Watch The Hurricane For Free

Just what I expected

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Wow, what a picture! If only someone would digitize, remaster and possibly colorize this flick. UCLA Film Archive, are you listening? Jon Hall and Dorothy Lamour put on some great skin beauty candy for the viewers. Both had long natural hair and athletic bodies. And the special effects were before their time. The "wind" plays as a character in the movie. You would be surprised at these special effects, given it was filmed in 1937 without computers! On a different note, I wish all seven of Dorothy Lamour's sarong movies were available on DVD with tons of special features, remastered, of course! Did you know that one of Dorothy Lamour's sarongs is in exhibition at the Smithsonian Museum? I can't wait to read her "My Side of the Road" autobiography.

This is another one of those films from an A+ Director that's just not one of his best unfortunately.A Pacific Island is home to some peaceful natives. One is a Captain on a ship and has been promoted rapidly up the ranks. He gets married before he goes on his next trip to Tahiti then sets off. In Tahiti he gets into a fight and breaks the jaw of a local important official with connections. He has done nothing wrong but defend himself but he gets 6 months in jail anyhow. They tell him to hold out and it'll be over soon but he can't wait to get back to his wife and proceeds to repeatedly escape and get recaptured. The last time he tries and succeeds but kills a guard accidentally. Throughout all this he has to deal with a sadistic guard who eventually becomes the warden and repeatedly taunts him. The Governor of his home island is not swayed by his innocence from because the law must be upheld regardless. When he finally arrives home, at the same time, a hurricane arrives.The whole story is really about choosing what's right and wrong with the justice system. The Hurricane is only in the last part of the film...and the best part. John Carradine plays his usual scumbag self as the prison guard without a conscience. I do believe he was the original bad guy in film as he has played those roles since he's been in films. Looking at him you know he's no good but that was his niche so he was typecast with it....effectively I might add. The over-acting comes in the form of Raymond Massey. It's just ridiculous to see him play this holier than thou island Governor who plainly sees the injustice happening and he just keeps his mantra going..."the law must be upheld". It's really a theater type of acting that makes it really corny to watch. If you've ever seen John Barrymore act in film then you'll know what I mean. His type of acting performed by Raymond Massey was not needed. The miscasting came in the way of Jon Hall. Wow what a terrible actor. He is easily one of the best looking male actors in history but if you notice his screen credits after this film, you'll notice they're all B grade stuff. Why you say? Simple...he was a terrible actor. I have never seen him in anything other than this but it's plain to see why he never succeeded in major roles. He needed some serious acting lessons.The real reason to see this film is last 15 to 20 minutes. The special effects in this are stunning. I have never seen a film about a Hurricane more effective than this. You will feel absolute terror for these people in the end. You will find it hard to believe how realistic these effects are. Even by today's standards it's a 10 on the wow factor.See this one for the special effects..and maybe to take a notch out of your John Ford film catalog. Other than that it's nothing special imo.

I always try to catch this movie when it shows up on TV, usually TCM. Leonard Maltin calls the hurricane scenes unequaled and he's right. Quite impressive even by today's standards.Well, I guess I need to continue with this review. I didn't meet the quota on lines.I would agree with the assessment above that Lamour and John Hall are in their prime physically. Impressive that they got top billing despite the appearance of Raymond Massey, Mary Astor, Carradine, and Thomas Mitchell. Of course, John Ford, the director went on to even more successful action movies, and won numerous awards. As many know, he teamed with John Wayne for a number of award winning westerns.

You will enjoy this movie more if you believe Jon Hall and Lamour are Polynesians. In fact, these people are John Ford constructs which is why Thomas Mitchell plays the amiable drunken doctor. But this is a John Ford movie about justice, survival, love and more. And if you accept it with a willing sense of disbelief it is a bit of fun. There are the usual stunning Ford visuals which he always seemed to do so effortlessly. He is a master of camera placement. His sailing scenes are perfect. At one point a boat raises and flys a sail called a "mule," on a schooner. You'll never see this again. But mostly it is a movie about which it is easy to take sides. Vicious, racist colonial Europeans versus the simple people of the islands. And in the end nature asserts her judgment over all the characters.