2001 SOUTH PACIFIC TV Movie w/ Glenn Close - Brilliant!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 5:46am

I netflixed this flick since I missed it years ago and recently remembered it existed.

WOW! Glenn Close, as always, is brilliant in this!! Not only was this film well-cast, but the production value is stunning! One of the best TV musicals I've seen - if the THE best!

I usually hate everything Harry Connick, Jr. does, and when I saw him in the DVD menu before the film started I let out a big groan, but he wasn't half bad in this.

The actress who played "Bloody Mary" was great. Robert Pastorelli was another highlighy.

But let's talk more about Glenn!! BRILLIANT! A lot of Mary Martin like qualities, yet she still makes the role her own. Watched the documentary on the disc and discovered that she produced the film as a passion project. Kudos to her.

I'm going to end up buying it. I know it. Wow!

(And for the record, why doesn't the search "south pacific glenn close" not produce any results?)

[Marquise]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 6:20am

I have to disagree with you on this one Cap, I absolutely hated this version. Close was waaaay to old to play Nellie Forbush. The 1958 big screen version may have it's flaws *but* at least it had a far superior cast *and* it restored the song "You've Got To Be Carefully Taught".

[Smaxie]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 7:58am

"Carefully Taught" was in the Broadway show. The 1958 film put back in "My Girl Back Home," which had been cut from the stage version.

I agree that the Glenn Close film is pretty much a dud.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 8:05am

Nellie is 22 in the book.
Even Glenn can't pull that off.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 8:06am

Right up there with A CHORUS LINE and MAN OF LA MANCHA as one of the worst stage to film adaptatioins of all time. I don't care if it was for television, almost everything about it is wrong.

Glenn Close is too good of an actress to ever turn in a dramatic performance without some depth, insight or fascinating choices - but she is so completely miscast and old for the role, its very hard to not feel completely embarrassed by her performance, particularly in numbers like "I'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy."

Nellie Forbush is young. Emile is much older. That is the major starting place of difficulty in their relationship. When you eradicate that, you simply aren't telling the story of SOUTH PACIFIC.
Updated On: 7/16/06 at 08:06 AM

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 9:56am

I have to agree that it was terrible. SO heavy-handed and dreary.

Glenn Close as Nellie was as bad a choice as Diana Ross was for Dorothy in The Wiz. But she was FAR from the only problem with this dud of a production.

[Craig]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 10:06am

Unwatchable. I also thought the guy playing Emile was horrid

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 10:16am

It's as if they tried to turn this romantic story into something a little more realistic or "journalistic" in visual style. As a result, they sucked every ounce of exotic magic out of these South Pacific "tales."

Bali Oy!

[Craig]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 10:37am

Bali Oy.. cute.. Was thinking more South Pathetic

[CurtisTaylorJr2]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 10:42am

It's not a movie, but I prefer the concert version Reba McEntire, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Lillias White. That cast did a terrific job.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 11:00am

Among the worst films ever made. So horrible, that the narrative didn't even make sense. I remember Nellie consoling Liat; and, Cable hadn't even died yet! Horrble, on every conceivable level. Imagine someone's grandmother acting like a twelve year old! Horrible orchestrations and song delivery. Watching it, gave me a new-found respect for the original film, which has it's own issues. Updated On: 7/16/06 at 11:00 AM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 11:04am

My mind still boggles that people cast her - and then patrons pay good money to see her in - musicals.

She truly has the most unpleasant singing voice.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 11:48am

For those in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Castro theatre will be showing a restored 70mm version print of "South Pacific" as part of this year's 70mm festival on August 19th at 2, 5:15 and 8:30 pm. I hope they are able to come through with this because last year they promised a restored 70mm print of "Hello, Dolly!" and had to pull it at the last minute due to problems with the print.

[wiggum2]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 12:47pm

Just curious, Do people ever complain about Mary Martin being too old for the role? Wasn't she in her mid 30's when she starred in SP? If Nellie is supposed to be 22, wasn't Mary too old as well?

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 12:57pm

Mid-30's onstage is very different from 50-something on film.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 12:59pm

Wow - perceptions are an amazing thing.

This was my first introduction to South Pacific. Only familar with a few of its songs. Knew nothing of the plot.

To me, after seeing this film, Nellie seemed to be the perfect age. Older woman/older man. Younger woman/older man? That'd be interesting to see. Looks like I'll have to netflix the original film, now.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 2:09pm

The original film isn't wildly entertaining either, but it's better than the Disney one.

I didn't have a huge problem with Glen Close, but I hated the direction and everything else about it. BORING.

[TennesseeTwang]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 7:03pm

After seeing depictions of the fortyish career military woman Margaret Hoolihan in both the movie and TV versions of M*A*S*H, I had fewer problems with Glen Close's age than I had with the lack of passion in everyone for everything in this production.

Despite the exotic local and WWII - THE major event of the 20 century going on in the background - there was no urgency to anyone's actions or depth to their emotions.

Nothing seemed to be at stake.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 7:04pm

They also managed to make the "South Pacific Islands" about as haunting and beautiful as Myrtle Beach.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 7:19pm

Get the DVD of the recent Carnegie Hall Concert version - it is far superior to the other two, in my book. Stokes' voice is the best it has ever been, and Reba is spot-on as a sweetly sining, self-proclaimed "Hick". I even liked Lilias White as Bloody Mary.

[Flahooley]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 8:26pm

I found it rather pointless. The adjustments in the script were made to accommodate the casting rather than improve the storytelling.

Glenn Close is overrated.

Updated On: 7/16/06 at 08:26 PM

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 8:58pm

Do people ever complain about Mary Martin being too old for the role? Wasn't she in her mid 30's when she starred in SP? If Nellie is supposed to be 22, wasn't Mary too old as well?

Why should anyone complain? First, Mary Martin was Broadway musical star; second, she was not in her 50's (and, even if she was, she always had a sense of youthfulness about her. Her movements and voice, were very youthful. Just look at Peter Pan, where she's even older); and, finally, Mary Martin played the role on stage, where age is not telegraphed the same way as film. Age is far less a factor, on stage. Mary Martin's age is the reason she wasn't in the film version of SOUTH PACIFIC or THE SOUND OF MUSIC. She was too old for the film versions. None of the story makes any sense with a woman in her 50's.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 9:43pm

Also - even with Martin being in her thirties, Ezio Pinza was still over twenty years her senior, so the age difference between the characters was still palpable.

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 9:49pm

I have to say that I enjoyed this Emile's voice over that of Pinza and Brazzi's double. To me, the role is that of a romantic, and the two of them had anything but "romantic voices". To me Mitchell or this man have closer embodied the role. My favorite recording ofDeBeque is Justinio Diaz on the Complete Jay Masterwork Recording of South Pacific. Paige O'Hara is delightful as Nellie Forbush also.

[west end artist1]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 10:28pm

They always show this on sky movies here in the UK as a 1 star rating film.
It was awfull it made my eyes bleed.