User Reviews

There was a certain kind of picture in the "pre-code" era, in which the licentiousness of the times would throw up any kind of strange fantasy. In the most significant period of sexual liberation before the 1960s, and still in an era where plucking a bride from a primitive culture did not seem a bit dodgy, a picture like Bird of Paradise could exist. A yarn like this would be the stuff of corny B-flicks a few decades later, but back in 1932 it was acceptable A-feature material.

So what we have here is a rather odd dichotomy. A daft storyline, yet one pulled off with panache. The producer and director is King Vidor, one of the most uniquely talented filmmakers of all time, and what's more he appears to have taken Bird of Paradise very seriously. His camera set-ups give an almost documentary feel to the proceedings. He doesn't force us in with point-of-view shots, or make us coldly objective, but often has us peeping over shoulders or from behind props, like an extra amid the action. This not only gives us the feeling of being there, it is also incredibly vivid and dynamic. He directs with a mixture of realism (most of the extras were genuine Polynesians) and bizarre stylisation, culminating in rituals which become macabre and frenzied riots.

Bird of Paradise also includes a couple of "before they were famous" curios. Those wild tribal dances are choreographed by Busby Berkeley. His stark, abstract formations are already evident, and nicely suit the feel of this picture. Then there is music by Max Steiner, composing what happens to be one of the earliest examples of an orchestral backing score in a talking picture. Steiner's score is a little awkward in its mixing, but melodically it is fine, establishing themes for different characters, setting tones, matching action but never once threatening to upstage the images. Berkeley and Steiner would soon take up residence at Warner Brothers, and the rest would be history. Oh, and there's one more curio, in that you several times clearly hear the Hawaiian word "wiki", nearly seventy years before anyone thought of joining it to "pedia".

The cast of Bird of Paradise are a rather odd bunch, but it doesn't seem to matter. The ship's crew members are filled out with a number of comedy supporting players, like 'Skeets' Gallagher and Bert Roach. They make the onboard scenes a little more interesting, but their appearances are fleeting and their performances muted enough that they never threaten to overbalance the picture or make it too farcical. Lead man Joel McCrea was a competent rather than an exceptional actor, but he has the ideal physique and manner for the character. Importantly he is also a generous player, who never attempts to steal the scene. And finally we have Dolores del Rio, of course looking far more Hispanic than Polynesian, but nevertheless convincing as a native woman, and certainly vivacious.

In spite of, or perhaps because of the talkies being firmly established and no longer stilted, Bird of Paradise seems more than anything like a silent picture. It does not make do without dialogue, but what dialogue there is tends to be superfluous, the images speaking eloquently enough. In other words, you could have released it as a silent, and not needed many title cards. With its mystical, exotic tone we do not really need to hear the actors rabbiting on to retain a sense of naturalism. And yes, it does contain many moments that are somewhat laughable (such as Joel McCrea riding a turtle like it was a surfboard), but thanks to its inventive direction, spot-on casting, and professional production it manages, against all odds, to salvage some dignity.

A young man, sailing the South Seas with friends, is saved from a shark by a lovely chief's daughter. They fall madly in love, only to have him learn that his beautiful BIRD OF PARADISE is destined to be sacrificed to Pele, the volcano god.

Essentially a piece of fluff, this film is enhanced by the performances of Dolores Del Rio & Joel McCrea. They handle the romantics quite nicely (her skinny dip providing proof this is a pre-Production Code movie). The rest of the cast, which includes Lon Chaney Jr. & 'Skeets' Gallagher, exist purely to provide support to the stars.

Location filming in Hawaii and a beautiful, evocative score by Max Steiner emphasize the languid mood of the plot.

I despair of non-romantics taking the time to denigrate with their reviews ultra-romantic films, such as this.

