South Pacific

Television

HARRY CONNICK JR

South Pacific



Role: Lt. Joseph Cable

Director: Richard Pearce

Year: 2001

The movie was filmed entirely on lush, tropical locations in Port Douglas in Queensland, Australia, and Moorea, Tahiti. Set on a remote island during World War II, the telefilm follows two parallel romances: one between Ensign Nellie Forbush (Ms. Close) a Navy nurse, and Emile de Becque (Mr. Sherbedgia) a wealthy French plantation owner; and the other between Liat (Natalie Mendoza) a native girl, and a young American Marine, Lt. Joseph Cable (Harry) whose secret mission on the island could help change the course of the war. Nellie is a small town woman who joined the Navy to see the world outside her hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas. She meets the arrestingly handsome Emile, and the two fall in love at first sight. But Emile is hiding a secret that threatens their blossoming romance. Lt. Cable wasn't looking for love when he arrived on the island. He is on a secret mission, reporting to Captain Brackett (Mr. Thompson) to establish a coast watch on an enemy-held island to spy on the Japanese - a mission that requires enlisting the aid of someone who knows the area well. He meets Luther Billis (Mr. Pastorelli,) a wily Seabee who runs various "businesses" and cons on the island, as well as Bloody Mary (Lori Tan Chinn, "Mickey Blue Eyes") a shrewd Tonkinese woman who uses the GIs as much as she caters to them with her island trinkets and souvenirs. When Billis takes Cable to the exotic island of Bali Ha'i for some R&R, Mary introduces him to her beautiful daughter, Liat, and Cable falls passionately in love. Both romances face daunting obstacles, as lovers are torn apart by racial prejudice. Heartbroken and disenchanted, Cable and Emile make the decision to embark on a dangerous mission that may threaten both of their lives, unbeknownst to Nellie.