Isle of Destiny

Last updated
Isle of Destiny
Isle of Destiny.jpg
Directed by Elmer Clifton
Written byAllan Vaughan Elston (story)
Arthur Hoerl (screenplay)
Robert Lively (screenplay)
[M. Coates Webster (screenplay)
Produced byFranklyn Warner
Starring William Gargan
Wallace Ford
June Lang
Gilbert Roland
Cinematography Edward Linden
Edited byRobert O. Crandall
Music byC. Bakaleinikoff
Production
companies
Franklyn Warner Productions
Fine Arts Pictures
Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures
Release date
  • March 8, 1940 (1940-03-08)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Isle of Destiny (aka Trouble Over the Pacific) is a 1940 American comedy adventure film set in the South Seas. The film was directed by Elmer Clifton and originally produced by Franklyn Warner for Grand National Pictures in 1939. Isle of Destiny was the only feature film filmed in the Cosmocolor process with prints by Cinecolor. [1] Isle of Destiny stars William Gargan, Wallace Ford, June Lang and Gilbert Roland.

Contents

Plot

The glamorous heiress and daredevil pilot Virginia Allerton (June Lang) is test-flying her seaplane "The Lady Bird" after some modifications made by her mechanic Max Raft (Ted Osborne), also on the aircraft. They experience problems mid-air when they are caught in a tropical storm, and all the ships in the South Sea area are alerted to their distress.

Virginia's brother, Lt. George Allerton (Grant Richards), is stationed with the U.S. Marine Corps on the nearby island of Palo Pango when he hears his sister's distress calls. Virginia and Max head to the island to take refuge from the storm.

Upon their arrival, Virginia and Max are welcomed by two U.S. Marines: "Stripes" Thornton (William Gargan) and "Milly" Barnes (Wallace Ford). Also present is Oliver Barton (Gilbert Roland), who runs the trading post but is also in the business of smuggling guns. He invites Virginia to stay at his house for the night, and also challenges her to a flying race to Guam, betting $5,000 that he will win. Both Marines are soon smitten by Virginia, and she becomes attracted to Stripes.

Virginia is unaware that Barton is planning to use her as cover for his shipment of guns about to take place on the steamer Albotros, commanded by Captain N. Lawson (Harry Woods). To help him, Barton has an assistant, "Doc" Spriggs (Etienne Girardot), an old eccentric gentleman who believes in reincarnation.

The race begins and Barton tries to outrun Virginia by taking a perilous shortcut over an island. Barton plays a trick on Virginia by faking his aircraft crashing into the jungle. Virginia lands on the water to rescue him but damages her aircraft in the process. It turns out Barton lives nearby and Virginia and Max are invited to be the guests of him and his Caribbean wife Inda (Katherine DeMille).

Inda believes that Barton is smitten and becomes jealous of Virginia. Max finds evidence in Barton's aircraft of his gun smuggling operation, and a fight between the men ensues. Inda kills Max with a poisoned dart she fires from a blowgun. Barton flees the island and goes back to Palo Pango. He lies to Stripes, telling him he has no idea where Virginia is, but Stripes finds a poisoned dart stuck into the hull of the aircraft and becomes suspicious. He deploys Milly and they follow Barton.

Stripes hides aboard Barton's aircraft and manages to tell the others where they land. He finds Virginia in Barton's jungle home, but Inda alerts Barton and Stripes and Virginia are quickly surrounded. Still, Stripes manages to hold Barton captive. The group escape boarding Barton's aircraft but it will not start. Barton runs off in the midst of a shoot-out, Milly arrives, armed with his hand grenades, and joins in to help Stripes.

Barton captures Virginia and brings her with him in his escape, but Inda spots the two of them, and furious with jealousy, gives the order to have him shot. A ship of Marines arrive on the scene and save the day, helping them back to Palo Pango.

Virginia and Stripes marry and fly off to Honolulu together on a honeymoon, leaving Milly, now promoted to sergeant, behind.

