Hawaii (1966 film)
Hawaii | |
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The Mirisch Corporation | |
Distributed by | United Artists |
Release date |
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Running time |
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Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $15 million[1] |
Box office | $34.5 million[2] |
Hawaii is a 1966 American
The film was released on October 10, 1966. It received mixed reviews but was a box-office success. It received seven nominations at the 39th Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actress (for Jocelyne LaGarde).
Plot
This article's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. (April 2022) |
In 1819, Prince Keoki Kanakoa appeals to the Yale Divinity School to bring Christianity to the Islands of Hawaii. Newly ordained minister Reverend Abner Hale is among those who volunteer, but all missionaries must be married. Reverend Dr. Thorn introduces him to his young niece, Jerusha Bromley. Jerusha is in love with Captain Rafer Hoxworth, a whaler away at sea who has apparently forgotten her.
Abner and Jerusha marry and go to
The Hales live in a grass hut and work to build a church. Jerusha helps the natives and tries to end the practice of drowning disfigured or deformed infants after rescuing an infant with a facial birthmark. After a difficult labor, Jerusha gives birth to her first child, a son named Micah. Abner baptizes his first convert, a young Hawaiian girl named Iliki who was given to the Hales as a servant.
Malama agrees to learn about Christianity but resists being converted because she would have to send away Kelolo. At the Hales' urging, Malama enacts a curfew for sailors and forbids them fraternizing with island girls. The sailors riot in protest, led by Captain Hoxworth, who has made a stop on his whaling voyage. Hoxworth discovers Jerusha is in Lahaina and married to Reverend Hale, whom he despises for inspiring Malama to impose the restrictions. The sailors partially torch the church, but the Hawaiians help save it, then chase the sailors back to their ships. As retaliation against Abner for marrying Jerusha, Hoxworth entices Iliki to leave the island with him. He tosses Abner overboard when he tries to retrieve her. Abner is attacked by a shark in the sea, leaving him permanently lame.
Malama, on her deathbed, agrees to be baptized a Christian and renounce Kelolo as her husband. As the natives foretold, upon an Ali'i Nui's death, a strong gale blows and destroys the church. Keoki disavows Christianity and returns to his native religion after Abner reveals that he will never be ordained because he is not white.
Noelani becomes the new Ali'i Nui. Abner discovers that Keoki and Noelani have married and Malama only became a Christian for her people’s good. Noelani and Keoki's baby is born horribly deformed. Abner refuses Jerusha's plea to save the infant, believing it is God's punishment. Keoki drowns the child. A measles outbreak decimates the native population, killing hundreds, including Keoki, who dies renouncing God.
Years of overworking and childbearing have weakened Jerusha, resulting in her early death. After losing Jerusha, Abner becomes more loving and protective of the Hawaiians. He joins them to curtail white settlers and plantation owners from taking more land. When the other ministers vote to own and profit from the land, Abner opposes them and is reassigned to a parish in Connecticut. He refuses to leave Hawaii and sends his three children to the Bromley family in New England. Returning to his hut, Abner finds a young Hawaiian man waiting who wishes to be his assistant. He is overjoyed upon realizing the young man is the disfigured baby Jerusha saved from being drowned many years before.
