Diamond Head (1963)

Unless I missed it, there's not a single reference to Diamond Head in this Hawaii-set soap opera. Nevertheless, the meaningless title is not the most perplexing thing about the film. What's astounding is how seriously Charlton Heston, Yvette Mimieux, James Darren & George Chakiris take this melodrama. Heston is Richard "King" Howland, a modern day ruler of a plantation where nothing transpires without his input. Mimieux is his extraordinarily younger sister, bent on marrying islander Darren. A lot of lurid nonsense ensues as Heston's hypocrisy is revealed. There's no action, some fairly lousy acting and some rather dull direction by Guy Green. Heston says "damn" a lot, Mimieux gets drunk a lot and France Nuyen (as Heston's kept woman) espouses a lot of common sense advice to virtually everyone. Frankly, the film is so boring, an eruption by ANY volcano would have been most welcome.

Columbia Pictures retained the services of expert director Guy Green who had directed a beautiful movie at MGM Light In The Piazza and cast the leading lady of that film Yvette Mimieux on a loan out from her studio MGM as the above the title star of Diamond Head. Co starring in this romantic film set in Hawaii is rugged Charlton Heston and George Chakiris -who won an Oscar for West Side Story -as the romantic interest for Ms. Mimieux. Not sure what is more beautiful the scenery of Hawaii or Yvette Mimieux. Columbia also cast James Darren a Columbia pictures contract star in the film as well. I enjoyed this escapist and beautifully filmed movie. Btw Ms. Mimieux would return to MGM for a few more movies including her hit Joy In The Morning co starring with Richard Chamberlain and then retired.

The title sounds like some James Bond-type adventure but it's typical melodrama circa 1959 in Hawaii (Heston would return to the locale in an earlier century in "The Hawaiians" in '70). Heston's character hearkens back to his rich landowner of "The Naked Jungle"(54), so it's as if the same character is a decade older. The theme of race relations (white vs. brown here) is played over the plot in a ham-handed manner, though a couple of characters get to voice an almost-profound observation regarding no 'pure-bred' people existing in some future generation. Heston's character, though predictably arrogant & stubborn, starts out as a fairly liberal easygoing chap for a powerful rich white man of the time but quickly learns he can't apply those nice attitudes when it hits close to home: his sister (Mimieux) plans to marry a Hawaiian (Darren) and Heston won't have it.There follows a hint of incestuous undertones and, at some point, it almost looks like Heston plans to marry his sister himself to keep things 'all in the family' - an obsession he reveals as the story progresses. But this is over 40 years ago and nothing goes beyond just some cheap suggestion and titillating the dirty minds of some audience members. By the end, we realize it's the often-used saying of 'money can't buy happiness' which prevails over the sometimes maudlin scenery-chewing. Speaking of scenery, though, the landscapes of Hawaii are very nice here, especially on a widescreen DVD version. And Heston shows why he's a bigger star than the rest of the cast, but the story itself is pretty much forgettable and uninspired.

Charlton Heston does a great job of acting by becoming the opposite of what he is in real life. His sister comes home from college only to tell him that she is in love with a Hawaiian native (James Darren) to which he is opposed because of his race. Little does anyone know that "King" (Heston) is seeing a Hawaiian woman himself who carries a secret. The story moves well and does not lag or leave you confused. There are also some great supporting roles played out. I won't spoil it for you, but I will say that this is a great movie to watch for the first time and also a great addition to your film collection.