BIRD OF PARADISE is a masterwork - superbly photographed (the lighting, composition and mobility of the camera are astonishing), lushly scored (Max Steiner's score is the first ever to run from beginning to end of a talking film), and lyrically directed. Del Rio's performance is perfection - a native woman whose only future is to be sacrificed to Pele, the God of Volcanos, who finds true love with a white man who visits her island and chooses to stay.

For romantics, this is a classic tear-jerker and an exercise in sheer visual beauty. The underwater swimming scene between a nude Del Rio and a McCrea clad only in the thinnest of briefs is unique in cinema.

Perhaps the Academy's shut-out of this work is due to its coming on the heel of the semi-documentary Murnau TABU, the year before which explored similar themes. No reason however not to nominate it for Del Rio's performance, the cinematography and the score.

One of the most visually beautiful films ever made and a must-see for romantics.

BIRD OF PARADISE (RKO Radio, 1932), produced by David O. Selznick and directed by King Vidor, is not a documentary about wildlife but a South Seas tale suggested on the play by Richard Walton-Tully. Though starring Dolores Del Rio in one of her better known roles, much of the story belongs to the young Joel McCrea as well as its picturesque location scenery of the Hawaiian islands.

The story opens with Johnny Baker (Joel McCrea), a wealthy young playboy traveling on his yacht with friends, Mac (John Halliday); Chester (Richard "Skeets" Gallagher), Hector (Bert Roach), Thornton (Creighton "Lon" Chaney Jr), Walker (Arnold Gray) and Skipper Johnson (Wade Boteler). As the yacht stears closer to the Polynesian isles, its natives come towards them in their pontoon boats to greet their guests. In the meantime, Johnny's foot gets tangled on a rope tided to a hook that forces him to go overboard. Struggling to free himself under water, he is faced with near death by an approaching sharp until native girl, Luana (Dolores Del Rio), cuts the rope and sets him free. Once Johnny acquaints himself with the girl who saved his life, he immediately falls in love with her. Johnny decides to remain on the island for a while as his friends resume their cruising adventure and return for him later. During his stay, Johnny learns it is taboo for white man to go with untouched native girl, considering the fact she's already promised to marry a prince of another island. Once he shows her the method of kissing, she soon learns white man's method of love and how to speak English. Regardless of native customs, Johnny abducts Luana from her wedding ceremony to Paradise, a secluded island of Lani. While there, they live like birds of paradise in jungle settings until superstitions of an erupted volcano finds Luana torn between returning to San Francisco with Johnny or to her native people. Others in the cast include: Napoleon Puksi (The King); Agostino Borgato (The Medicine Man); Reginald Sheffield (O'Fallon) and Sophie Ortego.

Though it's been said that Busby Berkeley directed the native island dances, his name is not credited in the opening credits to rectify that. As with many South Sea tales, BIRD OF PARADISE features many underwater swimming scenes, tree climbing, drinking coconut milk, island music and dancing festivities. Del Rio and McCrea serve their roles well as does King Vidor with his fine direction. Heavily underscored by Max Steiner, who would do the same with the ever popular adventure tale of KING KONG (1933), the only debit being its fine scenery not being produced in the Technicolor process. How impressive this 82 minute production for 1932 might have been?

Out of circulation due to the updated and revised BIRD OF PARADISE (20th Century-Fox, 1952) with Debra Paget and Jeff Chandler, the 1932 original began to circulate more frequently by the late 1970s in revival movie houses as The Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Television showings began on public television stations (PBS) in 1982. Being a public domain title, BIRD OF PARADISE became readily available on video cassette and later DVD from various distributors. Cable television presentations over the years consist of CBN (Christian Broadcast Network,1984); American Movie Classics, Turner Classic Movies, and sometimes Fox Movie Channel in place of the 1952 remake whenever unavailable for broadcast. (***)

