South Sea Woman

South Sea Woman is a 1953 action comedy drama film directed by Arthur Lubin and starring Burt Lancaster. Jeanine Basinger and Jeremy Arnold's book The World War II Combat Film: Anatomy of a Genre calls the film a significant mixture of genres: tongue-in-cheek adventure, Flagg and Quirt style service comedy, Hope and Crosby road film, South Seas, prison escape, pirate, World War II and costume drama mixing ridiculous comedy with hard boiled action... more

South Sea Woman is a 1953 action comedy drama film directed by Arthur Lubin and starring Burt Lancaster. Jeanine Basinger and Jeremy Arnold's book The World War II Combat Film: Anatomy of a Genre calls the film a significant mixture of genres: tongue-in-cheek adventure, Flagg and Quirt style service comedy, Hope and Crosby road film, South Seas, prison escape, pirate, World War II and costume drama mixing ridiculous comedy with hard boiled action in "Tell it to the Marines" style. U.S. Marine Master Gunnery Sergeant James O'Hearn (Burt Lancaster) is being tried at the San Diego Marine base for desertion, theft, scandalous conduct and destruction of property in time of war. He refuses to testify or plead guilty or not guilty to the charges. Showgirl Ginger Martin (Virginia Mayo) takes the stand against his protest. She testifies O'Hearn won't talk because he is protecting the name of his friend, Marine Private First Class Davy White (Chuck Connors). In flashback Ginger tells how she,... less