June Lang in Isle of Destiny (in a publicity still for the film) June Lang in Isle of Destiny.jpg
June Lang in Isle of Destiny (in a publicity still for the film)

Cast

Soundtrack

The Sportsman Quartet perform "Moonlight Magic" (composed by Irving Bibo and Eddie Cherkose) in the Isle of Destiny. Music was under the direction of Constantin Bakaleinikoff as Music Director and David Chudnow, Music Supervisor. [2]

Production

The working title for the film was Trouble over the Pacific with principal photography beginning in 1939 on Santa Catalina Island, California. Produced by Franklyn Warner originally for Grand National Pictures, however, by the time of the film's production, in late 1939, Grand National had gone bankrupt, subsequently, RKO bought the distribution rights to the film. [3]

Karen Morley was originally cast in the role of Virginia, but due to illness, was forced to leave the film and was replaced by June Lang. There was a two-week shooting period on location in Catalina, California from May 24 to late-September 1939. [4] At the time of its production, Isle of Destiny had the biggest budget of any Fine Arts picture to date and marked the introduction of Cosmocolor to feature films. [5] [N 1]

Aviation film historian Christian Santoir compared the scenario depicted in Isle of Destiny to that of the real-life tragedy of Amelia Earhart being lost in the South Pacific. He also described the aviation elements as relying on a Sikorsky S-39-CS Special c/n 914, NC-52V and a Stearman C3R aircraft for the "air race". [6]

Reception

B.R. Crisler in his review of Isle of Destiny for The New York Times , noted, "The authors of the Rialto's current excursion in melodrama, "Isle of Destiny," certainly deserve to be commended for their resourcefulness, if for nothing else, because they have succeeded in cramming into one feature-length picture practically all of the tricks known to the adventure story. In fact, the writers seem to have been so impressed by the plethora of material that they didn't pay much attention to continuity. As a result the film becomes somewhat entangled at times in its own plot manipulations." [7]

Film historians Richard Jewell and Vernon Harbin in The RKO Story (1982) considered Isle of Destiny, "laughable exoticism" with "... wretched screenplay ... frenzied direction and inept performances by the lead actors..." [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thurl Ravenscroft</span> American actor (1914–2005)

Thurl Arthur Ravenscroft was an American actor and bass singer. He was well known as one of the booming voices behind Kellogg's Frosted Flakes animated spokesman Tony the Tiger for more than five decades. He was also the uncredited vocalist for the song "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" from the classic Christmas television special, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Gargan</span> American actor (1905–1979)

William Dennis Gargan was an American film, television and radio actor. He was the 5th recipient of the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 1967, and in 1941, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Joe in They Knew What They Wanted. He acted in decades of movies including parts in Follow the Leader, Rain, Night Flight, Three Sons, Isle of Destiny and many others. The role he was best known for was that of a private detective Martin Kane in the 1949–1952 radio-television series Martin Kane, Private Eye. In television, he was also in 39 episodes of The New Adventures of Martin Kane.

<i>You Only Live Once</i> (1937 film) 1937 film by Fritz Lang

You Only Live Once is a 1937 American crime drama film directed by Fritz Lang and starring Sylvia Sidney and Henry Fonda. Considered an early film noir, the film was the second directed by Lang in the United States. At least 15 minutes were trimmed from the original 100-minute version of the film due to its then unprecedented violence. Despite the removal of such scenes, the film is widely considered an early film noir classic. The film is also known for being one of the first box-office bombs.

<i>Swiss Family Robinson</i> (1940 film) 1940 film by Edward Ludwig

Swiss Family Robinson is a 1940 American film released by RKO Radio Pictures and directed by Edward Ludwig. It is based on the 1812 novel The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss and is the first feature-length film version of the story.