Dolores del Rio is a South Seas island princess who has a taboo affair with a young American sailor after she saves him from a shark; he considers their flirtatious clinches "a lark", but after she's swiped from him by her people, he re-captures her and sails for the remote island of Lani. It took three writers (Leonard Praskins, Wells Root, and Wanda Tuchock) to adapt Richard Walton Tully's play for the screen, though the story is told mostly in visual, elemental terms. Athletic Joel McCrea slides down a steep hill on a leaf, scales a coconut tree without slipping, and jumps from a high cliff into a palm tree without getting so much as a nick. His passion for Dolores' Luana is convincing, though rushed along. The screenwriters tease us with tidbits about a volcano curse, and it isn't long before the lava starts flowing. Executive produced by none other than David O. Selznick, this early "Radio Picture" benefits from the pre-Code era (with some sensual behavior between the leads, and a lovely underwater duet wherein Miss del Rio appears to be nude). McCrea's happy team of mariners come and go and come back again (right on schedule), yet their salty, digging rapport is very lighthearted and amusing, and there's a charming moment at the beginning where they throw souvenirs to the natives. Not a bad early talkie, although special effects certainly had a long way to go--ditto for dramatic acting. Remade in 1951 with Debra Paget. ** from ****

This classic ¨Bird of paradise¨ (1932) by King Vidor boasts a good cast with Dolores del Rio , Joel McCrea , John Halliday , Lon Chaney Jr . Exotic love story based on Richard Walton Tully's play and set in Polynesia amid likeable natives , bad-tempered shaman and angry volcano gods . A young adventurer named Johnny (Joel McCrea) arrives aboard a ship in a far Polynesian island . There , seafaring Johnny assumes the native life as a visitor guest to the remote island , and the young attempts to woo a princess native (Dolores Del Rio) , and finally falls for the Polynesian girl , but their idyll is smashed when happens strange happenings , and the local volcano begins to erupt , as well as a terrible discovery of a local custom . All you will ever know of love, beauty and rare Adventure ! "east is east and west is west" . Lava Stains the Night with Red ! .A drama of forbidden love beyond the pale of white men's morals . Smash! Go all records ! Thousands rush to see .. The greatest romance ever writte is here , at last, the triumph of the screen .What a story ¡ Two impassionated souls overtaken by the inexorable tribal law in a terrific climatic catastrophe ¡ . Milions who saw it on the stage will be thrilled again ¡ It's on the screen in a blaze o glory ¡

A world-sweeping play, the greatest in the annals of the 30s' theatre is well brought to big screen . A romance story with emotion , thrills , sensitive scenes , sacrifices to volcanic gods at the far island , and traditional habits including tribal dances that were well choreographed by expert Bubsy Berkeley. There is a new version from the vintage film , ¨Bird of Paradise¨ (1951) by Delmer Daves with Louis Jourdan , Jeff Chandler , Debra Paget , displaying a similar plot and characters with some brief variations . This classic "Bird of Paradise (1932) set in exotic South Seas where occurs a love story in which an adventurer arrives in a remote Pacific island falling for a beautiful native , but there happens an ancient and horrible custom : a girl is chosen by a holy man to be sacrificed to the volcano island , as the Kahuna, a feared shaman , decides that the volcano can only be appeased with a local female . This kind of thing was fairly popular and typical in the Thirties and Forties , but it looks dumb and dated nowadays . Interpretations are acceptable, but neither extraordinary , nor notable , but passable , as Joel McCrea is fine as the visitor who becomes enamored of an exotic island girl and nature seems to disapprove. While Dolores del Rio shines thanks to her beauty and dancing . Along with brief but agreeable acting from secondaries as John Halliday , Richard Gallagher , R. Simpson Bert Roach and Lon Chaney Jr.

It displays a shimmering and brilliant cinematography in black and white by cameramen Lucien Andriot , Edward Cronjager , Clyde DeVinna , though a perfect remastering being really necessary . Shot on location in Hawaii, Santa Catalina Island, Channel Islands, California and Warner Brothers Burbank Studios , Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California , RKO-Pathé Studio . Including a spectacular production design, in fact the native village was re-used for RKO's King Kong. Furthermore , an evocative and thrilling musical score by maestro composer Max Steiner . The motion picture lavishly produced by David O. Selznick was well directed by King Vidor .

