Tabu (1931)

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Tabu is a lyrical documentary of Polynesian life, given added audience appeal with a fictional plotline. The story concerns a young island girl (Anna Chevalier, who like everyone in the cast is a non-professional) who has been consecrated to the gods by her tribespeople. It is thus "tabu" for her to marry; still, she falls in love with a handsome young pearl fisherman (Matahi). The island's holy man takes the girl away in his schooner. Her lover swims after her, but eventually sinks disconsolately into the ocean. Shot completely on location, it was supposed to be a collaboration between German director F. W. Murnau and American documentary producer Robert Flaherty. Flaherty withdrew from the project when he realized the film was taking a romanticized approach. Murnau never lived to see the final product; he was killed in a car accident just before the film's opening. Begun as a silent film in 1929, Tabu was released in that form in 1931, despite the fact that talking pictures already had been established for nearly three years. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Starring:: Matahi Hitu, Matahi, (more)

Director(s):: F.W. Murnau, Robert Flaherty, (more)

Format(s):: DVD
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Synopsis of Tabu

Theatrical Feature Running Time:: 81 mins

Complete Cast of Tabu

Matahi Hitu - Chief
Kong Ah - Chinese Tradesman
Jean Jules - Police Agent

Matahi - Matahi
Anna Chevalier - Reri the Young Girl

Director(s):: Robert Flaherty, F.W. Murnau

Writer(s):: Robert Flaherty, F.W. Murnau, Edgar G. Ulmer

Producer(s):: Robert Flaherty, F.W. Murnau

Categories:: Documentary, Special Interest, Romance

Tabu Awards:

1993 - Library of Congress - U.S. National Film Registry
1931 - National Board of Review - Best Picture

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Member Reviews

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	Jennifer R.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

In watching this film, I kept having to remind myself that it was an old silent film. I unfairly wanted more from this film that was almost as old as my Grandmother. The cinema picture was well shot and the dramatics of those starring in the film are impressive considering they WERE NOT actors and everything was conveyed by facial/body expressions. I recommend this film for those who like a little something different in a movie or those who are true movie buffs.

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	Patti L.

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful

An interesting film, a radical departure in themes previously explored in Murnau's work, but still heavily reliant on visuals to tell his story. Oscar-winning cinematography doesn't look as good now as it probably did then, and the background story was more intriguing (Murnau's clashes with Flaherty, his death one week before the film's premiere following a car crash). Stil, worth seeing.