Pacific Destiny: Difference between revisions

Pacific Destiny
Pacific Destiny
	British theatrical poster
Directed by	Wolf Rilla
Written by	Richard Mason (screenplay); Jack Lee (adaptation)
Based on	book A Pattern of Islands by Sir Arthur Grimble
Produced by	James Lawrie
Starring	Denholm Elliott; Susan Stephen
Cinematography	Martin Curtis
Edited by	John Trumper
Music by	James Bernard
Production; companies	Lawrie Productions Limited; British Lion Films Limited (in association with); Shepperton Studios, England
Distributed by	A British Lion Release (UK)
Release dates	5 June 1956 (London, England);
Running time	96 mins
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

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Pacific Destiny is a 1956 British drama film directed by Wolf Rilla and starring Denholm Elliott, Susan Stephen and Michael Hordern.^[2] The screenplay concerns a young British couple who win the respect of the inhabitants of a South Pacific island during the colonial era.^[3]

It was based on A Pattern of Islands, a memoir by Sir Arthur Grimble recounting his time in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands as a cadet officer and Resident Commissioner in the 1920s.^[4]^[5]

Film credits show Samoa as the filming location.^[6]

Plot[edit]

The true story of inexperienced District Officer Cadet Arthur Grimble (Denholm Elliott) who arrives with his bride Olivia (Susan Stephen) on a remote Pacific island to work in the Colonial Service. He finds it hard to meet the approval of his superior, the Resident Commissioner (Michael Hordern), who had been expecting a more experienced man. The harder Grimble tries to please him, the more things seem to go awry, and he soon finds himself banished to a smaller neighbouring island. Olivia though is not as easily discouraged as her husband by the situation, and lends her support in a way that eventually meets with the approval of the island people.

Cast[edit]

Denholm Elliott ... Arthur Grimble
Susan Stephen ... Olivia Grimble
Michael Hordern ... Resident Commissioner
Felix Felton ... Uncle
Peter Bathurst ... Uncle
Clifford Buckton ... Uncle
Gordon Jackson ... District Officer
Inia Te Wiata ... Tauvela
Henrietta Godinet ... Lama
Su'a Ezra Tavete Williams ... Tiki-Tiku
Hans Kruse ... Kitiona
Ollie Crichton ... Taloa
Rosie Leavasa ... Sea Wind
Moira Walker ... Voice-of-the-Tide
Sani ... King's-Bundle-Of-Mats
Fiti ... Grandmother
John Bryce ... Tulo
Tuiletufuga Taualai ... Matangi
Afamasaga Kalapu ... Teraloa
Ovalau Bureta ... Fa'afetai
Cecilia Fabricious ... Movement-Of-Clouds
Polo ... Fa'alavelave
Tusa ... Prisoner
Noa ... Warder

Dances arranged by The Hon. Peseta Sio and Mailo

Critical reception[edit]

Leonard Maltin called it a "Boring (but true) story";^[7] TV Guide again, though praising the performances of Elliott and Hordern, called it "a routine and boring story with a pretty picture backdrop":^[6] and British Pictures noted "A pleasant bit of colonial travelogue, most notable for being Britain's first fiction film in Cinemascope."^[8]

References[edit]

^ "PACIFIC DESTINY - British Board of Film Classification". www.bbfc.co.uk.
^ "Pacific Destiny (1956)". Archived from the original on 16 January 2009.
^ "Pacific Destiny (1956) - Wolf Rilla - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie". AllMovie.
^ Goble, Alan (1 January 1999). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 9783110951943 – via Google Books.
^ "A Pattern of Islands, By Arthur Grimble". 24 June 2011. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Pacific Destiny". TVGuide.com.
^ "Pacific Destiny (1956) - Overview - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies.
^ Absalom, David. "ARCHIVE P - Ph: British films of the 30s, 40s and 50s". www.britishpictures.com.

External links[edit]

Pacific Destiny at IMDb

This article related to a British film of the 1950s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] "PACIFIC DESTINY - British Board of Film Classification". www.bbfc.co.uk.

