The copy that I saw was cut down from 91 minutes to 62, and it shows the effect in some occasionally abrupt cuts. What remains gives a decent idea of what the plot is; Orphan Bobby Breen and pal stow away from San Francisco to Hawaii, get caught, charm Ned Sparks (!) and all, hotfoot it from the authorities in Honolulu and travel the islands, singing a lot of songs.
Breen has a sweet boy's tenor, and he sings a lot of standards of the era, including an Irish ballad and "Song of the Islands". There's also a fine big-band version of Chabrier's "Espeana". It seems as if there's more singing than story in this Sol Lesser production; my guess is they cut story, which is fine by me. It's not as if it were a startling or particular original tale.
There are lots of good actors in this Sol Lesser production, so that will amuse those who like to spot well-known faces. The Hawaiians seem to be played by ethnic Hawaiians. Bobby Breen's role and acting seem bland under the direction of Eddie Cline, but he certainly can sing.
Breen has a sweet boy's tenor, and he sings a lot of standards of the era, including an Irish ballad and "Song of the Islands". There's also a fine big-band version of Chabrier's "Espeana". It seems as if there's more singing than story in this Sol Lesser production; my guess is they cut story, which is fine by me. It's not as if it were a startling or particular original tale.
There are lots of good actors in this Sol Lesser production, so that will amuse those who like to spot well-known faces. The Hawaiians seem to be played by ethnic Hawaiians. Bobby Breen's role and acting seem bland under the direction of Eddie Cline, but he certainly can sing.