| South of Tahiti | |
| Director: | George Waggner |
| Producer: | George Waggner |
| Screenplay: | Gerald Geraghty |
| Story: | Ainsworth Morgan |
| Starring: | Brian Donlevy Broderick Crawford Andy Devine Maria Montez |
| Cinematography: | Elwood Bredell |
| Music: | Frank Skinner |
| Editing: | Frank Gross |
| Color Process: | Black and white |
| Studio: | Universal Pictures |
| Distributor: | Universal Pictures |
| Runtime: | 78 minutes |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
South of Tahiti is a 1941 American south seas adventure film directed by George Waggner and starring Brian Donlevy, Broderick Crawford and Andy Devine.[1] It helped launch fourth-billed Maria Montez as a pin-up star.[2] The response was such that Universal Pictures then cast her in Arabian Nights.[3]
Three pearl hunters wind up stranded on a South Pacific island. While one of them falls in love with the daughter of a tribal leader, his two companions are more concerned with robbing the tribe's golden treasure.
The film was intended to be Montez's first starring vehicle. It was originally known as Captive Wild Woman and was to star Montez, Brian Donlevy, Broderick Crawford and Andy Devine. Then its name was changed to White Savage. Gerald Geraghty and Ainsworth Morgan were originally reported as working on the script.[4]
Henry Wilcoxon was then announced for the role of the main villain.[5] The script was rewritten so his character survived at the end.[6]