1966·Drama·3h 9m
7.0
★
Abner Hale, a rigid and humorless New England missionary, marries the beautiful Jerusha Bromley and takes her to the exotic island kingdom of Hawaii, intent on converting the natives. But the clash between the two cultures is too great and instead of understanding there comes tragedy.
Directed by George Roy Hill
missionary
hawaii
19th century
maui
native hawaiian
christian missionary
calvinist
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Where to Watch
Cast
Julie Andrews
Jerusha Bromley Hale
Max von Sydow
Abner Hale
Richard Harris
Rafer Hoxworth
Gene Hackman
John Whipple
Carroll O'Connor
Charles Bromley
Manu Tupou
Keoki
John Cullum
Immanuel Quigley
George Rose
Captain Janders
Lou Antonio
Abraham Hewlett
Torin Thatcher
Reverend Thorn
Michael Constantine
Mason
Malcolm Atterbury
Gideon Hale
Crew
George Roy Hill
Director
Dalton Trumbo
Screenplay
Daniel Taradash
Screenplay
Elmer Bernstein
Original Music Composer
Russell Harlan
Director of Photography
Walter Mirisch
Producer
Dorothy Jeakins
Costume Designer
Marion Dougherty
Casting
Robert J. Anderson
Production Manager
Robert B. Shepard
Playback Singer
Vincent Rossell
Still Photographer
Gil Perkins
Stunt Coordinator
Popular Reviews
5 reviews
Idk_421
3.0★ · 03/26/26
Goood historical representation
Goood historical representation
Wyatt
6.0★ · 10/20/25
“…Yet also, so I love Jesus. He was such a good young man with so much aloha.”
This might be pseudo-self-aware religious slop, but Jesus definitely had aloha. By “pseudo-self-aware” I mean the film is clearly aware of criticisms of the church and it’s activities in the pacific while also stumbling through the same stereotypes of the day, like the “noble savage.” Those issues aside, it was boring. Max Von Sydow hasn’t disappointed me yet though, Julie Andrews is wonderful, and Jocelyn LaGarde MVP.
Would not recommend.
This might be pseudo-self-aware religious slop, but Jesus definitely had aloha. By “pseudo-self-aware” I mean the film is clearly aware of criticisms of the church and it’s activities in the pacific while also stumbling through the same stereotypes of the day, like the “noble savage.” Those issues aside, it was boring. Max Von Sydow hasn’t disappointed me yet though, Julie Andrews is wonderful, and Jocelyn LaGarde MVP.
Would not recommend.
“…Yet also, so I love Jesus. He was such a good young man with so much aloha.”
This might be pseudo-self-aware religious slop, but Jesus definitely had aloha. By “pseudo-self-aware” I mean the film is clearly aware of criticisms of the church and it’s activities in the pacific while also stumbling through the same stereotypes of the day, like the “noble savage.” Those issues aside, it was boring. Max Von Sydow hasn’t disappointed me yet though, Julie Andrews is wonderful, and Jocelyn LaGarde MVP.
Would not recommend.
This might be pseudo-self-aware religious slop, but Jesus definitely had aloha. By “pseudo-self-aware” I mean the film is clearly aware of criticisms of the church and it’s activities in the pacific while also stumbling through the same stereotypes of the day, like the “noble savage.” Those issues aside, it was boring. Max Von Sydow hasn’t disappointed me yet though, Julie Andrews is wonderful, and Jocelyn LaGarde MVP.
Would not recommend.
Tucker Clement
6.0★ · 08/19/24
Reverend Hale is the absolute worst character I’ve seen in a long time. Not like badly written but just horrible! Good lord. Julie shoulda ran away with the whaler for sure.
Definitely some aspects that felt a bit dated. The incest with the Ali’i was an actual thing, but the way it’s handled feels weird. Especially since the Bible and English culture is fULL of incest. But yay Calvinists I guess?
I thought the indigenous people of Hawaii were the best part. The culture, the myths, the refusal to be treated like children.. it worked more or less. Reverend Hale basically destroyed their society and if that felt like the message, it might’ve come across better. But it almost goes towards more he failed? But he should’ve realized he never should’ve gone in the first place!
Julie was great of course. Although, we do get her teaching people in an angelic role again. Woulda been nice to have a bit more meat to the role and not just moments of greatness.
Overall… ehhh it’s fine, but could’ve been great. Needs a redo where Reverend Hale is just the straight up villain.
Definitely some aspects that felt a bit dated. The incest with the Ali’i was an actual thing, but the way it’s handled feels weird. Especially since the Bible and English culture is fULL of incest. But yay Calvinists I guess?
I thought the indigenous people of Hawaii were the best part. The culture, the myths, the refusal to be treated like children.. it worked more or less. Reverend Hale basically destroyed their society and if that felt like the message, it might’ve come across better. But it almost goes towards more he failed? But he should’ve realized he never should’ve gone in the first place!
Julie was great of course. Although, we do get her teaching people in an angelic role again. Woulda been nice to have a bit more meat to the role and not just moments of greatness.
Overall… ehhh it’s fine, but could’ve been great. Needs a redo where Reverend Hale is just the straight up villain.
Reverend Hale is the absolute worst character I’ve seen in a long time. Not like badly written but just horrible! Good lord. Julie shoulda ran away with the whaler for sure.
Definitely some aspects that felt a bit dated. The incest with the Ali’i was an actual thing, but the way it’s handled feels weird. Especially since the Bible and English culture is fULL of incest. But yay Calvinists I guess?
I thought the indigenous people of Hawaii were the best part. The culture, the myths, the refusal to be treated like children.. it worked more or less. Reverend Hale basically destroyed their society and if that felt like the message, it might’ve come across better. But it almost goes towards more he failed? But he should’ve realized he never should’ve gone in the first place!
Julie was great of course. Although, we do get her teaching people in an angelic role again. Woulda been nice to have a bit more meat to the role and not just moments of greatness.
Overall… ehhh it’s fine, but could’ve been great. Needs a redo where Reverend Hale is just the straight up villain.
Definitely some aspects that felt a bit dated. The incest with the Ali’i was an actual thing, but the way it’s handled feels weird. Especially since the Bible and English culture is fULL of incest. But yay Calvinists I guess?
I thought the indigenous people of Hawaii were the best part. The culture, the myths, the refusal to be treated like children.. it worked more or less. Reverend Hale basically destroyed their society and if that felt like the message, it might’ve come across better. But it almost goes towards more he failed? But he should’ve realized he never should’ve gone in the first place!
Julie was great of course. Although, we do get her teaching people in an angelic role again. Woulda been nice to have a bit more meat to the role and not just moments of greatness.
Overall… ehhh it’s fine, but could’ve been great. Needs a redo where Reverend Hale is just the straight up villain.
Kai
5.0★ · 02/16/20
missionaries are colonists and i hate them all
missionaries are colonists and i hate them all
Emma
3.0★ · 10/27/25