Tabu ***1/2 Seen on DVD

Released 1931.
Directed by F.W. Murnau.
Written by  F.W. Murnau, Robert J. Flaherty, Edgar G. Ulmer
With Matahi, Anne Chevalier, Bill Bambridge, Hitu

An interesting thing here is who the two writers are.  Flaherty was famous for his documentaries (Nanook of the North) and Murnau was famous for his fiction films (Nosferatu).  Interesting also is that this is Murnau's last film and he insisted on making it silent even though the "talkies" had been around for a year or two.

I was trying to figure out which parts were Murnau and which parts were Flaherty.  I'm guessing here, but I would say that the opening section was Flaherty because it was very documentary like.  It shows the idyllic life of the native people frolicking in the river.  It show some ritual dances and celebrations.  When the narrative starts picking up (yes, that means a slow opening) I am guessing that is more Murnau's part.

The story is about a young couple in love in the middle of paradise.  The chieftain comes along and decides that he want the girl to be the holy maid and becomes unavailable to any mortal man punishable by death (excepting the holy chieftain I assume - who is ancient).  The couple is despondent of course and they runaway from their paradise to a more modern commercial island ruled by white men. Temptations abound there. The boy is celebrated as a first rate pearl diver and wins fame and fortune on the island.  His naivete prevents him from being sensible and he spends freely and uses his credit liberally which proves to be a great mistake in the end. At first watch, I didn' think there was much to the story, but thematically is is strong.  There's the obvious comparison/contrasting of the two civilizations.  But it is not clear which civilization is preferable.  The idyllic paradise is beautiful and innocent, but the people are prey to the traditional values and beliefs of a conservative society.  Their love is Tabu. On the other hand, the white ruled island has freedoms, but beware to the buyer.  The couple's innocence is lost.  So the question is, which is Tabu.  The love affair or life in  the modern era?  And then one must also ask, which is preferable, the traditional and conservative society of an older civilization or the"free" and liberal society of modern day.  By the films end, the watcher realizes that the answer is not simple. Here is a trailer.