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6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Bird of Paradise remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like movies that feel like they were filmed in a hot, humid aquarium, you might dig Bird of Paradise. If you hate slow-burn romances that end with people walking into lava, stay away. It is definitely for fans of early sound cinema who don't mind when the plot takes a backseat to the scenery.
Honestly, the whole movie feels like a postcard that got left out in the rain. Dolores Del Río is magnetic, though, even when the dialogue sounds like it was written on the back of a palm leaf.
The pacing is… weird. There’s a long stretch in the middle where I totally forgot about the volcano. I think I was just staring at the water and the palm trees for five minutes straight. The film has this oddly empty feeling, like the director just wanted to film the beach and occasionally remembered there were actors standing around.
There is a scene where Joel McCrea shows up, and you can almost feel the movie trying to convince you that this is a real romance. It works, mostly because the chemistry is there, even if the script is a bit paper-thin. You can tell they were really leaning into that "exotic" vibe which, looking back now, feels pretty dated and clumsy.
I started thinking about The Way of Lost Souls while watching this, mainly because both films feel so trapped in their own little worlds. There’s a specific kind of melancholy in these old dramas that you just don't see anymore. It’s not necessarily "good," but it is haunting in a way I didn't expect.
The ending? Well, it happens. It lingers a bit too long, and then it’s over. You aren't going to get a deep philosophical lesson here, just a very wet, very sad trip to a volcano. Take it or leave it. 🌋