South Pacific (2001 film)
Encyclopedia
Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific is a made-for-television movie, directed by Richard Pearce in 2001
. This ABC
production starred Glenn Close
, Harry Connick, Jr.
and Rade Šerbedžija
(billed in U.S. as Rade Sherbedgia). It was broadcast in 2001 and also released on DVD.
, with some scenes shot in Moorea
, an island close to Tahiti
. Sixteen songs are featured in the movie. This version omitted the well-known song "Happy Talk", and cut the even more popular song "Bali Hai" in half. Several new scenes, such as Nellie and Emile's very first meeting at the officer's club, were added, and a new character was created to serve as Nellie's best friend and confidante. The sex scenes between Liat and Lt. Cable were also dealt with more frankly than in the original. The film was harshly criticized by some, for example theatre critic and historian John Kenrick
because the order of the songs was changed, and also because Rade Serbedsija, who played Emile, does not have an operatic singing voice, like virtually all previous actors in the role.
, who wrote, "Ms. Close, lean and more mature, hints that a touch of desperation lies in Nellie's cockeyed optimism. 'I'm stuck like a dope with a thing like hope' means one thing when you are in your 20's, something else when you are not." He also noted that the movie "is beautifully produced, better than the stagy 1958 film. ... The other cast members, including Ms. Close, also sing well." The New York Post
reviewer wrote that "Notions of racism toward the islanders were glossed over in the 1958 movie, but in tonight's remake, the racial themes are brought to the surface, to the production's advantage ... there's a heightened sense of drama and tension in the remake because the war is closer at hand ... the rewards are great."
The Washington Post reviewer noted:
The film was criticized in a few venues because of its differences from the play. This version changed the order of the songs, omitted "Happy Talk" and cut "Bali Hai" in half. Rade Sherbedgia, unlike previous Emiles, did not have an operatic singing voice. Playbill
reported that "Internet chat room visitors have grumbled that Close is too old for the role of Nellie Forbush, who, in the song, 'A Cock-Eyed Optimist', is described as 'immature and incurably green'", but also that "[co-producer] Cohen said the 'May-December' romance plot point ... has less resonance with audiences today and it was cut. Nellie is ageless, in effect."
In the 2008 Oxford Companion to the American Musical, Thomas Hischak wrote:
was released on August 28, 2001. Special features include
deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie.
from the TV production was released on March 20, 2001.
2001 in film
The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
. This ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
production starred Glenn Close
Glenn Close
Glenn Close is an American actress and singer of theatre and film, known for her roles as a femme fatale Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress and singer of theatre and film, known for her roles as a femme fatale Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress and...
, Harry Connick, Jr.
Harry Connick, Jr.
Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Jr. is an American singer, big-band leader/conductor, pianist, actor, and composer. He has sold over 25 million albums worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top 60 best-selling male artists in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America, with...
and Rade Šerbedžija
Rade Šerbedžija
Rade Šerbedžija , occasionally credited as Rade Sherbedgia in some English-language productions, is a Croatian actor, director and musician of Serb origin. He was one of the most popular Yugoslav actors in the 1970s and 1980s. He is now internationally known mainly for his supporting roles in...
(billed in U.S. as Rade Sherbedgia). It was broadcast in 2001 and also released on DVD.
Production
South Pacific was filmed primarily in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, with some scenes shot in Moorea
Moorea
Moʻorea is a high island in French Polynesia, part of the Society Islands, 17 km northwest of Tahiti. Its position is . Moʻorea means "yellow lizard" in Tahitian...
, an island close to Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
. Sixteen songs are featured in the movie. This version omitted the well-known song "Happy Talk", and cut the even more popular song "Bali Hai" in half. Several new scenes, such as Nellie and Emile's very first meeting at the officer's club, were added, and a new character was created to serve as Nellie's best friend and confidante. The sex scenes between Liat and Lt. Cable were also dealt with more frankly than in the original. The film was harshly criticized by some, for example theatre critic and historian John Kenrick
John Kenrick (theatre writer)
John Kenrick is an American author, teacher and theatre and film historian. Kenrick is an adjunct teacher of musical theatre history at New York University, Brind School – University of the Arts and The New School, and lectures frequently on the subject elsewhere...
because the order of the songs was changed, and also because Rade Serbedsija, who played Emile, does not have an operatic singing voice, like virtually all previous actors in the role.