As I watched this on PBS I imagined my grandfather spending his twenty cents to watch in the theater. Romance and passion in the tropical sea breeze. A sea adventurer(Joel McCrea) falls in love with an island beauty(Dolores del Rio)who's destiny is to be sacrificed to Pele, the God of Volcanos. Of note: del Rio's nude underwater swimming scene. And Max Steiner's score is the first to orchestrate a "talkie" from beginning to end. The supporting cast includes: Richard Gallagher, John Halliday, Reginald Simpson and Lon Chaney Jr.

While the plot of this film may seem trite to us today, it was fresh and original in 1932 when it was made. This may well have been the first "throw the girl into the volcano" movie. Considering the technical limitations of film-making in 1932, the photography and special effects are quite good: the whirlpool, the erupting volcano and the river of lava.

Contradicting other postings to this website, I did not see a "rape" scene. What I saw was the male lead chase the female lead after she had been teasing him, then he wrestled her and pinned her down to introduce her to Western-style kissing. A rapist doesn't kiss his victim, and a rape victim would not want her attacker to continue kissing her.

The action of the plot moves quickly and is never bogged down by the dialog. This is an entertaining film, which you could view as you would any antique: it's charming for the era in which it was created.

This lusty pre-code movie has a boatload of rich Americans cruising the South Seas. They land on a volcanic island, where they discover that native Dolores Del Rio is scheduled to be sacrificed to the volcano god. However, she and Joel McCrea fall in love and go off to live together in bliss... for a while.

It's a movie I don't revisit that often. This time I was struck that director King Vidor directed long sections of it as a silent movie. There's a prologue and epilogue, but until more than fifty minutes elapse before McCrea and Miss Del Rio hold a conversation. Instead, we are treated to an underwater sequence in which they are both naked, and stunningly shot images, courtesy of cameraman Clyde De Vinna.

In place of dialogue, Vidor allows Max Steiner's lush score to carry the burden of story and dialogue, and it does so magnificently. Some commenters on the IMDb claim this is the first feature movie with a full score. That honor appears to belong to 1931's CIMMARON, also with a Steiner score. It would, I suppose, be neater to believe that this movie allowed the movie score to enter already in full bloom, carrying the movie to success in story telling, cinema, and the audiences. Alas, it performed poorly in the theaters in a year when not much was performing well. Today, more than 90 years later, it seems a bit naive, a bit racist, and thoroughly old-fashioned. Still, there's a tremendous amount of cinematic beauty in the movie, the images, and in the physical beauty of its leads.

This was an intentionally trashy and salacious film--meant to titillate and appeal to the baser instincts of movie fans. You see, up until the mid-1930s, despite modern opinions to the contrary, many films were quite sexy and risqué--even by today's standards. So many people assume that nudity and adult themes were invented in films in the 1960s, but this is far from true. In the 1920s and 30s, it was not all that uncommon for topics like adultery, fornication and even homosexuality in films...and it was also not uncommon for nudity as well! The best example is the mid-1920s Biblical epic, BEN HUR--which featured several nude scenes and some pretty violent themes (such as when "Golthor" boards the Roman ship with a head impaled on his sword).

So with this background in mind, understand that this film is a great example of this genre as it intentionally "pushed the envelope" and in some parts of the country it was edited to suit local tastes (particularly outside the bigger cities). That's because the film is set on a tropical island where Ms. Del Rio plays an uninhibited native who swims naked during one very daring scene. By today's standards, it's not super-explicit, but it shows much more flesh than Jacqueline Bisset's famed swimming scenes from THE DEEP and definitely would have earned BIRD OF PARADISE and R-rating.

