DEBRA PAGET: Beauty and Glory in the South Pacific

[Please read] Re-introducing the magnificent "Bird of Paradise" (1951).

Debra Paget is Kalua.
Louis Jourdan is Andre.
Jeff Chandler is Tenga.
Also appearing (but not in these clips): Everett Sloane as a beachcomber.

"Bird of Paradise" is one of the finest exotic dramas ever made. Screenplay, casting, direction, acting, location-shooting (Hawaii), special effects: all superlative.

The film presents a romance that asserts itself and endures in spite of superstition and often-difficult-to-bridge cultural differences. Joy in life and joy in love are stressed. In such a positive context, a tragic ending of great dramatic power is unimportant. It is the living and loving (and the memories thereof) that count while they last.

Side-note for the statistical: Debra Paget was Elvis Presley's first leading lady in films, co-starring with him in "Love Me Tender" (1956). I think "Love Me Tender" is a more fitting title for "Bird of Paradise." Unlike the Elvis movie, "Bird" features some of the sweetest and most tender love scenes EVER filmed.

I consider this YouTube video to be the finest of my tributes to actress Debra Paget. I encourage you to check out my other eleven Debra Paget videos, all courtesy of your most inspiring host, YouTube.

Song excerpts credited, with pride, to: chorus under the direction of Ralph Carmichael (Nat King Cole), Les Baxter, Doris Day, The Chordettes, Les Paul/Mary Ford, Richard Rodgers, Colm Wilkinson, Jerome Moross, Arthur Lyman, and Metallica.

If it hasn't occurred by the time you read this: would you like to see "Bird of Paradise" (1951) restored and released on DVD? PLEASE--I IMPLORE YOU-- petition the studio!

E-mail Address: foxmovies@fox.com

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IMPORTANT: Questions or comments are sincerely welcome—but only if they are nice, clean, and comprehendible. If you are a professional and prefer that I delete this video, please contact me and it will promptly be done.

Thanks for viewing. Aloha.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Debra Paget
• Bird of Paradise
• Hawaii
• Hula
• South Pacific
• Polynesia
• Elvis Presley
• Titanic
• Classic Movies
• Romanticism
• Ayn Rand
• 1951
• Jeff Chandler
• Louis Jourdan
• Sarong
• Volcano
• Surf
• Doris Day
• Chordettes
• Colm Wilkinson
• This Nearly Was Mine
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• northbreed1

[andrebontemp]

hi Northbreed

I share your taste for Debra I've seen almost all her movies this one is one of my favorite si is Demetrius and The gladiators without forgetting The tiger of eschnapur

and his sequel der Indische Grabmal from F. Lang.

Debra was a beauty and a good dancer always a joy to watch thougk she never reach the stardom status that she would deserve

[northbreed1]

@andrebontemp Merci, mon ami.

[ZapMeBaby]

Debra Paget was my first love. I was 12 years old when i seen the movie " Bird of

peradise. And i still call her my first love.

Being of a Hawaiian desent i wish she was Hawaiian, but playing the part of

a Hawaiian girl is ok with me. I also think that jeff Chandler is my man. He is cool

Thank so much for this clip. Now i need the movie too. Loko Maika'i and Mahalo

Aloha

[northbreed1]

Wonderful comment.

[northbreed1]

Debra Paget is so darn special--and so is your comment, amoy1221.

[northbreed1]

Consider yourself chucked on the chin while I say "You're a sweet kid."

[grannydyess]

debra was always beautiful. loved all her movies

[MrJakko22]

this is what i call a beautiful woman

[RockAngel7878]

what happened to her , I mean you never hear about her anymore ?

[subarugeni]

I saw this movie when I was a young girl, and I never forgot the movie, although I couldn't remember the name or who was in it. I started searching on the internet, and found the name and who was in it. I then started looking for a DVD, but couldn't find one in any of the stores. I found this site, and, oh my goodness! almost everything must have been marked indelibly in my memory. They all look familiar! Please bring it out on DVD!

[zipyaj]

Thank you very much for this share! An inspring film to say the very least, I first viewed it as a young boy on TV in the early 60's and it's been indelibly etched in my memory ever since. Thank you again!

[beckyrep1]

Turner Classic Movies is running a whole bunch of Pacific Island movies tonight. Suddenly this movie came into my mind. I saw it on TV when I was very young. I just loved love stories in the movies, and was still very much under the spell of fairy tales and Catholic indoctrination. I was horrified by the Witch Doctor's pronouncement: "Sacrifice!" and Debra/Kahlua's willingness to jump into the volcano to save her people, her island, and didn't understand the underlying indigenous themes.

[jmendoza1825]

i saw this movie when i was 7 or 8 years old back in the 70's. I remember reenacting the final scene when she looks back and then jumps into the volcano. I reenacted it by jumping off my top bunk bed. I loved that movie can't find it anywhere not even on Netflix. I'll try Amazon!

[MissGoldenDreams13]

Debra Paget is a goddess. 'Nuff said.