''The Pagan'' is a 1929 silent/ part talking romantic drama filmed in

Tahiti Tahiti (; Tahitian ; ; previously also known as Otaheite) is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. It is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest major landmass is Austra ...

and produced and distributed by

Metro Goldwyn Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...

. Both director

W.S. Van Dyke Woodbridge Strong Van Dyke II (Woody) (March 21, 1889 – February 5, 1943) was an American film director and writer who made several successful early sound films, including ''Tarzan the Ape Man'' in 1932, ''The Thin Man'' in 1934, ''San Franci ...

and cinematographer

Clyde De Vinna Clyde De Vinna (born July 13, 1890, in Sedalia, Missouri, died July 26, 1953, in Los Angeles, California) was an American film and television cinematographer and director of photography. He won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for ''Wh ...

had previously visited Tahiti in 1928 to film ''

White Shadows in the South Seas ''White Shadows in the South Seas'' is a 1928 American silent film adventure romance directed by W.S. Van Dyke and starring Monte Blue and Raquel Torres. It was produced by Cosmopolitan Productions in association with MGM and distributed by MGM ...

''. ''The Pagan'' stars

Ramón Novarro José Ramón Gil Samaniego (February 6, 1899 – October 30, 1968), known professionally as Ramon Novarro, was a Mexican-American actor. He began his career in silent films in 1917 and eventually became a leading man and one of the top box ...

.''The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: 1921-30'' by The American Film Institute, c. 1971 The film has a slight resemblance in story to an earlier Novarro silent, '' Where the Pavement Ends'' (1923), directed by Rex Ingram and now

lost Lost may refer to getting lost, or to: Geography *Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland * Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US History *Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...

Plot

Trader Henry Slater (

Donald Crisp Donald William Crisp (27 July 188225 May 1974) was an English film actor as well as an early producer, director and screenwriter. His career lasted from the early silent film era into the 1960s. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor ...

) stops at a South Pacific island looking to obtain a cargo of

copra Copra (from ) is the dried, white flesh of the coconut from which coconut oil is extracted. Traditionally, the coconuts are sun-dried, especially for export, before the oil, also known as copra oil, is pressed out. The oil extracted from co ...

. He is informed that half-caste Henry Shoesmith, Jr. (Ramon Novarro) owns the largest plantation, but is rather indolent. Meanwhile, Shoesmith is lolling around, while admirer Madge (

Renée Adorée Renée Adorée (born Jeanne de la Fonte; 30 September 1898 – 5 October 1933) was a French stage and film actress who appeared in Hollywood silent movies during the 1920s. She is best known for portraying the role of Melisande, the love interes ...

) wishes she had met him before she became a fallen woman. Then the young man hears a woman singing aboard a ship. He swims out and is strongly attracted to Tito (

Dorothy Janis Dorothy Janis (born Dorothy Penelope Jones, February 19, 1912 – March 10, 2010) was an American actress. Early life Born as Dorothy Penelope Jones in Dallas, Texas, her short film career began when she was visiting a cousin, who was working ...

). She, however, rebuffs him. When the narrow-minded Slater first meets Shoesmith, he is quite rude to the native, but soon changes his manner when he learns who the young man is. The easygoing Shoesmith does not take offense, and is delighted to be formally introduced to Tito, Slater's half-caste ward. Slater starts to bargain for copra and is pleasantly surprised when Shoesmith offers him as much as he wants for free. He takes the precaution of having Shoesmith sign a contract to that effect. Tito eventually falls in love with Shoesmith, but Slater has other plans for her. He tells Shoesmith to stay away from his ward, using the excuse that Shoesmith has no ambition. He suggests to the naive younger man that he take out a bank loan and build up his business. Then he sails away with Tito and his copra. Shoesmith follows Slater's advice and runs a store, but Madge warns him he does not know what he is doing (he allows every customer to buy on credit). When Slater returns, Shoesmith asks Tito to marry him. She agrees. However, Slater informs the puzzled Shoesmith that the loan payments are overdue and that he is foreclosing on all of Shoesmith's property. In addition, Slater informs his ward that he will "sacrifice" himself to protect her by marrying her himself. Shoesmith is too late to stop the wedding, but while Madge distracts the guests, he carries Tito off to his native home. Slater finds Tito while Shoesmith is away, takes her back to his ship and starts to beat her. Shoesmith follows, and a fight ensues. The younger man wins, and he and Tito swim back toward the island. However, when they spot approaching sharks, they have no choice but to head back to Slater, pursuing in his

dinghy A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed by a larger vessel for use as a tender. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor. Some are rigged for sailing but they differ from sailing dinghies, which ...

. Slater takes Tito aboard, but keeps his rival at bay with a sword. Shoesmith swims under the boat to the other side and topples Slater into the water, where the sharks get him. The young couple return to their idyllic home.

Cast

Ramon Novarro José Ramón Gil Samaniego (February 6, 1899 – October 30, 1968), known professionally as Ramon Novarro, was a Mexican-American actor. He began his career in silent films in 1917 and eventually became a leading man and one of the top box ...

as Henry Shoesmith Jr. * Renee Adoree as Madge *

as Henry Slater *

as Tito

References

External links

* * *
''The Pagan''
at Virtual History {{DEFAULTSORT:Pagan, The 1929 films American romantic drama films American silent feature films Films directed by W. S. Van Dyke Films shot in Tahiti Transitional sound films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films set in Oceania American black-and-white films 1929 romantic drama films 1920s American films Films with screenplays by John Russell (screenwriter) Silent romantic drama films Silent American drama films

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links