The bottom line is that Radio Pictures put this scene in the film to attract a larger audience to an essentially dull and clichéd film. The story about Ms. Del Rio being a princess who is to be sacrificed to the volcano god, Pele, is all very silly. Also, no matter how much the alluring Ms. Del Rio and Joel McCrea try, this film just isn't all that interesting--except from a historical standpoint. The film is very skip-able except for film buffs and lovers of Pre-Code films, as the plot is pretty dumb and full of holes.

One really couldn't ask for more than hunky Joel MCrea and gorgeous Delores del Rio as eye candy in "Bird of Paradise," a 1932 film - which makes it precode and quite sexy. McCrea plays a young man on a yachting trip who is saved from a shark by a South seas beauty named Luana; he decides to stay on awhile. When it becomes clear to him that she is to be sacrificed to the volcano Pele, the two escape to an island, where they lead an idyllic life together. Eventually his friends return for him, and he assumes Luana will go with him.

Not a huge amount of dialogue, but lots to look at in this King Vidor film, which has jungle choreography by Busby Berkley and music by Max Steiner, both pre-Warner Brothers. Del Rio doesn't wear much; in fact, she has a nude swimming scene. McCrea here is very athletic.

Amazing what they were able to do precode that in a couple of years would be taboo. Worth seeing. Del Rio was one of the most beautiful stars ever, and McCrea one of the most appealing.

A luxury yacht arrives at a tropical island. The white crew is welcomed by the friendly natives. Johnny Baker (Joel McCrea) falls for native girl Luana (Dolores del Río). When the boat leaves, Johnny stays behind to be with Luana although she had been promise to a prince of a neighboring island.

This is a pre-Code romantic drama. I'm not completely buying the romance. This is a twenty something immature Joel McCrea. He acts like a kid and she's too much for him. At least, they filmed this in Hawaii and that looks good. It's pre-Code and was controversial for her 'naked' swimming scene. She's also mostly wearing the Lei and grass skirt. They must have glue the Lei onto her boobs. It was probably all too much for some people back in the day.

King Vidor the director of this film created a great black and white film that starred Dolores Del Rio, (Launa) who danced with lots of spark and sex appeal. Joel McCrea, (Johnny Baker) landed on this island and immediately fell head over heels in love with Launa, the only thing was she was promised to any worthy prince who might ask for her hand in marriage. Johnny's shipmates took off and left him with his new found love and were going to return and pick him up. Johnny managed to find a paradise island to take Launa and they both enjoyed being with each other and Johnny even built a shelter for them to live in. However, Johnny & Launa soon found their dream come to a crashing halt and the story goes in another direction. Lon Chaney, Jr. (Thornton) gave an outstanding supporting role and the music and film locations were great. Enjoy.

As a yacht arrives at a tropical island in the Pacific Ocean, they are greeted by inhabitants in canoes. A shark causes panic and, after one of the crew falls into the sea, his life is saved by a native girl. They fall in love but she is already promised to another.

Pre-code film with a good pedigree, directed by King Vidor, music from Max Steiner and choreography by Busby Berkeley. Unfortunately, whilst it has its moments, it now looks dated. Dolores del Rio and Joel McCrea star.