<i>Parachute Battalion</i> 1941 film by Leslie Goodwins

Parachute Battalion is a 1941 American war film directed by Leslie Goodwins and starring Robert Preston and Nancy Kelly. The supporting cast includes Edmond O'Brien, Harry Carey, and Buddy Ebsen. It was produced and distributed by RKO Pictures.

<i>The Falcons Brother</i> 1942 film by Stanley Logan

The Falcon's Brother is a 1942 American crime drama film in which George Sanders, who had been portraying "The Falcon" in a series of films, appears with his real-life brother Tom Conway; with Sanders handing off the series to Conway, who would play the new Falcon in nine subsequent films. Jane Randolph was featured in a supporting role. The Falcon's Brother, the only one to feature two Falcons, was directed by Stanley Logan.

<i>Bombardier</i> (film) 1943 film by Richard Wallace and Lambert Hillyer

Bombardier is a 1943 film war drama about the training program for bombardiers of the United States Army Air Forces. The film stars Pat O'Brien and Randolph Scott. Bombardier was nominated for an Oscar in 1944 for the special effects used in the film. It was largely filmed at Kirtland Army Air Field, New Mexico, site of the first bombardier training school.

<i>The Falcon Takes Over</i> 1942 film by Irving Reis

The Falcon Takes Over, is a 1942 black-and-white mystery film directed by Irving Reis. Although the film features the Falcon and other characters created by Michael Arlen, its plot is taken from the Raymond Chandler novel Farewell, My Lovely, with the Falcon substituting for Chandler's archetypal private eye Philip Marlowe and the setting of New York City replacing Marlowe's Los Angeles beat. The B film was the third, following The Gay Falcon and A Date with the Falcon (1941), to star George Sanders as the character Gay Lawrence, a gentleman detective known by the sobriquet the Falcon.

<i>Look Whos Laughing</i> 1941 film by Allan Dwan

Look Who's Laughing is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Allan Dwan It was produced and distributed by RKO Pictures. The film is built around a number of radio stars from the Golden Age of Radio and centers around radio personality Jim Jordan as Fibber McGee from the comic duo, Fibber McGee and Molly, who plans to build an aircraft factory in a small town. Look Who's Laughing was followed by Here We Go Again (1942), with many of the radio stars reprising their performances. It is also known by the alternative title Look Who's Talking.

<i>The Navy Comes Through</i> 1942 film by A. Edward Sutherland

The Navy Comes Through is a 1942 American World War II film directed by A. Edward Sutherland. It stars Pat O'Brien, George Murphy and Jane Wyatt. Vernon L. Walker and James G. Stewart were nominated for an Oscar for Best Special Effects. The film was based on Borden Chase's 1939 short story "Pay to Learn". The working titles of the film were Pay to Learn and Battle Stations. The film was the first RKO Pictures use of a new radio signal trademark that spelled out the word "victory." Prior to this, the studio's radio signal trademark spelled out "RKO."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RKO Pictures</span> American film production and distribution company

RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheum theater chain and Joseph P. Kennedy's Film Booking Offices of America studio were brought together under the control of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) in October 1928. RCA executive David Sarnoff engineered the merger to create a market for the company's sound-on-film technology, RCA Photophone, and in early 1929 production began under the RKO name. Two years later, another Kennedy concern, the Pathé studio, was folded into the operation. By the mid-1940s, RKO was controlled by investor Floyd Odlum.

<i>Bombay Clipper</i> 1941 film by John Rawlins

Bombay Clipper is a 1942 aviation drama film directed by John Rawlins and starring William Gargan and Irene Hervey. The film features Maria Montez in an early role. Turhan Bey also appears.

<i>Sky Giant</i> 1938 film by Lew Landers

Sky Giant, also known as Ground Crew and Northern Flight, is a 1938 drama film directed by Lew Landers. The film stars Richard Dix, Chester Morris and Joan Fontaine. The plot revolves around a love triangle with two pilots in love with the same woman.

