‘South Pacific’ upcoming classic film feature at State Theatre
The Classic Film Series continues at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown with a movie musical about racial tolerance and intolerance, set in an era when the world was at war. Audiences will be treated to two screenings of the 1958 film 鈥淪outh Pacific,鈥� 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on May 15.
鈥淪outh Pacific鈥� follows the lives of U.S. military men, nurses and residents of a Polynesian island during World War II, based on James Michener鈥檚 鈥淭ales of the South Pacific鈥� set to music by Rodgers and Hammerstein. This epic musical romance centers on a group of American sailors and Navy nurses stationed on the island of Tonkin.
Arkansas native and U.S. Navy nurse Ensign Nellie Forbush (Mitzi Gaynor) befriends and quickly falls for Emile de Becque (Rossano Brazzi), a French expatriate and plantation owner, and Lt. Joe Cable (John Kerr) finds himself in a passionate affair with Liat (France Nuyen), the young daughter of Bloody Mary (Juanita Hall), a Tonkinese grass-skirt peddler who pressures the young officer to marry her daughter.
Nellie鈥檚 affection for Emile recoils upon discovering that he鈥檚 fathered two mixed-race children. When Nellie leaves him, the heartbroken Emile agrees to take on a dangerous espionage mission. Nellie struggles to reconcile her prejudices with her love for him 鈥� and after she spends time with his children and comes to care for them.
As the war against Japan escalates, reality sets in for both Forbush and Cable, who struggle to reconcile their unconventional love affairs with their long-held prejudices and insecurities.
The musical score includes familiar songs like 鈥淚鈥檓 Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair,鈥� 鈥淪ome Enchanted Evening,鈥� 鈥淭here鈥檚 Nothing Like a Dame,鈥� 鈥淵ounger Than Springtime,鈥� and what was considered quite controversial for the time, 鈥淵ou Have to Be Carefully Taught.鈥�
The movie is the seventh in this season鈥檚 series, which is supported by the 缅北禁地, Buy Local program and the Downtown Business District Association, along with the theater, to create an event around each of the two viewings of the monthly movie.
Moviegoers will have an opportunity to play the South Pacific Airplane Challenge game for a chance to win a $50 gift card prior to the start of the movie.
Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for seniors and children.
The remaining films in this season鈥檚 series will be 鈥淔ather of the Bride鈥� (June 19), 鈥淏utch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid鈥� (July 17) and 鈥淒irty Dancing鈥� (Aug. 14).
Visit HeraldStandard.com for a video clip of this month鈥檚 film.