The Tuttles of Tahiti (1942)

If Pacific Islanders can be considered a race, and in some questionnaires they seem to be, then The Tuttles of Tahiti may be considered a pioneering (for its time) film representation of a racially integrated family. But there's not a bit of preaching to shove race mixing down anyone's throat. The Tuttles are naive and incompetent in their attempts to maintain financial solvency. They are also materialistic and fun-loving. The clan's females are impressively hip-swinging in dance, and the males offer seemingly authentic Polynesian grunts to the music. Charles Laughton is, of course, an acting genius as the doltish elder on whom dozens of family members depend for leadership. His spectacular failures are the stuff of which this charming comedy is made. I first saw this film when it was released in 1942, when I was 14 and too young to appreciate its subtle qualities. (After all, Lost Horizon author James Hilton was one of the writers.) But seeing it again at age 89 was a fulfilling experience. Nobody makes movies like this anymore, so we've got a special gem here.

With the 1939 adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame being one of my favourite films,I keep a look out for lesser-known Charles Laughton movies appearing on TV. Checking what films were about to be taken off BBC iPlayer,I was delighted to find an obscure Laughton title,which led to me getting set to meet the Tuttles.The plot:Returning home from the high seas Chester Tuttle finds that his family has not changed one bit,with his dad Jonas still borrowing money from Dr. Blondin. Wanting help his family out,Chester gets a fighting chicken to take part in rooster fights. Believing that Tulltles are onto a winner, businessman Jensen gets Blondin to transfer the debt,which leads to Jensen writing a mortgage for the family,and putting all his savings on them winning. Going to the fight confident,the Tuttles are taken aback when the bird flies off from the match,and takes the roof above their heads with it.View on the film:Joining Chester on his return to the family,director Charles Vidor & cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca melt light Comedy with an Adventure atmosphere baked in scorching hot light beaming down on each of the Tuttles get rich quick adventures. Disappointingly making a $170,000 loss, Vidor elegantly displays the lavish treats of the Tuttles,with Vidor wisely trimming the most negative aspects (such as the rooster fighting) down.Landing from the pages of Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall's book No More Gas,the screenplay by Lewis Meltzer/Robert Carson and James Hilton smoothly make the Tuttles rush for cash one that heightens the Adventure mood,via each attempt to pay Blondin leading to a new "adventure." Despite the threat of homelessness being something that most folk would take seriously,the writers impressively find paths to keep the easy-going Comedy breezy,by giving the exchanges between the Tuttles a Screwball Comedy zest. Made when Hollywood was a lot less racial/culturally sensitive, Charles Laughton gives a great performance as Jonas,thanks to Laughton giving Jonas a hilarious gruffness,as the people of Tahiti welcome another member of the Tuttles in.

In his third trip to the South Seas Charles Laughton plays the head of the Tuttle clan in The Tuttles Of Tahiti. This was definitely a more pleasant time than the first trip.Laughton as we know was the infamous Captain Bligh in Mutiny On The Bounty the first time he was in the Pacific. His second role was as a lazy beachcomber reformed somewhat by missionary Elsa Lanchester in the film of the same name.But if Elsa thought Charles was a challenge in The Beachcomber she'd flee back to England if she had to deal with The Tuttles Of Tahiti. Imagine a whole family of Ginger Teds, Laughton's character from The Beachcomber. This is a family of them, but even for them Laughton is a trial.Even in the idyllic life of the South Seas there is a minimum amount of work to be done. In fact at one point the Tuttles are doing just that, fishing, and not just for everyone's individual dinner. But as they come upon a school of fish, their boat runs out of gasoline they thought they had. It seems as though Laughton emptied the tank and sold the gas to bet on a cock fight.That scene also illustrated to me the inevitable tide of civilization even in small ways. For myself I was wondering why the Tuttle clan just didn't revert to the outrigger canoes of their culture and fish from them? Maybe in fact they'd lost the ability to use them though I find that hard to believe.A certain ring of authenticity was present in the film with the casting of Jon Hall as the young scion of the Tuttle clan whose return home opens the film. Hall was in fact of Polynesian ancestry on his mother's side. And in the Dorothy Lamour role probably because RKO couldn't borrow Lamour from Paramount is Peggy Drake.Laughton's best scenes are with Florence Bates who is the dowager queen of another clan which has a good natured rivalry with the Tuttles. They seem however to be grounded a bit more in reality. Bates while good might also have been a second choice as probably RKO would have wanted Elsa Lanchester.Curt Bois has an interesting part as a local merchant and a real sneak besides, a typical role for him. He seems to delight in keeping the Tuttles consistently in his debt. The Tuttles Of Tahiti flopped badly at the box office. Probably because in 1942 the South Seas was being invaded and America was sending its young people to chase the invaders away. Such fantasy films like The Tuttles Of Tahiti would have no place that year. Two years earlier and RKO and Charles Laughton might have had a hit.Still viewed today it's a nice work and Laughton is brilliant as usual.

I wanted to see this film because my grandfather acted in it. His name is James Spencer. I found this nostalgic look at the "Island Life" to be very satisfying. It clearly showed the very important polynesian element of "Family". Watching these many and talented actors work in their scenes was like watching real life. Quite a pleasure!