Cast
- Glenn CloseGlenn CloseGlenn Close is an American actress and singer of theatre and film, known for her roles as a femme fatale Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress and singer of theatre and film, known for her roles as a femme fatale Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress and...
- Nellie Forbush - Harry Connick, Jr.Harry Connick, Jr.Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Jr. is an American singer, big-band leader/conductor, pianist, actor, and composer. He has sold over 25 million albums worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top 60 best-selling male artists in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America, with...
- Lt. Joseph Cable - Rade Sherbedgia - Emile de Becque
- Jack ThompsonJack Thompson (actor)Jack Thompson, AM is an Australian actor and one of the major figures of Australian cinema. He was educated at University of Queensland, before embarking on his acting career. In 2002, he was made an honorary member of the Australian Cinematographers Society...
- Captain George Brackett - Lori Tan Chinn - Bloody Mary
- Ilene GraffIlene GraffIlene Graff is an American actress and singer.The Brooklyn native began her professional career as a teenager when she performed as a background singer and commercial actress while attending Van Buren High School in Queens Village...
- Singing Ngana - Natalie MendozaNatalie MendozaNatalie Jackson Mendoza is a Hong Kong-born Australian-British-Filipina classical theatre-trained actress and musician. She is best known for her role as one of the main characters, Jackie Clunes in the British TV drama Hotel Babylon and as tough girl Juno in the acclaimed horror thriller The...
- Liat - Simon BurkeSimon BurkeSimon Burke is an Australian actor. Burke began his acting career as a 13 year-old in the Australian film, The Devil's Playground for which he was awarded Best Actor at the 1976 Australian Film Institute Awards....
- Harbison - Steve BastoniSteve BastoniSteve Bastoni is an Italian Australian actor. He is best known for his role in Police Rescue as Constable Yannis 'Angel' Angelopoulos and as Steve Parker in Neighbours.-Television:...
- Lt. Buzz Adams - Kimberley DaviesKimberley DaviesKimberley Davies is an Australian actress most famous for playing Annalise Hartman on the Australian soap opera Neighbours from 1993 to 1996...
- Luann - Robert PastorelliRobert PastorelliRobert Joseph Pastorelli was an American actor. He had many roles on TV, in movies, and on the stage, including the seven years he played the portly painter Eldin Bernecky on the television series Murphy Brown. His last role was as an oddball hit man in Be Cool, reuniting him with Michael star...
- Luther Billis - Craig Ball - Austin
- Damon HerrimanDamon HerrimanDamon Herriman is an Australian actor who is best known for his role in drama series Love My Way.Damon Herriman was born in Adelaide, South Australia. He began acting in local television commercials at the age of eight, but it was not until he was cast as Frank Errol in The Sullivans two years...
- Professor - Salvatore CocoSalvatore Coco-Biography:Coco was born in Sydney and is of Sicilian descent. He performed with Australian Theatre for Young People where he developed his talents in acting, singing, guitar, dance and cabaret. He is also a qualified chef.-Career:...
- DeVito - Peter Lamb - Bruno
- Justin SmithJustin SmithJustin Smith is the name of:In sport and gaming:* Justin Smith , American football player* Justin Smith , American poker player...
