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Heaven Knows Mr. Allison 
Actors : Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum, Fusamoto Takasimi, Noboru Yoshida (II)
Director : John Huston
Studio : Fox Home Entertainment
by Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date : 2003-05-20
Publisher : Fox Home Entertainment
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 0024543072096
UPC : 024543072096
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 32 reviews)
List Price : $14.98
Our Price : $6.90
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Description |
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While hiding from a Japanese military offensive on a desolate Pacific Island, a marine sergeant (Mitchum) and his only fellow survivor, an Irish Roman Catholic novitiate on a humanitarian mission (Kerr), search for food, engage in philosophical sparring, |
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Americancivilwar.com essential video |
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If a war movie can be lovely, this is it. John Huston directed this touching World War II story about a Marine (Robert Mitchum) stranded with a nun (Deborah Kerr) on a Pacific island overrun by Japanese. After initial antagonism, the resulting kinship between the two characters is human and civil, even after Mitchum's grunt understandably falls in love with his unlikely companion. The action scenes, in which the pair works together to stay ahead of the enemy, are first-rate. The actors have never been better, and Huston's perennial theme about destiny's denial of our dreams is achingly clear in this essentially two-person drama. --Tom Keogh |
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For Mackeral Eaters and Those Alike |
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I remember in an interview with Robert Mitchum prior to his death when asked his favorite film without missing a beat he said "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison". This is high praise from someone who made such classics as "Night of the Hunter" and "The Sundowners". After watching it you can see why. The film is essentially a two character story (the occupying Japanese soldiers are in essence extras) which gives Mitchum the opportunity to stretch his acting muscles. As a co-star you can't have one better than Deborah Kerr. The film also demonstrates the tender side of director John Huston, a man known more for his cynicism and dark humor. Sure, there is a certain degree of action and tension in the film. At it's heart, though, it's about love of the unrequited nature and that's the most painful love there can be. I saw this film many years ago on the late show (pre-cable) and it stayed with me. "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison" has lost none of it's resonance years later. A gem. |
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An unusual story with two great stars in top form |
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John Huston directs this unusual story with Deborah Kerr & Robert Mitchum in top form. Near the end of World War II, a marine gets washed up on a deserted island in the South Pacific to discover that the only inhabitant is a missionary nun. When the Japanese invade, they face another threat to their survival and have to confront the unique relationship that begins to develop between them. While it is essentially a 'two-hander', this special tale has been filmed on a grand scale - on location on a beautiful island with elaborate staging of the Japanese invasion and occupation. We also glimpse on-the-horizon battles and aerial bombardments that are realistically staged, along with some thrills as the marine confronts the invaders. However, it is the almost-romantic relationship between the nun and the marine that makes this a moving film. Kerr and Mitchum are excellent! The DVD is a fine transfer of the original CinemaScope. Bonus features include some newsreel footage relating to the film, war news and trailers to other Fox war films. |
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Mitchum fan |
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Have always enjoyed watching tough guy Robert Mitchum. This was definitely a change of pace for him. The interaction between him and Deborah Kerr is something to see. Highly recommend it! |
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Great story! (Allison Crusoe and Angela Friday versus the Japanese) |
African Queen is one of my favorite movies ever, and Bogie and Hepburn as Charlie and Rosie were the best film couple ever. Here, Huston adapts the Allnut story to a Robinson Crusoe set up in WW2 in the South Pacific. Kerr can't quite carry Sister Angela to the level of Hepburn's Rosie; I mean, she does ok, but she was not in the same league as Hepburn.
A Marine corporal, played as a nice, naive and brave simpleton by a mostly sober Mitchum, and a nun are stranded on an island 300 km N of Fiji during WW2. They got there separately, but now they are stuck together. While they get to know each other, and before they have time to try their project for escape by boat to Fiji, the Japanese come and occupy the island. They hide in a cave. The Japanese leave. They come out. They hope for US troups to come next, but the Japanese return. They hide again. US troups come at last and conquer the island. Allison has helped by incapacitating the Japanese guns. In the meantime the two people have some time to explore relationships, always within the limits of the 50s, i.e. with proper sense of decorum, and the underlying pressure only indicated in a vague way.
Great story, great story telling, great film. Which leads me to the larger question: why is this film so fresh, like some others from the 40s and 50s, while so many later ones were already senile after a few years? Examples of later movies that I tried to watch again during the last few years and found awfully dated: Easy Rider (what a bore, apart from the glorious soundtrack of course), Last Tango in Paris (quelle betise), Lawrence of Arabia (Hollywood esthetics and colonialism, would have justified Said's Orientalism all by itself), The Wild Bunch (mindless boring violence).
A worthy subject for further thought, though I know that some will be unhappy with my examples.
One hypothesis: Huston managed to mix very clear and simple storytelling, almost minimalist, with the right balance of irony and pathos. |
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Best movie ever on an individual during WWII in the Pacific |
The movie is about a Marine washed ashore on an atol in the pacific. At the time it is inhabited by a nun who has been serving the islanders. Unfortunately their peace is short lived as Japanese invade the island and set up guns to destroy the US Naval forces that run between the atol
and other islands. "Mr Allison" has no family and the Marine Corp has been his life. Unerringly he falls in love with the Nun who cannot return his love.
Their adventures on the Japanese occuipied island are realistic especially hiding and living in a cave and almost fit the end of of a story written by John Bailey (Islands of Victory and Islands of Death) available through Americancivilwar.com.
I saw the movie when it first came out and never forgot it. It is one I wanted for my own personal small collection of great movies and great performances by actors.
Mike Bailey |
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