Tabu (1931)

Tabu: Directed by F.W. Murnau. With Matahi, Anne Chevalier, Bill Bambridge, Hitu. On the South Pacific island of Bora Bora, a young couple’s love is threatened when the tribal chief declares the girl a sacred virgin.

“A teenage island native, played by a young man named Matahi, and his love interest, Reri (Anne Chevalier), live happily in a South Seas paradise, surrounded by lush tropical vegetation, waterfalls, and majestic mountains. Heu0026#39;s a pearl fisherman. Sheu0026#39;s an unattached young beauty. Their lives are simple and reasonably carefree. A spirit of innocence prevails. But even amid such beautiful simplicity and natural wonders, sinister elements lurk in the background. And thatu0026#39;s the filmu0026#39;s main theme.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe story is simple and direct. Itu0026#39;s both a love story and a visual documentary that will appeal to Westerners accustomed to a more tech lifestyle. Parts of the narrative are conveyed by means of the writings in a ship captainu0026#39;s log. The writing is displayed on the screen, for viewers to read. The filmu0026#39;s tone varies from light and cheerful at the beginning to more somber as the plot moves along.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eShot in Tahiti and Bora Bora, the film has a cast made up entirely of non-professionals. The Bu0026amp;W lighting is good, given the early era.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe film is one of the last of the silent period. And Iu0026#39;m therefore reluctant to find fault with it. The native Pacific music is really beautiful, what there is of it. I could have wished for a lot more. By contrast, the imported symphonic score is loud, nondescript, and intrusive. I guess that would be the one thing I would have changed.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eEven for viewers who donu0026#39;t care for silent films, u0026quot;Tabu: A Story Of The South Seasu0026quot; might be appreciated for its documentary style visuals. For viewers familiar with silent cinema, this is a must-watch film, Director F.W. Murnauu0026#39;s last.”