South Pacific (1958)

An island in the South Pacific sets a lush backdrop for the screen adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway hit. Both the stage production and movie South Pacific came under fire for their stance on racism, even defying protests and boycotts to remove “You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught,” a song championing racial tolerance. Nellie Forbush (Mitzi Gaynor) and Joseph Cable (Joh Kerr) are stationed on an island awaiting orders during the war when they find love with locals. Nellie falls in love with Emile De Becque (Rossano Brazzi), a French farmer who is debating going on a spy mission for the government. Cable meets Liat (France Nuyen), the daughter of local merchant Bloody Mary (Juanita Hall). Both romances are complicated by prejudice when Nellie learns of Emile’s biracial children from his first marriage, and Cable is afraid to commit to marriage with Liat because she is an islander. They will discover if their love is strong enough to overcome their bias on “Some Enchanted Evening.”

Cast: Rossano Brazzi, Mitzi Gaynor, John Kerr