1932's "Bird of Paradise" announced producer David O. Selznick as RKO's new savior, but his spendthrift ways forced his ouster after a single year, rescued from near bankruptcy by the resounding success of "King Kong." This was the first feature on his agenda, borrowing director King Vidor from MGM, shooting on location in Hawaii and Catalina Island on a meager script that pleased no one, based on the 1912 stage play by Richard Walton Tully. What audiences appreciated most were the lush scenery and two gorgeous stars parading before the camera, Joel McCrea the handsome sailor leaving his shipmates behind to spend a few weeks in paradise with breathtaking Dolores Del Rio as Luana, daughter of an island native chief. Making his movie debut as fellow sailor Thornton is 26 year old Creighton Chaney, the only son of silent screen legend Lon Chaney, bellowing his few lines but granted little to distinguish himself from the rest of the crew. Rumors persist that Creighton had appeared in one of his father's films, 1922's "The Trap," but one look at the scene with the elder Lon surrounded by children and his strapping 16 year old son would have towered over them (I vote no). Junior himself acknowledged he enjoyed working on the 1931 Mascot serial "The Galloping Ghost," but no viewers have been able to spot him among the various henchmen, so this mystery is more of a maybe. RKO's 1932 "Girl Crazy" can definitely be scratched off the Chaney filmography, supposedly cast as a 'chorus dancer' in this Bert Wheeler-Robert Woolsey comedy that doesn't even feature a chorus to dance in! Only in 1935 did Creighton finally yield to studio pressure and adopt his father's name as 'Lon Chaney Jr.' but his screen roles mainly consisted of minor heavies and (mostly unbilled) bits, stardom first beckoning with his heartbreaking performance as Lennie Small in Lewis Milestone's 1939 "Of Mice and Men."

Bird of Paradise surely ranks as one of King Vidor's worst efforts---in fact it's hard to believe that the man who created The Crowd and The Big Parade could be involved with something as shoddy as this. Dolores Del Rio is hopelessly miscast as an island girl who falls for Joel McCrea, the seaman who virtually rapes her before jumping ship. We see lots of appallingly stereotypical natives (even for the period) and the writing is suffused with the worst racist instincts. Vidor redeemed himself later in his career with the thoughtful Japanese War Bride, but this is a depressing lowpoint in his ouevre.

A very beautiful & romantic film. It's about a lovely native woman named Luana (Dolores del Rio) and the man that falls in-love with her, Johnny Baker (Joel McCrea). Luana is chosen by the other island natives to be sacrificed to the volcano. This is a story we've all heard of by now but this might be the first film on the subject matter.

I discovered this film via Creighton Chaney. I was looking to watch a film from him that I have yet to see. He's not in this one very much, his character Thornton is more of a supporting role, but he did not have to be in this film for me to enjoy it. I'm glad to discover it because it's a wonderful story.

8/10

In 1932 the World was a much Smaller Place.

Darkest Africa and Other Remote Lands were Imagined to be Inhabited by Non-White Heathens.

Engaging in "God Knows What" to Tribal Rhythms and "Forbidden" Behaviors that were Taboo to Westerners.

They were Places of Mystery and Fear to Ignorant "Civilized" People.

Point is, this was all Wonderful Fodder for Fiction of all kinds. Novels, Stage, and Film.

This was one of the Movies First Talkie Attempts to "Capitalize" on the Allure of "Darker" Cultures.

Most Americans and Europeans Usually Ate it Up.

"This is probably one of the Virgin Islands"... ..."Heaven forbid!"

RKO Produced this as an "A" Picture with the Actors (Joel Macrea, Delores Del Rio), Director, (King Vidor) , and a Full-Score from Max Steiner with Dance Choreography from Busby Berkley.

But it Flopped at the Box Office.

Still Worth a Watch for a Pre-Code Look at some Beautiful Bodies and a Post-Code No-No of Inter-Relationship of a Sexual Nature.

It's Adventurous with some Bona-Fide Thrills.

Better than its Reputation.

Note...Stay clear of Public Domain Prints...Now available on Blu-ray.

Delores del Rio is gorgeous in this film...dancing and swimming naked with Joel McCrea in this pre-code film. A luxury yacht filled with wealthy men come upon a tropical village where Joel McCrea as Johnny meets and falls in love with native girl played by Delores del Rio. The two swim and make love after his yachting friends leave him there to be picked up on their way back home.

What Johnny doesn't know is that not only is she the chief's daughter but she has been chosen to be sacrificed to the volcano.

Delores is the best thing is this film and she just sizzles. So, if you are looking for a platform to show of Delores del Rio...this is it. It is pretty risqué too with naked swimming and side breast while she is dancing topless with just some necklaces on!

"That's Swell!"

"He's gone native!"