Rainbow Island (1944)

A Masterpiece!

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

As senseless as an episode of "Gilligan's Island" (and possibly the film where Sherwood Schwartz got some plot ideas for that cult sitcom), this Technicolor Paramount musical focuses on three American pilots shipwrecked on a deserted island who manage to escape after overpowering three Japanese pilots and stealing their plane. Of course, they are shipwrecked once again after the American navy sees the approaching Japanese plane (its painted on American flag dissolved in a rainstorm) where one of them (Eddie Bracken) is believed to be their God after the local natives notice his resemblance to his totem pole likeness (the same thing which happened to Gilligan). Handsome Barry Sullivan falls in love with the not so native girl Dorothy Lamour, still wearing a sarong, but shipwrecked as a child along with her father (Forrest Orr), and every bit as tan as the natives. As for Bracken, his "Godly" identity is questioned by the native queen (Anne Revere), high priest Reed Hadley and warrior Marc Lawrence, and when the queen is given a sleeping poison, Bracken is set for execution, either by being burnt alive or eaten by a huge carnivorous plant, all to see if he really is a God. While my numerical rating indicates the fact that I consider this to be a substandard film, it is still an entertaining piece of nostalgic hokum that has to be seen to believed for really how bad it is, stereotypical in pretty much every way and cast with actors whom you know were embarrassed by their participation in it. Lamour and Bracken could play their parts in their sleep, but I really felt bad for the future Oscar Winning actress Anne Revere who in dark make-up looks ridiculous, even if she gives a very commanding performance. The songs by Burton Lane and Ted Koehler are instantly forgettable, and even if the Technicolor photography is superbly beautiful, the sets are extremely artificial looking. It's obvious to me that the best way to view this is with tongue firmly planted in cheek, but when you compare these with the Road pictures made at Paramount around the same time, you can see why they stand the test of time, even in black and white, while this is much closer to the Universal series of colorful adventures starring Maria Montez.

I got this print from loving the classics, It's a public domain print. It's fair but the color is intact.Mca has yet to release with TCM a compile of Dorothy Lamour's Technicolor sarong classics due to the fact they are greedy, They don't want to include a long term dollar with a quick one. Time warner and TCM Walt Disney are this bad. Time warner is really bad about this against their classic cartoons. Turner hid behind political correctness as an excuse to withdraw all the classic cartoons from cartoon net work ,inspite of the fact adult swim isn't no angel neither. Greed is against free speech if it interferes in their greedy profits. Disney is just a bad they haven't released for the past 7 more years any of their live Acton classics. They are hiding behind political correctness to save money by avoiding the release of song of the south.They don't want to serve the fans of classic films cause we don't give them enough money.This is rotten. Gil Lamb,Barry Sullivan and Eddie Braken are trapped in a Island ,stranded. All of a sudden they see a plane . They thinks is their's,but it's not. Barry tells them that its the Japanese plane. At the time they had sided with Hitler and bombed Pearl harbor. So as soon as the Japanese Soldiers go to in the island the three stranded ambushed them. They take advantage of the plane to get out of the island .They cover the Japanese symbols up with paint. But soon as they are in the air. It starts to rain. This washes the paint off. The naval ship,they are trying to get them the signal to land, Sees their Japanese symbols .The boys see the paint ware off and they realize that they are being attacked because the ship thinks they are the enemy. So they are forced to turn back. They are loosing gas. They end up in an another island. The natives, The queen,played by Ann Revere, an American doctor , who was stranded and taking care of the natives, his daughter played by Dorothy Lamour.The Doctor has convince them accidentally, that they are the Japanese. The queen decides that they will deal with them, by capturing them and putting them to death. But as soon as the native girls go to them to capture them.Instead they find the three ,Sullivan Lam, Bracken, appealing. The native women include Dorothy Lamour ,Elain Verdugo, Olga San Jaun and a small part with Yvonne De Carlo making her debut as an extra.Dorothy Revives Sullivan and starts to fall madly in love with him and realizes that he's not the enemy but The queen shows up and demands their deaths. As soon as they are about to beheaded ,Dottie come up with a quick ideal claiming that Eddie is a god.They believe him. So the three throw confusion to the natives, in this film while they fix the plane to leave. Dorothy want to get back with Sullivan to get her and her father out of the island ,Sullivan refuses but. she makes threats . The scenes have been shorten for some reason.Like Paramounts attempt to make Dottie another Esther Williams in a water ballet sequence.Olga Falls for lam.Their is a boogie Woodie swing dance number that they do. The queen finds out that they are mortal and takes the spark plug and wears them around her neck so they won't leave. But they manage to get them and including the doctor and his daughter leave. It all turns out to be a sailors story told by Bracken cause he is a fan of Dorothy Lamour. Since MCA won't out out better prints this is the only way to get this and other of Dotties Technicolor classics .Loving the classic.com

RAINBOW ISLAND only existed on the Paramount lot and it was concocted to please kids and young adults with its story of three sailors (EDDIE BRACKEN, GIL LAMB, BARRY SULLIVAN) who land on a South Seas island populated by natives and a sarong wearing DOROTHY LAMOUR. They're delighted to be there until the natives realize that Bracken resembles the high man on their totem pole--and they decide to worship him unless he shows normal appetites that are not Godly.That's the thrust of the plot. Bracken makes the most of a well written comic role, and Lamour looks lovely when she sings a song called "Beloved" and is romanced by Barry Sullivan. With all of the idol worship going on, you just know that the Gods are going to be angry when Bracken is revealed as mortal and there's liable to be an eruption from that lively volcano.It's all very fetching to look at in brilliant Technicolor and there are plenty of amusing gags along the way. Only thing missing is Bob Hope and Bing Crosby--but Bracken and Lamb do pretty well in the laugh department.Strictly escapism fluff.

I saw this movie when I was about 12 years old. That was a lot of years ago!! It is a GREAT movie. This movie is a hilarious, good, clean family movie. I would love to have a copy of it.I am told that it was never on video so the only way I can get a copy of it is if it was "bootlegged" off the tv. If anyone has a copy of this PLEASE let me know.