<i>A Date with the Falcon</i> 1942 film by Irving Reis

A Date with the Falcon is the second in a series of 16 films about the suave detective nicknamed The Falcon. The 1942 sequel features many of the same characters as the first film, The Gay Falcon (1941).

<i>The Falcon and the Co-eds</i> 1943 film by William Clemens

The Falcon and the Co-eds is a 1943 film under the direction of William Clemens, and produced by Maurice Geraghty, the same team that had worked on The Falcon in Danger (1943) and would stay together for the next film in the Falcon series. The Falcon and the Co-eds was the seventh of 16 in the Falcon series. The story and screenplay was by Ardel Wray, a frequent collaborator with Val Lewton in his RKO horror series, who added supernatural elements to the proceedings.

<i>The Falcon in San Francisco</i> 1945 film by Joseph H. Lewis

The Falcon in San Francisco is a 1945 American crime and mystery film directed by Joseph H. Lewis and stars Tom Conway, Rita Corday and Edward Brophy, who played the recurring role of "Goldie" Locke. The film was the 11th in The Falcon series of detective films, and the eighth featuring Conway as the amateur sleuth. The Falcon in San Francisco was the final film in the series produced by Maurice Geraghty, after which budgets were reduced and location shooting largely abandoned.

<i>The Falcon in Danger</i> 1943 film by William Clemens

The Falcon in Danger is a 1943 American mystery film directed by William Clemens and starring Tom Conway, Jean Brooks, Amelita Ward and Elaine Shepard. The film was the sixth of thirteen The Falcon detective films produced by RKO, all starring Conway.

<i>The Marines Fly High</i> 1940 film by George Nicholls, Jr.

The Marines Fly High is a 1940 action film, starring Richard Dix, Chester Morris and Lucille Ball and directed by George Nicholls, Jr. and Benjamin Stoloff from a story by A.C. Edington.

<i>The Purple V</i> 1943 film by George Sherman

The Purple V is a 1943 American war film directed by George Sherman and starring John Archer, Mary McLeod and Fritz Kortner. The Purple V marked German stage star Fritz Kortner's American film debut. Actors John Archer and Mary McLeod were borrowed from M-G-M for the production.

<i>Flying Cadets</i> 1941 film directed by Erle C. Kenton

Flying Cadets is a 1941 American adventure film directed by Erle C. Kenton and written by George Waggner, Roy Chanslor and Stanley Rubin. The film stars William Gargan, Edmund Lowe, Peggy Moran, Frank Albertson, Frankie Thomas and Riley Hill. Flying Cadets was released on October 24, 1941, by Universal Pictures.

References

Notes

  1. The 1938 short, A Western Welcome was also shot in Cosmocolor. [1]

Citations

  1. 1 2 Flueckiger, Barbara. "Cosmocolor." Timeline of Historical Film Colors, 2019. Retrieved: August 3, 2019.
  2. "Music: 'Isle of Destiny' (1940)." TCM.com (Turner Classic Movies), 2019. Retrieved: August 3, 2019.
  3. "Overview: 'Isle of Destiny' (1940)." TCM.com (Turner Classic Movies), 2019. Retrieved: August 3, 2019.
  4. "Original print information: 'Isle of Destiny' (1940)." TCM.com (Turner Classic Movies), 2019. Retrieved: August 3, 2019.
  5. "Notes: 'Isle of Destiny' (1940)." TCM.com (Turner Classic Movies), 2019. Retrieved: August 3, 2019.
  6. Santoir, Christian. "Review: 'Isle of Destiny' (1940)." Aeromovies, July 26, 2012. Retrieved: August 3, 2019.
  7. Crisler, B. R. "The screen; 'Isle of Destiny'." The New York Times, August 19, 1943.
  8. Jewell and Harbin 1982, p. 146.

Bibliography

  • Jewell, Richard B. and Vernon Harbin. The RKO Story. New York: Arlington House, 1982. ISBN   0-517-54-656-6.