South Pacific

South Pacific ranks among the most celebrated of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s acclaimed musicals. This dazzling show was brought to life in 1958 with filming done on Kauai. The story is set on a remote island during World War II with two parallel romances – one between a Navy nurse (Mitzi Gaynor) and a wealthy French plantation owner (Rossano Brazzi), the other between a young American officer (John Kerr) and a native girl (France Nuyen).

Filming began on Kauai in 1957 around Hanalei and Ha‘ena, but was disrupted by a major tsunami that hit the north shore, knocking out the Kalihiwai bridge and blocking trucks from bringing filming equipment to the movie sets. Opening scenes were filmed near the mouth of the Hanalei River, the plantation owner’s home was a private estate overlooking Hanalei Bay, and local residents and schoolchildren were utilized as extras.

Mount Makana in Ha‘ena was used as the mystical island of Bali Hai, while Tunnels Beach (Makua) was the location for many scenes, and Mitzi Gaynor’s famous rendition of Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair was filmed at Lumaha‘i Beach. The breathtaking scenery of Kauai is complemented by some of the most romantic songs ever written – Some Enchanted Evening, There is Nothin’ Like a Dame, and Younger Than Springtime.