56: Tabu

USA  84m  Dir: F.W. Murnau

Tabu began as a collaboration between directors Robert J. Flaherty, most well-known for his documentary Nanook of the North, and F.W. Murnau, the acclaimed director of Nosferatu and Sunrise. The pair fell out during the production of the film and Murnau alone was left to complete it. 

If modern films have a cast that is entirely non-white it is still quite a big talking point so it must have been revolutionary in 1931 that this film features entirely local actors from the South Seas. Not only that but in order to save money the Hollywood crew was sent home and Murnau, Flatherty and cinematographer Floyd Crosby were the only professional filmmakers involved in the production. Murnau trained up the locals and so this entire production beyond three men was made by local people. 

As a collaboration between a documentary maker and a fiction-film maker it's perhaps unsurprising that this blurs the lines between the two genres a little. Some of it, especially near the start, is essentially a piece of ethnographia similar to Nanook of the North, an insight into the lives and traditions of people far away from the US. The creative differences between Murnau and Flatherty seem to stem largely from the fact that Flatherty considered Murnanu's new script both overly plotted and too Westernised. 

The plot feels a bit like Romeo and Juliet if it was set in the South Seas. Reri is made a maiden scared to the gods and it is therefore she is tabu and no man can touch her. This is heartbreaking for Reiri and her partner Matahi so they flee Bora Bora for a French colony. There Matahi has no concept of money and inadvertently picks up debts and they are pursued with Reiri given the ultimatum of returning home or Matahi will be killed.  

It's a fairly classic story of a relationship that is looked down on by society which feels a bit of a shame because given the unusual setting I would have hoped for a more interesting story. The idea of Matahi having no understanding of money because he has grown up in a tribal group is interesting but it's not touched on much. 

For me, the plot lets this film down. It's great to see a film made in the South Pacific, largely by local people, and it looks wonderful but the story is unfortunately underwhelming.