Today, the name of Jean Hersholt means very little to movie students other than the namesake of a special award at the Oscars for service to humanity. He is known in classic movies for playing the kindly Dr. Christian as well as his character roles in such classics as "Grand Hotel", "Dinner at Eight" and "Heidi". But he also played his share of brutish characters, and here, he is absolutely wretched.
This is a tropical island where the spitfire Lupe Velez is attacked by him and manages to get the lecherous man off of her. Desperate to get to Havana and away from the evil Hetdhokt and her opportunistic father, Velez looks for whatever form of escape that she can find. When a handsome stranger arrives, it appears that her prayers have been answered.
What starts off as interesting becomes a painful, creaky bore, a tedious melodrama of pearl diving and revenge between Hetholt, Velez and newcomer John Holland, resulting in murder and false accusations. Even an hour long edited print is insufferable with long dramatic pauses in many scenes and very dark photography. I couldn't imagine suffering from another 20-30 minutes of it.
It has the potential of being a curiosity of some interest but other than having the legendary Henry King as its director, it truly had nothing to get me interested in it. Obviously the issue lies with primitive filmmaking techniques and suffers all the more from that in spite of its exotic setting and unforgettable leading lady.
This is a tropical island where the spitfire Lupe Velez is attacked by him and manages to get the lecherous man off of her. Desperate to get to Havana and away from the evil Hetdhokt and her opportunistic father, Velez looks for whatever form of escape that she can find. When a handsome stranger arrives, it appears that her prayers have been answered.
What starts off as interesting becomes a painful, creaky bore, a tedious melodrama of pearl diving and revenge between Hetholt, Velez and newcomer John Holland, resulting in murder and false accusations. Even an hour long edited print is insufferable with long dramatic pauses in many scenes and very dark photography. I couldn't imagine suffering from another 20-30 minutes of it.
It has the potential of being a curiosity of some interest but other than having the legendary Henry King as its director, it truly had nothing to get me interested in it. Obviously the issue lies with primitive filmmaking techniques and suffers all the more from that in spite of its exotic setting and unforgettable leading lady.