Down Among the Sheltering Palms (1953)
Rent DVD by Mail
Theatrical Release Information | See Details About All Versions
This colorful musical comedy was obviously inspired by the success of Broadway's South Pacific. Army Captain Bill Willoby (William Lundigan) is ordered to make sure that his men do not fraternize with the girls at a South Sea island base. His mission is forgotten when he himself falls in love with Diana Forrester (Jane Greer), the daughter of a local missionary. The fun begins when a native girl (Mitzi Gaynor) is offered to the captain as a goodwill gift by island chieftain Jilouili(!) Naturally, there's a major breakdown in protocol, quite similar to the one found in John Patrick's 1954 Broadway hit Teahouse of the August Moon. Featured in the cast as a woman-hungry lieutenant is Jack Paar, which is why this film got so much TV play in the 1960s. The incidental songs in Down Among the Sheltering Palms were written by Harold Arlen and Ralph Blane. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Complete Cast:
- William Lundigan - Capt. Bill Willoby
- Mitzi Gaynor - Rozouila
- Gloria de Haven - Angela Toland
- Jack Paar - Lt. Mike Sloan
- Billy Gilbert - King Jilouili
- Lyle Talbot - Maj. Curwin
- George Nader - Lt. Homer Briggs
- Claud Allister - Woolawei
- Fay Roope - Col. Parker
- John Baer - Officer
- Lee Marvin - Snively
- Jean Charney - Native Girl
- Steve Wayne
- Barney Phillips - Murphy
- Roger McGee
- Jane Greer - Diana Forrester
- David Wayne - Lt. Carl Schmidt
- Gene Lockhart - Rev. Edgett
- Alvin Greenman - Corporal Kolta
- Henry Kulky - 1st Sergeant
- Ray Montgomery - Lieut. Everty
- Charles Tannen - Radio Operator
- Edith Evanson - Mrs. Edgett
- David Ahdar - Witch Doctor
- Richard Grayson
- Henry Slate - Thompson
- Richard Monohan - GI
- Joe Turkel - Harris
- James Ogg
- Ray Hyke
- Director(s):
- Edmund Goulding
- Writer(s):
- Albert E. Lewin, Burt Styler, Claude Binyon
- Producer(s):
- Fred Kohlmar
- Closed Captioning:
- Check All Versions
- Subtitles:
- Check All Versions
