Une île au soleil

This came out when I was 9 and my cousin and I saw it at a theater 7 times! It was the first time I gave any attention to an adult movie! I have seen it a few times over the last many years and It still is provocative to me. When I was 9 I did not fully understand the interracial thing, and I was brought up to ignore color. What I remember was imagining what happened when the film faded out at the height of intense moments. What me imagine happening is far worse than anything they could ever show on film. that fact that it was shot in a beautiful location was not lost on my 9 year old mind and for years dreamed of living in a beautiful island paradise. The music ie: title song I learned every word! Unlike others who saw this 30 years later and through adult eyes with agendas of their own, I lived the editing, the acting and the photography. I sometimes think people expect to much out of a movie. It is after all, just entertainment! Watch this movie, without preconceived notions of script, editing, story etc, enjoy it!

The wealthy whites are the hissable ones once again, lording their money-driven power over the black Caribbean field workers in this timely but talky issue-film. The Barbados locations are just beautiful, and so is Harry Belafonte's buttery voice, crooning Jamaican songs at sunset (his acting isn't bad either, and his relationship with Joan Fontaine is surprisingly chummy--if not especially romantic). The love story sidebars are soapy but not dull, and they give the film what passion it has. The heated racial debates haven't dated, giving the film some relevance, but who needs them? (Certainly not the principal audience targeted for this windswept travelogue). What we really want to see is more of Belafonte. He was at a peak here, and since he didn't get to use his own singing voice in "Carmen Jones", this is a great chance to watch and hear him perform unfettered. **1/2 from ****

Because this movie was made at a time when there was still a Hays Code and that much of America was segregated, you won't get much passion out of the interracial teamings of either Dorothy Dandridge/John Justin (though there's some close embraces) nor Harry Belafonte/Joan Fontaine (he's too intense, she's too reserved). Also, the romance between Joan Collins and Stephan Boyd isn't much to write about either (though they do share a kiss). Anyway, this is mainly about James Mason's plantation character and his debates with Belafonte's labor leader character, his jealousy of his wife's (Patricia Owens) supposed affair with a counsel diplomat (Michael Rennie), and his and sister Collins' reaction to a family secret revealed from a reporter and confirmed by their parents (Diana Wynyard and Basil Sydney). Along the way, there's an officer (John Williams) cracking a murder case...With what I just mentioned, there should have been some fireworks but-other than some exciting close calls staged by director Robert Rossen-it's mostly dull with droning dialogue provided by Alfred Hayes as adapted from Alec Waugh's novel. Still, there are a couple of good songs written and performed by Belafonte and a nice dance by Dandridge and also a compelling confrontation between Mason and Belafonte at a speech rally. So on that note, Island in the Sun is at the least worth a look. P.S. The DVD has excellent commentary by historian John Stanley.

OK, so it's not a masterpiece but when I saw it listed on Retroplex the other day, I couldn't wait to see it again. Oh, the drama, oh, the intertwined relationships. How fitting that this came out the same year as "Peyton Place", considered the mother of all soap operas. Yes, it had its sappy moments and its overacting; but what a pleasure to see it again. I see it's out on DVD in all its wide-screen glory...i may have to buy this one as a definite "guilty pleasure". An interesting aside is the pairing of Joan Collins and Stephen Boyd (before his outstanding performance as Messala in Ben-Hur) and the information that they were being considered for 1963's "Cleopatra"--she in Liz Taylor's role as Cleopatra, he in Richard Burton's role as Marc Anthony. Could've changed the whole of cinematic history...something to ponder.

Hollywood was clearly not ready for this type of drama, which is full of compromise. Screen lovers Dorothy Dandridge and John Justin are clearly not allowed to kiss. Ditto for Joan Fontaine and Harry Belafonte (incidentally, Fontaine's comment about the two of them being children together should have been left out; she looks good, but it's still obvious that she's a good ten years older than he.)