Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957)

Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957)

starring Robert Mitchum, Deborah Kerr

written by John Huston, John Lee Mahin

directed by John Huston

Corporal Allison, USMC (Robert Mitchum) washes up on the shore of a South Pacific island in 1944. The only other resident of the island, Sister Angela (Deborah Kerr), arrived just days before. They contemplate a long distance journey in the rubber raft in which he arrived on the island. That plan quickly goes out the window after the raft is destroyed by Japanese forces which bomb the island.

Japanese troops occupy the island the next day. Allison and Angela take refuge in a hidden cave that he discovered the day before, while exploring. He steals some supplies from the Japanese troops. The days after that the Japanese abandon the island, leaving behind lots of canned food.

Allison and Angela celebrate their good luck but Allison makes things awkward by telling Angela that he wants to marry her. The Japanese forces don't stay away for long. They figure out that someone else is on the island after one of the Japanese soldiers is killed by Allison while he was stealing some more supplies.

The Japanese troops find the cave but then the Marines invade the island, killing the Japanese stationed there and saving Allison and Angela.

Thoughts

I had seen both stars in other movies in the past couple years. I've seen at least a half dozen films that John Huston directed.

Deborah Kerr was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. The screenplay was also nominated for an Academy Award. Neither won.

The film was not shot in the South Pacific but on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. I found a Making of short (20:31) about the making of Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison on YouTube which includes footage of the cast and crew. It was shot and produced in 1957. It wasn't brilliant but it was a nice addition.

This was an okay film. The whole "will they or won't they" aspect of the story didn't seem like a realistic possibility before or after Allison's confession. Maybe if it had then it might have made the story more interesting or enjoyable even if she ultimately told him no and didn't act on whatever feelings she might have had.