Honolulu Lite
IT'S NOT every day you get to dress up as an enormous penguin, especially in Hawaii where tuxedos are more costumes than actual clothes. But I was asked to emcee the Hawaii Theatre's annual fund-raiser Friday, which was billed as a celebration of the history of Hollywood in Hawaii. Attendees were supposed to get dolled up as though they were going to a Hollywood premiere, but it's hard to get your hands on the really freaky clothes that are essential to that kind of a shindig. A penguin’s-eye view
of Hollywood films
set in HawaiiSo I settled for a long-tailed tux with a sort of Horatio Hornblower 19th-century naval vest thing going on in front. Dashing is a word often used to describe people who dress up in this kind of serious rental apparel, but in my case the operational word remained "penguin."
But hosting the event gave me a chance to dig into the history of filming in Hawaii, and I managed to uncover some pretty interesting bits of trivia. Like, after shooting "Blue Hawaii" here, Elvis Presley actually said, "Poi is the only thing I don't like about Hawaii." That took a lot of guts coming from a guy who considered deep-fried peanut butter sandwiches high cuisine.
The first notable movie shot here was "Hula" in 1927, starring sexy Clara Bow as the daughter of a Big Island rancher (not Larry Mehau). Infamous beach boy Duke Kahanamoku played a small part in the film but apparently a much larger part with the cast. If you catch my drift.
In the 1930s, "Waikiki Wedding" was a smash hit with Bing Crosby. A very young Anthony Quinn played a character named Kimo. Apparently, the role of Zorba the Hawaiian was taken.
THE FILM "Bird of Paradise," starring sex kitten Delores Del Rio, was shot in 1932. Producer David O. Selznick actually told the director, "I don't care what story you use so long as we call it 'Bird of Paradise' and Del Rio jumps into a flaming volcano at the finish." That pretty much set the tone for many Hawaii movies to come.
In 1939, Eleanor Powell, in the film "Honolulu," became the first person to do the hula in tap shoes. What possessed her to do it, I don't know.
Then in 1942, Hilo Hattie made her screen debut in the movie "Song of the Islands" singing "The Cockeyed Mayor of Kaunakakai." You don't see too many songs making fun of handicapped public servants anymore.
Elvis made a number of movies here, including "Girls, Girls, Girls." I believe it was a sequel to the lightly regarded "Girls, Girls." Then again, maybe not.
"From Here to Eternity" had a star-studded cast in 1953. Producer Buddy Adler allegedly told the director, "I don't care what story you use as long as Ernest Borgnine jumps off a flaming Montgomery Clift at the finish." Then again, maybe he didn't.
But there were truly a number of stinkers made. In 1958 someone shot "She Gods of Shark Reef," starring ... well, who the hell cares? Twenty years later (how's that for a segue?), someone else made "Aloha Donnie and Marie." The less said about that the better.
Film history continues to be made. "Pearl Harbor" will premiere here next month. No matter how serious or silly, movies will always be shot in the islands because America just can't get over its film love affair with the true star of every production: Hawaii.
Alo-Ha! Friday compiles odd bits of news from Hawaii
and the world to get your weekend off to an entertaining start.
Charles Memminger also writes Honolulu Lite Mondays,
Wednesdays and Sundays. Send ideas to him at the
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-210,
Honolulu 96813, phone 235-6490 or e-mail cmemminger@starbulletin.com.
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