The Story
On a South Pacific island during World War II, a US Navy nurse, Ensign Nellie Forbush, falls in love with a charmingly handsome middle-aged French plantation owner, Emile de Becque.
Meanwhile, the restless sailors of the Navy, led by the entrepreneurial seabee Luther Billis, are bored with the lack of action and the absence of any 'dames'. Bloody Mary, the native souvenir dealer who makes money by selling souvenirs to the GI's, tells them of the pleasures that can be found on the mysterious island of Bali Ha'i.
Lieutenant Joe Cable of the Marine Corps arrives on the island to take part in a dangerous spy mission that might help turn the tide of the war against the Japanese. As only officers can sign out boats, Billis takes this opportunity to be able to get over to Bali Ha'i, and convinces Cable to accompany him. On Bali Ha'i, Bloody Mary decides that Cable is suitable son-in-law material, and introduces him to her daughter, Liat. The two soon fall in love.
The senior officers on the island, Captain Brackett and Commander Harbison, wanting to know more about Emile de Becque, ask Nellie to find out more information for them. Nellie is not keen to do this, due to her feelings for the plantation owner. However, when Nellie learns that Emile has two children, the mother of whom was an island native, she refuses his proposal of marriage finding she is unable to deal with the prejudices with which she was raised. Similarly, Lt Cable is unable to marry Liat due to her race, which infuriates her mother who has already been making plans for the couple.
Dejected and with nothing to lose, Emile and Cable agree to go on a dangerous mission into enemy territory, and successfully start returning reports on enemy action. The military operation gets underway in earnest, and the previously idle sailors, including the reluctant Luther Billis, are sent into battle. In an awful turn of events, Cable is killed during the mission, and Mary realises that her dreams for Liat have been shattered.
Nellie understands that life is too short not to seize her own chance for happiness, and confronts and conquers her prejudices. Despite believing that Emile may suffer the same fate as Joe, her love for him is so strong, that she becomes a mother to Ngana and Jerome, his two children, whilst hoping in her heart that, one day, Emile will return... |