[2] "Pacific Destiny (1956)". Archived from the original on 16 January 2009.

[3] "Pacific Destiny (1956) - Wolf Rilla - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie". AllMovie.

[4] Goble, Alan (1 January 1999). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 9783110951943 – via Google Books.

[5] "A Pattern of Islands, By Arthur Grimble". 24 June 2011. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022.

[tvguide-6] "Pacific Destiny". TVGuide.com.

[7] "Pacific Destiny (1956) - Overview - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies.

[8] Absalom, David. "ARCHIVE P - Ph: British films of the 30s, 40s and 50s". www.britishpictures.com.

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@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 | producer       = James Lawrie
 | writer         = [[Richard Mason (novelist 1919–1997)|Richard Mason]] (screenplay)<br>[[Jack Lee (film director)|Jack Lee]] (adaptation)
-| based on       =  book ''[[A Pattern of Islands]]'' by [[Arthur Grimble|Sir Arthur Grimble]]
+| based_on       = book ''[[A Pattern of Islands]]'' by [[Arthur Grimble|Sir Arthur Grimble]]
 | studio         = Lawrie Productions Limited<br>[[British Lion Films|British Lion Films Limited]] (in association with)<br>[[Shepperton Studios|Shepperton Studios, England]]
 | starring       = [[Denholm Elliott]]<br> [[Susan Stephen]]
@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 | editing        = John Trumper
 | distributor    = A British Lion Release {{small|(UK)}}
-| released       = {{Film date|df=y|1956|06|05|London, UK}}
+| released       = {{Film date|df=y|1956|06|05|London, England}}
 | runtime        = 96 mins<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/pacific-destiny-1956|title=PACIFIC DESTINY - British Board of Film Classification|website=www.bbfc.co.uk}}</ref>
 | country        = United Kingdom
 | language       = English
 | budget         =
 | gross          =
 }}
-'''''Pacific Destiny''''' is a 1956 British [[drama film]] directed by [[Wolf Rilla]] and starring [[Denholm Elliott]], [[Susan Stephen]] and [[Michael Hordern]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/45585|title=Pacific Destiny (1956)|publisher=}}</ref> The screenplay concerns a young British couple who win the respect of the inhabitants of a [[Oceania|South Pacific]] island during the colonial era.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmovie.com/movie/pacific-destiny-v105357|title=Pacific Destiny (1956) - Wolf Rilla - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie|website=AllMovie}}</ref>
+'''''Pacific Destiny''''' is a 1956 British [[drama film]] directed by [[Wolf Rilla]] and starring [[Denholm Elliott]], [[Susan Stephen]] and [[Michael Hordern]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/45585|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116055831/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/45585|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-01-16|title=Pacific Destiny (1956)|publisher=}}</ref> The screenplay concerns a young British couple who win the respect of the inhabitants of a [[Oceania|South Pacific]] island during the colonial era.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmovie.com/movie/pacific-destiny-v105357|title=Pacific Destiny (1956) - Wolf Rilla - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie|website=AllMovie}}</ref>
-It was based on ''[[A Pattern of Islands]]'', a memoir by Sir [[Arthur Grimble]] recounting his time in the [[Gilbert and Ellice Islands]] as a cadet officer and [[Resident Commissioner]] in the 1920s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Yyqc0Qa6b60C&pg=PA899&lpg=PA899&dq=pacific+destiny+literary+sources+in+film&source=bl&ots=KaUiySt4A6&sig=RQH-_m-o9wokMkQ57_TPzh6bGCo&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi2rbqj0ZHWAhVPblAKHZbiAPUQ6AEIRTAJ#v=onepage&q=pacific+destiny+literary+sources+in+film&f=false|title=The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film|first=Alan|last=Goble|date=1 January 1999|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/a-pattern-of-islands-by-arthur-grimble-2301677.html|title=A Pattern of Islands, By Arthur Grimble|date=24 June 2011|publisher=}}</ref>