- Eddie
Reception
The movie, and Close, were praised by the critic for The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, who wrote, "Ms. Close, lean and more mature, hints that a touch of desperation lies in Nellie's cockeyed optimism. 'I'm stuck like a dope with a thing like hope' means one thing when you are in your 20's, something else when you are not." He also noted that the movie "is beautifully produced, better than the stagy 1958 film. ... The other cast members, including Ms. Close, also sing well." The New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
reviewer wrote that "Notions of racism toward the islanders were glossed over in the 1958 movie, but in tonight's remake, the racial themes are brought to the surface, to the production's advantage ... there's a heightened sense of drama and tension in the remake because the war is closer at hand ... the rewards are great."
The Washington Post reviewer noted:
The film was criticized in a few venues because of its differences from the play. This version changed the order of the songs, omitted "Happy Talk" and cut "Bali Hai" in half. Rade Sherbedgia, unlike previous Emiles, did not have an operatic singing voice. Playbill
Playbill
Playbill is a monthly U.S. magazine for theatregoers. Although there is a subscription issue available for home delivery, most Playbills are printed for particular shows to be distributed at the door...
reported that "Internet chat room visitors have grumbled that Close is too old for the role of Nellie Forbush, who, in the song, 'A Cock-Eyed Optimist', is described as 'immature and incurably green'", but also that "[co-producer] Cohen said the 'May-December' romance plot point ... has less resonance with audiences today and it was cut. Nellie is ageless, in effect."
In the 2008 Oxford Companion to the American Musical, Thomas Hischak wrote:
DVD
A DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
was released on August 28, 2001. Special features include
deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie.
Soundtrack
A soundtrackSoundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
from the TV production was released on March 20, 2001.
- "Overture"
- "There Is Nothing Like a DameThere Is Nothing Like a Dame"There is Nothing Like a Dame" is one of the songs from the musical South Pacific. The song was written by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is widely popular in the musical arts, often sung by men's choirs....
" - "A Cock-Eyed Optimist" - Glenn CloseGlenn CloseGlenn Close is an American actress and singer of theatre and film, known for her roles as a femme fatale Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress and singer of theatre and film, known for her roles as a femme fatale Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress and...
- "Bloody Mary"
- "Bali Ha'iBali Ha'i"Bali Ha'i", also spelled "Bali Hai", is a show tune from the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific.-In musical South Pacific:...
" - "Twin Soliloquies" - Glenn Close
- "Some Enchanted Evening" - Rade ŠerbedžijaRade ŠerbedžijaRade Šerbedžija , occasionally credited as Rade Sherbedgia in some English-language productions, is a Croatian actor, director and musician of Serb origin. He was one of the most popular Yugoslav actors in the 1970s and 1980s. He is now internationally known mainly for his supporting roles in...
- "Dites-Moi"
- "Younger Than Springtime" - Harry Connick, Jr.Harry Connick, Jr.Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Jr. is an American singer, big-band leader/conductor, pianist, actor, and composer. He has sold over 25 million albums worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top 60 best-selling male artists in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America, with...
- "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair" - Glenn Close, Ilene GraffIlene GraffIlene Graff is an American actress and singer.The Brooklyn native began her professional career as a teenager when she performed as a background singer and commercial actress while attending Van Buren High School in Queens Village...
- Some Enchanted EveningSome Enchanted Evening (song)"Some Enchanted Evening" is a show tune from the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific.In the musical, it is sung as a solo by Emile de Becque, the French plantation owner, who falls in love with the American navy nurse Nellie Forbush. In this song he sings of seizing the moment so...
(Reprise) - Glenn Close - "I'm in Love with a Wonderful GuyI'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy" a Wonderful Guy" is a show tune from the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific. It was first introduced by Mary Martin in the original Broadway production and sung by Mitzi Gaynor in the 1958 film adaptation....
" - Glenn Close, Ilene Graff - "You've Got to Be Carefully TaughtYou've Got to Be Carefully Taught"You've Got to Be Carefully Taught" is a show tune from the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific....
" - Harry Connick Jr. - "This Nearly Was Mine"
- "Honey Bun" - Glenn Close, Ilene Graff
- "Finale Ultimo" - Glenn Close
- "My Girl Back Home" - Glenn Close, Harry Connick Jr.