The Hurricane (1937)

Such a frustrating disappointment

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

One of John Ford's best films of the 1930s -- and certainly the best of the so-called "disaster" spectacles in mid-decade.Unlike those epics, it's not just a trite build-up to a big climax. As fashioned by Ford and writer Dudley Nichols (after the Nordoff & Hall novel), The Hurricane is a passionate narrative of wronged humanity, with strong outrage against European colonialism in the South Seas. In this case the brute force of the French penal system awakens an intense, vindictive doggedness in the defiant hero, Terangi (Jon Hall), not dissimilar to Jean Valjean in Les Miserables.Ford uses his strong visual sense, heavily influenced by German Expressionism, to give a torturous, altogether grim picture of Terangi's ordeals as a convict. French Governor Raymond Massey and prison warden John Carradine, each with exceptional sternness and malice, invoke the harsh brutality of the Law. The European sense of superiority overrides any natural compassion for fellow humans.It is up to a sincere Mary Astor and a wonderfully irascible Thomas Mitchell to advocate a more benevolent European attitude.When the hurricane comes, it strikes with relentless fury, crashing, pounding, smashing up things, sweeping away islanders in a still breathtaking 14 minutes of screen time. The backlot staging, Oscar-winning sound design, montage editing and process shots (some a little too ambitious for the time ) still impress the techno-savvy 21st century viewer. A constantly ringing church bell - as if a plea for divine mercy - works to striking effect. Executed by effects supervisor James Basevi and A.D. Stuart Heisler, it's a terrific accomplishment, rendering The Hurricane superior to disaster films as San Francisco and In Old Chicago.In the larger framework, nobody seems ill at ease with native rituals and customs, possibly from the long association of writers Nordoff and Hall with the South Seas, Ford's own love of the islands, and Jon Hall's lineage as part Tahitian himself (his mother was Tahitian-born); albeit defined by the larger attitudes of the period, the conception of spirited islanders struggling against European domination seems genuinely achieved.

On a paradisaical South Seas island, bare-chested Jon Hall (as Terangi) marries bare-legged Dorothy Lamour (as Marama). They are a blissfully happy and fantastically attractive couple. But an ill wind begins to blow when Ms. Lamour has a bad dream. In Tahiti, hard-hitting Mr. Hall punches a white man and is thrown in jail. Hall repeatedly attempts to escape. Each time he is re-captured, Hall has two years added to his original six month sentence. He is also severely whipped. As the years are added, escape is the only reasonable option. Hall is incredibly athletic and resourceful. His adventures, directed by John Ford, are good. Even better is the ending hurricane staged by James Basevi.******* The Hurricane (11/5/37) John Ford ~ Jon Hall, Dorothy Lamour, Thomas Mitchell, Raymond Massey

I always try to catch this movie when it shows up on TV, usually TCM. Leonard Maltin calls the hurricane scenes unequaled and he's right. Quite impressive even by today's standards.Well, I guess I need to continue with this review. I didn't meet the quota on lines.I would agree with the assessment above that Lamour and John Hall are in their prime physically. Impressive that they got top billing despite the appearance of Raymond Massey, Mary Astor, Carradine, and Thomas Mitchell. Of course, John Ford, the director went on to even more successful action movies, and won numerous awards. As many know, he teamed with John Wayne for a number of award winning westerns.

It took John Ford another 18 years to get back to the south seas as a film location after his award winning The Hurricane. He had an incomplete trip with Mister Roberts in 1955, but then made it back for Donovan's Reef in 1963. Both The Hurricane and Donovan's Reef deal with racism and have as their settings, French colonial possessions in the south Pacific. Of course Donovan's Reef takes a far more light hearted approach. In both films Ford feels that colonialism is at best a mixed blessing for the native populace.Jon Hall is a happy and content resident of the small island of Manakoora with a new wife. He's a sailor by trade, first mate on a ship captained by Jerome Cowan. While in Tahiti he defends himself in a barroom brawl, but gets sentenced for assault because he struck a white man. An obnoxious lout with political influence. His lot is made worse with repeated attempts to escape adding time on his sentence and all kinds of torture, physical and psychological, by a cruel guard played by John Carradine.Meanwhile back on Manakoora wife Dorothy Lamour gives birth to a child and Hall becomes something of a native folk hero. That's most unsettling to the Governor Raymond Massey. Massey is one uptight dude with a lot of issues. He says he's defending the law, but he knows he's defending the concept of white supremacy and that fact isn't escaping any of his peers including his own wife Mary Astor.Thomas Mitchell got nominated for his performance as a doctor with a bit of a thirst problem on Manakoora. A decent man, he's revolted by a lot of what he sees. As is C. Aubrey Smith the priest. Both Mitchell and Smith take comfort where they can, Mitchell in booze, Smith in his Catholic faith. Mitchell lost to Joseph Schildkraut for Best Supporting Actor, but two years later won with essentially the same role in Stagecoach.The Hurricane won the very first Oscar given out for Special Effects and the hurricane which should have been called a typhoon in that part of the world even today is something to see. You will not forget the fury of nature that destroys C. Aubrey Smith's church. This ain't your Wizard of Oz type storm.