Through the Breakers (1928) User Reviews

Jumping the Shark

[wes-connors · 3/10 · 18 April 2011]

On a South Pacific island, "White Master" Holmes Herbert (as John Lancaster) manages his plantation while waiting for beloved British socialite Margaret Livingston (as Diane Garrett) to arrive for a planned wedding. However, she enjoys the company of many men, and breaks the engagement. Stood up by his sweetheart, Mr. Cook rejects aggressive native girl Natalie Joyce (as Taya). Ms. Joyce has been promised to shark-fighting native Frank Hagney (as Gamboa), but she desires her "White Master" more. While Joyce makes her availability known, Ms. Livingston is shipwrecked on the island after when a yacht party crashes...

"Through the Breakers" deals with interracial passion, but contains little passion. The scenes meant to be thrilling are, instead, laughable. Rubbery-legged Clyde Cook (as Eustis Hobbs) appears intermittently as comic relief. He runs after native women and dances. The main story becomes a contest between the "white-skinned" and "brown-skinned" women. Both seem almost suicidal in their desire for Herbert. At one point Livingston throws herself into a shark-infested lagoon so Herbert can revive her with kisses to the neck. Joyce is even hungrier than the sharks, who never pose any real threat to anyone, anyway.

*** Through the Breakers (9/28/28) Joseph C. Boyle ~ Margaret Livingston, Holmes Herbert, Natalie Joyce, Frank Hagney

Natalie Joyce in the South Seas

[JohnHowardReid · 7/10 · 5 March 2008]

Any movie with lovely, talented Natalie Joyce is certainly worth seeing, and this is certainly one of her best efforts. While not in the same class, the other players, led by eagerly vivacious Margaret Livingston and glum Holmes Herbert also add to the film's appeal, as does the fine location photography lensed by master cameraman, Ray June.

For once in his career, Frank Hagney does not play the villain. Admittedly, he was originally cast to play the heavy (and acts out his early scenes with that devious intention), but his role was changed by producer Harold Shumate once filming got under way.

Despite the occasional intrusion of stock footage, director Joseph C. Boyle has made the most of a limited budget, thanks to the skill of his players and his astute use of real South Seas locations.