Cast
- Julie Andrews as Jerusha Bromley Hale
- Max von Sydow as Reverend Abner Hale
- Richard Harris as Capt. Rafer Hoxworth
- Gene Hackman as Dr. John Whipple
- Carroll O'Connor as Charles Bromley
- Jocelyne LaGarde as Aliʻi Nui, Malama Kanakoa
- Manu Tupou as Prince Keoki Kanakoa, narrator in the prologue
- Ted Nobriga as Prince Kelolo Kanakoa
- Elizabeth Logue as Noelani Kanakoa
- John Cullum as Rev. Immanuel Quigley
- George Rose as Capt. Janders
- Lou Antonio as Rev. Abraham Hewlett
- Torin Thatcher as Rev. Dr. Thorn
- Michael Constantine as Mason, sailor
- Malcolm Atterbury as Gideon Hale
- Diane Sherry as Charity Bromley
- Lokelani S. Chicarell as Iliki
- Robert Oakley as Micah Hale (4 years old)
- Henrik von Sydow as Micah Hale (7 years old)
- Claes von Sydow as Micah Hale (12 years old)
- Bertil Weriefelt as Micah Hale (18 years old)
Production
The film was based on the book's third chapter (out of seven), entitled From the Farm of Bitterness, which covered the settlement of the island kingdom by
Needing a
Originally, it was to be directed by
The film was filmed in various locations throughout Oahu in the state of Hawaii, the perfect replica of Lahaina during the 1820s is built on Makua Beach and the surrounding Makua Valley.[4] Despite the Hawaiian setting and filming locations, a significant portion of the props used in the film were imported from Mexico, Taiwan, Ireland, Hong Kong, Japan, and the Philippines.[5]
Principal Photography began in April 1965, on Location in Old Sturbridge Village for scenes set in Walpole, New Hampshire and the Hales' farm (Interiors were filmed in Hollywood soundstages for seven weeks, along with scenes set in Yale College and on board the Thetis). Then on location in the island of Oahu in Hawaii in June. Location filming in Oahu bogged down with heavy rain and tidal wave alerts, which caused the budget to balloon to over $10 million; despite this Producer Walter Mirisch sacked Hill as director, and intended to hire Arthur Hiller as director. Polynesian extras protested and refused to work with another director, so Hill was hired back. Principal Photography ended in November 1965.
Andrews received top billing around the world except in continental Europe, where Sydow's contract stipulated that he receive first and same line billing.[6]
Release
Hawaii had its premiere at the DeMille Theatre in New York City on October 10, 1966. It also opened the same week at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles.[7][8] It expanded into five further cities the following week, including Honolulu, and another three the following week.[9]
Availability of different versions
The film as originally released ran 189 minutes (including overture, intermission, entr'acte, and exit music). This roadshow version would be issued on VHS and
On October 9, 2015, Twilight Time Movies announced on the Home Theater Forum that they would release a Blu-ray edition of Hawaii (along with The Hawaiians) on January 19, 2016.[10] The Hawaiians would be released the next month on February 9, 2016. The Hawaii Blu-ray has both the long and short versions, but the long, original version is in standard definition and not anamorphic widescreen.
Reception
Critical reception
The film's critical response was mixed. Vincent Canby of The New York Times wrote that "one comes out the theater not so much moved as numbed — by the cavalcade of conventional if sometimes eyepopping scenes of storm and seascape, of pomp and pestilence, all laid out in large strokes of brilliant De Luxe color on the huge Panavision screen."[3] Arthur D. Murphy of Variety stated, "Superior production, acting and direction give depth and credibility to a personal tragedy, set against the clash of two civilizations."[11] Philip K. Scheuer of the Los Angeles Times wrote that even at three hours in length, the filmmakers "still haven't given themselves enough leeway" to adapt Michener's epic novel, but "'Hawaii' will still be one of the outstanding Hollywood pictures of 1966."[12]
Time magazine felt that "Instead of portraying the death of one culture and the birth of another, he [George Roy Hill] has restricted himself to the story of one man and his ministry. The spectator is rather too frequently allowed to feel that he is watching a rather small film on a very large screen and to wonder, with a mounting sense of lumbar crisis, why he must pay advanced prices $2.25 to $4.25) for the privilege of sitting through a 3+1⁄2-hour story that could have been told just as well in two."[13] Richard L. Coe of The Washington Post found the romance between Abner and Jerusha "more trite than credible" and wrote that Max von Sydow "seems to have based his concept of the leading role on a quick course in Roots of Modern America."[14] Brendan Gill of The New Yorker called it "perhaps the biggest empty movie, or the emptiest big movie, ever made. Despite its length and its look of being extremely ambitious, it contains scarcely a single action worth dramatizing."[15] The Monthly Film Bulletin praised the "intelligent and literate" script and "deeply felt performances from the whole cast," but felt "a distinct slackening of interest" after the intermission, as once Malama dies "there is little left except for Jerusha to join her. The real drama is over, and a colorful local wedding hardly compensates for the lack of tension."[16]
The film holds a score of 67% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 9 reviews.[17]
Box office
After expanding to 10 cities, Hawaii reached number one at the US box office.
