''Pacific Destiny'' is a 1956 British

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Wolf Rilla Wolf Peter Rilla (16 March 1920 – 19 October 2005) was a film director and writer of German background, although he worked mainly in the United Kingdom. Rilla is known for directing '' Village of the Damned'' (1960). He wrote many books for stu ...

and starring

Denholm Elliott Denholm Mitchell Elliott, (31 May 1922 – 6 October 1992) was an English actor, with more than 125 film and television credits. His well-known roles include the abortionist in '' Alfie'' (1966), Marcus Brody in ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'' (19 ...

, Susan Stephen and

Michael Hordern Sir Michael Murray Hordern Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE (3 October 19112 May 1995)Morley, Sheridan"Hordern, Michael Murray (1911–1995)" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004, online e ...

. The screenplay concerns a young British couple who win the respect of the inhabitants of a South Pacific island during the colonial era. It was based on ''

A Pattern of Islands ''A Pattern of Islands'' (also known as ''We Chose the Islands'' in American editions) is a memoir by Sir Arthur Grimble recounting his time in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands as a cadet officer and Resident Commissioner between 1914 and 1933. Th ...

'', a memoir by Sir

Arthur Grimble Sir Arthur Francis Grimble, (Hong Kong, 11 June 1888 – London, 13 December 1956) was a British Colonial Service administrator and writer. Biography Grimble was educated at Chigwell School and Magdalene College, Cambridge. He then wen ...

recounting his time in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands as a cadet officer and

Resident Commissioner Resident commissioner was or is an official title of several different types of commissioners, who were or are representatives of any level of government. Historically, they were appointed by the British Crown in overseas protectorates (such ...

in the 1920s. Film credits show

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands ( Manono and Apolima); ...

as the filming location.

Plot

The true story of inexperienced District Officer Cadet Arthur Grimble (Denholm Elliott) who arrives with his bride Olivia (Susan Stephen) on a remote Pacific island to work in the

Colonial Service The Colonial Service, also known as His/Her Majesty's Colonial Service and replaced in 1954 by Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service (HMOCS), was the British government service that administered most of Britain's overseas possessions, under the aut ...

. He finds it hard to meet the approval of his superior, the Resident Commissioner (Michael Hordern), who had been expecting a more experienced man. The harder Grimble tries to please him, the more things seem to go awry, and he soon finds himself banished to a smaller neighbouring island. Olivia though is not as easily discouraged as her husband by the situation, and lends her support in a way that eventually meets with the approval of the island people.

Cast

...

* Susan Stephen ... Olivia Grimble *

... Resident Commissioner *

Felix Felton Robert Forbes Felton (12 August 1911 – 21 October 1972), known professionally as Felix Felton, was a British film, television, stage and voice actor as well as a radio director, composer and author. Radio work In his earlier years Felton cons ...

... Uncle * Peter Bathurst ... Uncle * Clifford Buckton ... Uncle * Gordon Jackson ... District Officer *

Inia Te Wiata Inia Morehu Tauhia Watene Iarahi Waihurihia Te Wiata (10 June 191526 June 1971) was a New Zealand Māori bass-baritone opera singer, film actor, whakairo (carver) and artist. Early life Inia Te Wiata was born in Ōtaki, New Zealand, into the ...

... Tauvela * Henrietta Godinet ... Lama * Su'a Ezra Tavete Williams ... Tiki-Tiku * Hans Kruse ... Kitiona * Ollie Crichton ... Taloa * Rosie Leavasa ... Sea Wind * Moira Walker ... Voice-of-the-Tide * Sani ... King's-Bundle-Of-Mats * Fiti ... Grandmother * John Bryce ... Tulo * Tuiletufuga Taualai ... Matangi * Afamasaga Kalapu ... Teraloa * Ovalau Bureta ... Fa'afetai * Cecilia Fabricious ... Movement-Of-Clouds * Polo ... Fa'alavelave * Tusa ... Prisoner * Noa ... Warder Dances arranged by The Hon. Peseta Sio and Mailo

Critical reception

Leonard Maltin Leonard Michael Maltin (born December 18, 1950) is an American film critic and film historian, as well as an author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives. He is perhaps best known for his book of fi ...

called it a "Boring (but true) story"; ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corpora ...

'' again, though praising the performances of Elliott and Hordern, called it "a routine and boring story with a pretty picture backdrop": and ''British Pictures'' noted "A pleasant bit of colonial travelogue, most notable for being Britain's first fiction film in Cinemascope."

References

External links

* 1956 films 1950s adventure drama films English-language Samoan films Films directed by Wolf Rilla British drama films British Lion Films films Films scored by James Bernard Films shot in Samoa Films set in Kiribati 1956 drama films 1950s English-language films 1950s British films {{1950s-UK-film-stub