White Savage (1943)

Just perfect...

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

The acting in this movie is really good.

Producer: George Waggner. Copyright 23 April 1943 by Universal Pictures Co., Inc. New York opening at the Rivoli: 23 April 1943. U.S. release: 23 April 1943. Australian release: 31 March 1944. 8 reels. 6,805 feet. 75 minutes. U.K. release title: WHITE CAPTIVE.SYNOPSIS: Sam Miller, the unscrupulous operator of a trading post on Port Coral, seeks to gain possession of a gold-lined sacred pool, located on Temple Island, a small coral isle ruled over by Princess Tahia. Tahia's wayward brother Tamara is an inveterate gambler and thus an easy mark for Sam who plans to exploit this weakness. COMMENT: Beautifully Technicolored escapist nonsense with Maria Montez fans in for a great time as the color camera and native costumes caress the features and figure of the star, who brings a sincerity and earnestness to her role that makes it almost believable. The only player who is anything like a match for her is Thomas Gomez whose transparent villainy makes an agreeable contrast, though Paul Guilfoyle as his frightened thug of a henchman and Sid Toler as a jack of all work detective have their moments too. Don Terry, who is confined to the background in most scenes, has his moment of glory and even Turhan Bey makes a much better fist of the wastrel brother than he does of his usual romantic roles. Sabu is a bit of a bore for those who don't find him a lovable scamp and Jon Hall is only mildly personable as the hero of this yarn. Director Lubin has a great time moving his camera through the crowded colorful sets and the photography is a work of postcard art that will leave most viewers - including this one - enthralled. Its nonsensical Boys-Own-Paper/True Romance story is directed with style and flair, photographed and set with color and kitsch, acted by all with eagerness and in many cases gusto and verve. But it's hard to see the script with its jejune dialogue and all too conventional characters as the work of Richard Brooks.OTHER VIEWS: This was Richard Brooks' first contribution to films, and indeed his only movie work during his initial Hollywood sojourn from 1940 till 1943, aside from an original story which he sold to Republic, My Best Gal, which was released in 1944 when he was in the Marines; and Cobra Woman.With an earthquake for a climax and a fabled treasure pool as plot bait, White Savage is a highly diverting and entertaining serving of South Seas escapism, packed with incident. Montez is at her imperious best as an island queen, the extras obligingly perform their native "dance of the gloves" while the hero is forced to straddle a high wire over the lion pit and then dive off a cliff before an advancing volcano - and that's just his warm-up! - JHR writing as George Addison.

"Sam Miller" (Thomas Gomez) owns a gambling parlor on an island called Port Coral. Not too far away is another island called "Temple Island" which is essentially off-limits to most white men. The reason for this is because Sam has managed to pass a law to that effect. And the reason he did this is because he discovered gold underneath a pool adjacent to a native temple and he wants the gold all for himself. Then one day a man named "Frank Williams" discovers this gold as well and just happens to tell Sam about it. Wanting to keep the secret from anyone else, Sam strangles Frank. But things begin to get complicated when a shark fisherman by the name of "Kaloe" (John Hall) arrives and develops a romantic relationship with "Princess Tahia" (Maria Montez) who is the ruler of Temple Island. Anyway, although Kaloe becomes aware of the gold underneath the Temple's pool, he doesn't really care about it. But Sam doesn't know that and he is very intent upon getting it. Anyway, rather than disclose the entire story I will just say that this is a nice little tropical island film which manages to capture the beautiful island scenery pretty well. However, the acting isn't great by any means and the movie lacks a certain amount of depth. Personally, I would have preferred that it lasted a bit longer than 76 minutes but that's probably just me. All things considered I give it an average rating.

While so doing makes me feel an utter heel I really have no alternative but to dissent from Mr Theakston's enthusiastic review of this movie .It struck me as banal and downright racist in many ways .Maria Montez , a statuesque Latino ,is improbably cast as a South Sea islands Princess who rules over Temple Island .The floor of the temple is submerged and it contains a number of solid gold bricks .The significance of this is lost on the inhabitants of the island but not on the villainous Sam Miller (Thomas Gomez-giving the only halfway decent performance in the movie).He resolves that when the time is ripe he will seize the gold and marry the Princess too.He is not above murdering any who get in his way and he ensures the Princess' brother (Turhan Bey)is in his debt by cheating him at cards thus making sure the young man is perpetually in hock to him Enter the dashing Kahoe (Jon Hall) a shark hunter needing her permission to set up operations near Temple Island .He works out Miller's schemes and hindered rather than helped by sidekick Orano(Sabu) and the local factotum,part lawyer ,part policeman Dr Wong(Sidney Toler in Charlie Chan mode) sets out to thwart his plans and win the hand of the Princess The acting is generally woeful and the script trite .the ending is lively enough and there is some fun to be had at its sheer awfulness Some may revel in camp and I am capable of doing so but only when it is good camp -say The Doctor Phibes movies -but witless trash is not my scene .this is a waste of time

WHITE SAVAGE (1943) was one of first three Universal Picture Technicolor productions when they acquired their contract with the company (the other two being "Phantom of the Opera" and "Arabian Nights", and it shows in every respect.I was fortunate enough to catch White Savage on the big screen a few months back and was thoroughly impressed with the acting, script, and most of all, the beautiful set design and lavish Technicolor photography. The added sex appeal of Maria Montez does not hurt, either.Again, like in "Arabian Nights", Montez is teamed up with Jon Hall as Kaloe, a shark hunter who is after Vitamin A to sell. Unfortunately, he is unable to fish around Temple Island, where all of the sharks seem to be. He meets a rascally friend named Orano (Sabu) who, through connections, gets him to meet the Princess (Montez). Needless to say, after some mishaps, the two fall in love. Also in the picture is Princess Tahia's brother (played by Turhan Bey) who is a gambler and loses to Miller (Thomas Gomez), who is after the treasure hidden in the palace pool.The cast here, like most of the Universal Technicolor productions, is an all star one. Montez, Hall, Sabu and Bey end up all being Univeral-Tech favorites, and show up in almost all of the films. Also a rare treat is the added distinction of Sidney Toler in his Charlie Chan make-up, in an obviously similar role of a detective/lawyer/banker/et al. Thomas Gomez and Don Terry also round up the cast.The photography is constantly colorful. There is not one scene in the film where there isn't a splash of blue, red or green somewhere in the picture. Direction by Arthur Lubin is adequate, while the script by Richard Brooks never slows down when it shouldn't.Unfortunately, White Savage (1943) is not available on tape or disk, and due to the fact that Universal's commercial catalog lists the title as "black and white" by mishap (a simple error they have yet to corrected), most television stations will not play it. Even AMC, with a recent line-up of all the Montez titles, left this gem out of the package.I would strongly urge anyone at Universal or with any influence to investigate this film. It's quite an adventure, and is sure to attract audiences.I give it 8 or 9 out of 10. Not perfect, but at a little over an hour, time well spent.