Watch The Tuttles of Tahiti For Free

Overrated and overhyped

Admirable film.

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.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

As the result of an exchange deal, director Charles Vidor found himself working at RKO on the Lewis Meltzer-Robert Carson screenplay of James Hilton's adaptation of Nordhoff and Hall's novel, No More Gas, - a title which was changed to The Tuttles of Tahiti (1942).For several generations, the Tuttles, once of New England, have been vegetating with a vengeance under softer skies. Impecunious, irresponsible and amazingly prolific, these quasi-Polynesians are a problem to the community, but a constant source of amusement to themselves. They have also amused even a hardened critic like me. Sol Lesser's production is a minor field day for Charles Laughton, who obviously enjoys disporting himself as the sloppy, whimsical Jonas Tuttle of this Tahitian Tobacco Road. His best scene: Bug-eyed over the neat, crisp 400,000-franc salvage check in his trembling hand, he asks huskily, "Do you think it would be all right if I fold it?"There are some beautiful shots of a storm and a hilarious wedding party. But all in all, instead of a glamorous Hollywood Tahiti, director Charles Vidor shows us a cheap, realistic South Seas locale that would astound the grass-skirt hula school. Although fondly remembered as one of Laughton's most beguiling characterizations, The Tuttles of Tahiti seems to have slipped off the planet. Only six reviews here at IMDb, and this will make seven!

With the 1939 adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame being one of my favourite films,I keep a look out for lesser-known Charles Laughton movies appearing on TV. Checking what films were about to be taken off BBC iPlayer,I was delighted to find an obscure Laughton title,which led to me getting set to meet the Tuttles.The plot:Returning home from the high seas Chester Tuttle finds that his family has not changed one bit,with his dad Jonas still borrowing money from Dr. Blondin. Wanting help his family out,Chester gets a fighting chicken to take part in rooster fights. Believing that Tulltles are onto a winner, businessman Jensen gets Blondin to transfer the debt,which leads to Jensen writing a mortgage for the family,and putting all his savings on them winning. Going to the fight confident,the Tuttles are taken aback when the bird flies off from the match,and takes the roof above their heads with it.View on the film:Joining Chester on his return to the family,director Charles Vidor & cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca melt light Comedy with an Adventure atmosphere baked in scorching hot light beaming down on each of the Tuttles get rich quick adventures. Disappointingly making a $170,000 loss, Vidor elegantly displays the lavish treats of the Tuttles,with Vidor wisely trimming the most negative aspects (such as the rooster fighting) down.Landing from the pages of Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall's book No More Gas,the screenplay by Lewis Meltzer/Robert Carson and James Hilton smoothly make the Tuttles rush for cash one that heightens the Adventure mood,via each attempt to pay Blondin leading to a new "adventure." Despite the threat of homelessness being something that most folk would take seriously,the writers impressively find paths to keep the easy-going Comedy breezy,by giving the exchanges between the Tuttles a Screwball Comedy zest. Made when Hollywood was a lot less racial/culturally sensitive, Charles Laughton gives a great performance as Jonas,thanks to Laughton giving Jonas a hilarious gruffness,as the people of Tahiti welcome another member of the Tuttles in.

Here in the 21st century, it's very hard to imagine a mainstream family movie whose plot involves cock fighting! But, very oddly, this is a major plot element in "The Tuttles of Tahiti"--a very strange film from 1942. Times sure have changed and I am pretty sure PETA-types won't appreciate this movie.The casting of "The Tuttles of Tahiti" is quite strange--though in the 1940s, such odd casting was not unusual. While you might expect French-speaking (or at least French-accented) actors since the islands are French, there are none. While you might expect Polynesian-looking actors, many are just white guys who are painted a bit dark to look kinda Tahitian! As I said, this was the norm in the good 'ol days. So, don't be too surprised when you see Charles Laughton in this inappropriate role.The story is about the Tuttles--sort of like the Waltons set in Polynesia. The patriarch of the family (Laughton) seemed like a bit of a schemer and lazy guy. After all, gambling everything he has on a cock fight! And, throughout the course of the film it gets worse--but you'll have to see to that yourself. All I know is that I had a hard time liking or connecting with any of them. And so, when he gets himself into serious trouble, I just didn't care. However, I noticed the other reviewers did like the film--so maybe you will, too. Well made but the script just didn't wow me at all.

This film has two of the great ones, Charles Laughton and Florence Bates. She was one of the great character actors and he was just great. However, when you add a Nordhoff and Hall story to the mixture, you get a delightful story about a ne'er-do-well dreamer whose sons salvage a ship and Papa, Laughton, spends the prize money. I especially loved it when Papa Tuttle has spent all the money and gets a note from the bank that he's overdrawn and sends one of his kids with a check to cover the checks he's been writing. How many times have we all wanted to do that? The story is a bit too romantic and commonplace for today's audiences who demand slice 'n dice bloody scenes along with spectacular eye-dazzling effects. It's still a wonderful tale and has a great deal of charm about a lost time and place before it all turned to modernity. If that sounds too maudlin or nostalgic, I guess that's just how it is. Check it out. Bates and Laughton are great as is Hall out of his usual sarong roles with Dottie Lamour.