+It was based on ''[[A Pattern of Islands]]'', a memoir by Sir [[Arthur Grimble]] recounting his time in the [[Gilbert and Ellice Islands]] as a cadet officer and [[Resident Commissioner]] in the 1920s.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yyqc0Qa6b60C&q=pacific+destiny+literary+sources+in+film&pg=PA899|title=The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film|first=Alan|last=Goble|date=1 January 1999|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|isbn=9783110951943|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/a-pattern-of-islands-by-arthur-grimble-2301677.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/a-pattern-of-islands-by-arthur-grimble-2301677.html |archive-date=24 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=A Pattern of Islands, By Arthur Grimble|date=24 June 2011|publisher=}}</ref>
 Film credits show [[Samoan Islands|Samoa]] as the filming location.<ref name=tvguide>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/movies/pacific-destiny/review/108703/|title=Pacific Destiny|website=TVGuide.com}}</ref>
 ==Plot==
-The true story of inexperienced cadet Arthur Grimble (Denholm Elliott) who arrives with his bride Olivia (Susan Stephen) on a remote Pacific island to work in the [[Colonial Service]]. He finds it hard to meet the approval of his superior, the Resident Commissioner (Michael Hordern), who had been expecting a more experienced man. The harder Grimble tries to please him, the more things seem to go awry, and he soon finds himself banished to a smaller neighbouring island. Olivia though is not as easily discouraged as her husband by the situation, and lends her support in a way that eventually meets with the approval of the island people.
+The true story of inexperienced [[District Officer]] Cadet Arthur Grimble (Denholm Elliott) who arrives with his bride Olivia (Susan Stephen) on a remote Pacific island to work in the [[Colonial Service]]. He finds it hard to meet the approval of his superior, the Resident Commissioner (Michael Hordern), who had been expecting a more experienced man. The harder Grimble tries to please him, the more things seem to go awry, and he soon finds himself banished to a smaller neighbouring island. Olivia though is not as easily discouraged as her husband by the situation, and lends her support in a way that eventually meets with the approval of the island people.
 ==Cast==
-* [[Denholm Elliott]] ...  Arthur Grimble
+* [[Denholm Elliott]] ...  [[Arthur Grimble]]
 * [[Susan Stephen]] ...  Olivia Grimble
 * [[Michael Hordern]] ...  Resident Commissioner
@@ Line 40: / Line 40: @@
 * Clifford Buckton ...  Uncle
 * [[Gordon Jackson (actor)|Gordon Jackson]] ...  District Officer
-* [[Inia Te Wiata]] ...  Tauveta
+* [[Inia Te Wiata]] ...  Tauvela
 * Henrietta Godinet ...  Lama
+* Su'a Ezra Tavete Williams ... Tiki-Tiku
-* Hans Kruse ...  Kitiona
+* [[Hans Kruse]] ...  Kitiona
+* Ollie Crichton ... Taloa
+* Rosie Leavasa ... Sea Wind
 * Moira Walker ...  Voice-of-the-Tide
+* Sani ... King's-Bundle-Of-Mats
+* Fiti ... Grandmother
+* John Bryce ... Tulo
+* Tuiletufuga Taualai ... Matangi
+* Afamasaga Kalapu ... Teraloa
+* Ovalau Bureta ... Fa'afetai
+* Cecilia Fabricious ... Movement-Of-Clouds
+* Polo ... Fa'alavelave
+* Tusa ... Prisoner
+* Noa ... Warder
+Dances arranged by The Hon. Peseta Sio and Mailo
 ==Critical reception==
@@ Line 58: / Line 73: @@
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Pacific Destiny}}
 [[Category:1956 films]]
-[[Category:British films]]
+[[Category:1950s adventure drama films]]
-[[Category:Adventure drama films]]
-[[Category:1950s adventure films]]
-[[Category:1950s drama films]]
-[[Category:English-language films]]
 [[Category:Films directed by Wolf Rilla]]
 [[Category:British drama films]]
+[[Category:British Lion Films films]]
+[[Category:Films scored by James Bernard]]
 [[Category:Films shot in Samoa]]
 [[Category:Films set in Kiribati]]
+[[Category:1956 drama films]]
+[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
+[[Category:1950s British films]]