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Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)
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Overview
User Rating:
Your Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
1 August 1931 (USA)
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Plot:
In one island of Bora Bora lagoon, a young fisherman, Matahi, is in love with Reri. But she is chosen to be the holy maid and therefore becomes "tabu"...
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Awards:
Won Oscar.
Another 1 win
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User Reviews:
Surprisingly affecting
more (15 total)
Cast
(in credits order) (verified as complete) | Matahi | ... | The Boy |
| Anne Chevalier | ... | The Girl (as Reri) |
| Bill Bambridge | ... | The Policeman (as Jean) |
| Hitu | ... | The Old Warrior |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Kong Ah | ... | Chinese (uncredited) |
| Ah Fong | ... | The Businessman (uncredited) |
| Jules | ... | The Captain (uncredited) |
Directed by | |||
| F.W. Murnau | |||
Writing credits | ||
| F.W. Murnau | (told by) | |
| Robert J. Flaherty | (told by) | |
| Edgar G. Ulmer | uncredited | |
Produced by | |||
| David Flaherty | .... | associate producer | |
| Robert J. Flaherty | .... | producer | |
| F.W. Murnau | .... | producer | |
Original Music by | |||
| Hugo Riesenfeld | |||
| W. Franke Harling | (uncredited) | ||
| Milan Roder | (uncredited) | ||
Cinematography by | |||
| Floyd Crosby | |||
| Robert J. Flaherty | |||
Film Editing by | |||
| Arthur A. Brooks | |||
Production Management | |||
| Edgar G. Ulmer | .... | production manager | |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| Bill Bambridge | .... | assistant director | |
| David Flaherty | .... | assistant director | |
Editorial Department | |||
| H.H. Caldwell | .... | supporting editor (uncredited) | |
| Katherine Hilliker | .... | supporting editor (uncredited) | |
| Edgar G. Ulmer | .... | supervising editor (uncredited) | |
Production CompaniesDistributors
- Paramount Pictures (1931) (USA) (theatrical)
- Continental Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
- Divisa Home Video (2006) (Spain) (DVD)
- Image Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
- Kino Video (USA) (DVD)
- Milestone Film & Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
- Punto Zero (2008) (Italy) (DVD)
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Tabu (USA) (poster title)
Tabu (Austria) (Germany) [de]
Kärlekens ö (Sweden) [sv]
Tabù (Italy) [it]
Tabou (France) [fr]
Tabu (Portugal) [pt]
Tabu - kiellettyä rakkautta (Finland) [fi]
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Tabu (Austria) (Germany) [de]
Kärlekens ö (Sweden) [sv]
Tabù (Italy) [it]
Tabou (France) [fr]
Tabu (Portugal) [pt]
Tabu - kiellettyä rakkautta (Finland) [fi]
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Parents Guide:
Runtime:
84 min | Czech Republic:80 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
This film was selected to the National Film Registry, Library of Congress, in 1994.
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Movie Connections:
Featured in Tabu, dernier voyage (1996)
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Soundtrack:
Symphony 'Má vlast'
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (15 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| MoC release | VanRippestein |
| what a fascinating movie! | colabama |
Recommendations
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South Seas dramas down through the decades have involved a lovely woman with one layer of scanty clothing, and a man who is chiefly attired in bronzed muscles. Both are Rousseauian children, taking rapturous joy in carnality and in their sun-light surroundings. Invariably they run afoul of the hungry island gods, rapacious white man, or combination of both. It's a genre done in John Ford's "Hurricane" and other movies with Dorothy Lamour; "Bird of Paradise" with Debra Paget; the various "Blue Lagoon" movies; up to the 1980's little seen "Beyond the Reef."
This one has one thing distinguishing itself from the others - the cast is all actually Polynesian, or partly so (sorry Dorothy). It does bring in the common troubles of indigenous peoples: wanting to escape their stifling tribal atmosphere, they have a hard time coping with the outside world's currency economy and alcoholic drink. The movie eschews the Hollywood ending. Anne Chevalier is a treat, and a climatic moment late in the movie is directed for maximum shock.