Return to Paradise (1953) Directed by Mark Robson

One thing I'm sure about is that the cast & crew must have had a great time filming this movie, on the Polynesian Upolu Island but I wish I could also say that all of it resulted in a great movie as well.

There are several problems with this movie. One very obvious one is its story. Sure, it's true that by today's standards this movie its story feels like an heavily outdated one but besides that, this movie is making some pretty odd choices with its story and characters, that prevent you from ever getting into the story and any of its characters.

Bad guys turn good, good guys turn bad but all without making a big fuzz about it. It lets stuff just happen and the movie expect you to simply go along with just about everything. A bit too easy all really and this movie definitely could have used some more depth and seriousness to it. After all, it tries to present itself as a serious drama, even though the start of the movie still has some comical undertones to it.

It's hard to ever get behind any of the character's motivations, since they all make some bad and even despicable choices. Seriously, the movie its main character is running away from his responsibilities, only to return a couple of years later and tell his daughter, who he hasn't seen since childbirth, what she can and can't do. How are we supposed to sympathize with such a person? And how are we supposed to understand him and get behind his motivations, when the movie doesn't even explain them to you.


Also a clear problem with the movie is that its main character is played by Gary Cooper. Of course there is nothing wrong with his acting, though his best days were clearly already behind him but he simply is absolutely miscast in this movie. Thing is that he looks like a fragile 60-year old (even though he was 52 when this movie got done) but his character is supposed to be one that everybody admires and looks up against because of his strength and just overall presence. Cooper seems hardly the most likely choice for this type of role and he also just isn't ever very convincing in it. Besides, it looks a bit odd and wrong seeing him doing love scenes with an actress that easily could have been his daughter, age-wise. Besides, it's all the more disturbing since she is supposed to be a 15-year old character and Cooper clearly is supposed to be a character that is around his 50's, or at the very least his 40's. Nothing cute or romantic about it really when you look at it. But the love story itself is also hardly written as a very romantic one, since the Cooper character is a pretty reluctant, tough and cold one, if you would ask me. I just can't see a young woman, with her whole life ahead of her, fall for his 'charms' or looks. Also just can't imaging any girls swooning, this present time but also back then, at this movie and its main love story.

The movie, besides its locations, has very little going for it really. No good romance, no engaging or effective drama, no likable characters, a clear low-budget, some horrible acting aside from Gary Cooper. No, there really is no good reason why you should ever watch this movie, though at the same time it's still hardly the worst thing you could ever watch.

5/10

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