Accolades
Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Academy Awards[20] | Best Supporting Actress | Jocelyne LaGarde | Nominated |
Best Cinematography – Color | Russell Harlan | Nominated | |
Best Costume Design – Color | Dorothy Jeakins | Nominated | |
Best Original Music Score | Elmer Bernstein | Nominated | |
Best Song | "My Wishing Doll" Music by Elmer Bernstein; Lyrics by Mack David |
Nominated | |
Best Sound | Gordon E. Sawyer | Nominated | |
Best Special Visual Effects | Linwood G. Dunn | Nominated | |
Golden Globe Awards[21] | Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
|
Max von Sydow | Nominated |
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
|
Jocelyne LaGarde | Won | |
Best Original Score – Motion Picture | Elmer Bernstein | Won | |
Laurel Awards | Top Song | "My Wishing Doll" Music by Elmer Bernstein; Lyrics by Mack David |
Nominated |
National Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Actor | Max von Sydow | Nominated |
The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:
- 2005: AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores – Nominated[22]
See also
- List of American films of 1966
- "Hawaii" (Elmer Bernstein song), the theme song from the film.
- The Hawaiians, a 1970 sequel, which covered later chapters of James Michener's book
- Hawaiian religion
- Kapu, the ancient Hawaiian code of conduct of laws and regulations
- Ancient Hawaii
- Carthaginian, the 1921 ship converted to a square-rigged whaler for the film
References
- ISBN 978-0-299-11440-4.
- ^ "Hawaii, Box Office Information". The Numbers. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
- ^ a b Canby, Vincent (October 11, 1966). "Screen: 'Hawaii,' Big, Long Film, Has Its Premiere". The New York Times. p. 54. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- ^ Memminger, Charles (October 10, 2010). "Movies and TV Shows Filmed in Hawaii". Hawaii Activities.com. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
- Honolulu Magazine. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
- ^ "Julie Vs. Von Sydow". Variety. March 23, 1966. p. 1.
- ^ "Turkey Day Holiday Week Lifts L.A.; 'Pros' Terrif $40,000; 'Voyage' Fast 28G, 'Cookie' 17G; 'Alfie' Big 14G, 5". Variety. November 30, 1966. p. 9.
- ^ "Holiday Boosts B'way Biz; 'Alfie' Whopping $38,000, 'Pros' Sock 49G, 'Hawaii' $50,500, 'Paris' Wow 54G". Variety. November 30, 1966. p. 9.
- ^ a b "'Hawaii' Pace So Far Topping UA's 'Mad World,' 'West Side' & '80 Days'". Variety. November 30, 1966. p. 7.
- ^ "HTF EXCLUSIVE! Twilight Time Jan/Feb 2016 Release Announcements".
- ^ Murphy, Arthur D. (October 5, 1966). "Film Reviews: Hawaii". Variety. p. 6.
- ^ Scheuer, Philip K. (October 9, 1966). "'Hawaii'---Poi in the Sky". Los Angeles Times. Calendar, p. 1.
- ^ "Cinema: Shouts & Muumuus". Time. October 21, 1966. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- ^ Coe, Richard L. (February 15, 1967). "How Paradise Got Lost". The Washington Post. p. D10.
- ^ Gill, Brendan (October 29, 1966). "The Current Cinema". The New Yorker. p. 152.
- ^ "Hawaii". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 34 (396): 4. January 1967.
- ^ "Hawaii (1966)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
- ^ "National Boxoffice Survey". Variety. November 2, 1966. p. 7.
- ISBN 978-1-903364-66-6.
- ^ "The 39th Academy Awards (1967) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
- ^ "Winners & Nominees 1967". Golden Globes. Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- ^ "AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved August 6, 2016.
External links
- Hawaii at the American Film Institute Catalog
- Hawaii at IMDb
- Hawaii at Rotten Tomatoes
- Hawaii at the TCM Movie Database