Return to Paradise (1953 film)
| Return to Paradise | |
|---|---|
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | Gary Cooper Barry Jones Roberta Haynes John Hudson |
| Cinematography | Winton C. Hoch |
| Edited by | Daniel Mandell |
| Music by | Dimitri Tiomkin |
| Color process | Technicolor |
Production company | Aspen Productions |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
Release date |
|
Running time | 100 minutes 88 minutes (TCM print) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $515,00[1] |
| Box office | $1.8 million (US)[2] |
Return to Paradise is an American
Plot
During the 1920s, itinerant American beachcomber Mr. Morgan (
Morgan returns to Matareva during World War II, where he reconciles with Cobbett, who has become a friend and teacher to the islanders, and meets Turia. She falls in love with an Army Air Force pilot, Harry Faber, after he crash-lands his cargo plane in the lagoon. An interesting irony is that when Morgan first arrived, Cobbett tried to force him to leave the island lest he get an island girl pregnant. Now he faces the same thing when Faber tries to seduce his daughter, Turia, as a diversion while awaiting pickup by the Navy. Morgan intervenes and makes Faber and his crew leave, using the same empty shotgun as an inducement. When Turia forgives him, Morgan decides to remain with her on Matareva.
Cast
- Gary Cooper as Mr. Morgan
- Barry Jones as Pastor Thomas Cobbett
- Roberta Haynes as Maeva
- Moira MacDonald as Turia
- John Hudson as Capt. Harry Faber
- Le Mamea Matatumua Ata as Tonga
- Hans Kruse as Rori, age 21
- Terry Dunleavy as Mac
- Howard Poulson as Russ
- Donald Ashford as Cutler
- Herbert Ah Sue as Kura
- Va'a as Rori, age 9
Soundtrack
The title song "Return to Paradise," by Dimitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington, was featured in the soundtrack. It has been recorded by artists including Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby and Shirley Horn.
Home media
Return to Paradise was released on DVD on December 31, 2009, as part of the MGM Limited Edition Collection series.
References
- ^ "'Paradise' Cost 515G, Ballyhoo Set at 500G". Variety. March 1953. p. 2.
- ^ 'The Top Box Office Hits of 1953', Variety, January 13, 1954
- ISBN 9780253113436. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ISBN 9781566914116. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
Return to Paradise (1953 film).
- ^ Glimpses of Micronesia & the Western Pacific. Glimpses of Guam Incorporated. 1982. p. 29. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
