonymous? When they're reunited years later after the war, by a chance meeting in Tahiti, what will happen? Does James know his old friend is really his enemy? Is the friendly smile covering up hard feelings, or is he really as happy-go-lucky as he seems to be? If you liked his adorable cleverness in A Touch of Larceny, you've got to catch James in this movie, too. He has lots of fun shirtless, smooching scenes with his Tahitian girlfriend, Rosenda Monteros, to show that even in his fifties, he's still got it!

Lt.Col. Southey (John Mills) is an officer promoted a rank,or,perhaps,two above his abilities - not an uncommon occurrence in wartime - Capt.Aimsley(James Mason) a natural leader and charming rogue a class above Southey in every respect but one.He treats his nominal military superior as he might the ageing family labrador.Popular and charismatic,Capt.Aimsley is everything Col. Southey is not but aspires to be.The scene where,alone in his office,he practises copying Aimsley's accent is brilliantly observed. Unfortunately money is Aimsley's Achilles Heel and his profligacy sees him removed from Southey's command. Some time after the war Aimsley's comfortable exile in Tahiti is rudely interrupted by the arrival of his old adversary now director of a hotel chain looking to expand into the burgeoning South Seas market. What was virtually a two-hander featuring two of Britain's best film actors then,regretfully,broadens out into a not particularly funny or engaging comedy with stereotyped minor characters and a largely superfluous love interest.Some of the exchanges between Mills and Mason shine through the fog of ordinary,but the film loses most of its impetus. James Mason has exactly the right air of supreme self-confidence that the public school man exudes,the sense of being comfortable in his own skin whether in an Officers' Mess or on a South Sea Island. John Mills,probably a Grammar school boy,certainly not quite a gentleman.He may have money and business acumen but he will never be one of "them" no matter how rich and successful he becomes and that rankles. Whenever they are on the screen together "Tiara Tahiti" comes alive. Without them it would be very thin gruel indeed. If you want to see another film with James Mason exiled on an island try to catch the little-known British comedy "A Touch Of Larceny",it's clever,funny and altogether enchanting.John Mills out - acts Alec Guiness's bravura performance in "Tunes of Glory" as Col Barrow,on the face of it rather a cold fish,but with unsuspected sensitivities,not unlike Col Southey