I love this movie so much

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

As Good As It Gets

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

From the beginning of the film when manly Chuck Heston majestically rides his horse through the sprawling pineapple fields, to the triumphant swelling of a young John Williams' score, the viewer knows that this movie is BIG.Well, it is big in the sense that it's one of those big soap operas that were popular in the mid-50's to the mid-60's, trademarks of producer Ross Hunter (not the maker of this one, though).The plot is rather simple: plantation owner (Heston) has a little sister (Yvette Mimieux) that's carrying on with a native boy (James Darren), much to the displeasure of Heston, who himself is having a fling with a native girl (France Nuyen, looking appealing as ever). Thus, all things come out in the open, though tragically, and the hypocritical Heston finds himself a wealthy man, abandoned and alone.

Charlton Heston does a great job of acting by becoming the opposite of what he is in real life. His sister comes home from college only to tell him that she is in love with a Hawaiian native (James Darren) to which he is opposed because of his race. Little does anyone know that "King" (Heston) is seeing a Hawaiian woman himself who carries a secret. The story moves well and does not lag or leave you confused. There are also some great supporting roles played out. I won't spoil it for you, but I will say that this is a great movie to watch for the first time and also a great addition to your film collection.

A good film, Macbeth and Romeo-Juliet in a Hawaiian setting. Credible performances, but this film could have been shot in California or mostly on a soundstage. It deserves better than a 4.5 of 10 but surely not more than a 7. A poignant social, cultural commentary on Hawaii becoming a State in mid-Twentieth century.

This might be one of (maybe) seven movies made in Hawaii in the 60's that does not star Elvis. He could have stopped by, Lord knows anything would have helped.Speaking of which, for some very annoying reason, Charlton Heston is referred to as the 'King' by the other characters. Yvette Mimieux is his sister who is in love with a Hawaiian and that does not fly well with the dominating King, but its not like Troy Donahue was an alternative, right? They ARE in Hawaii, right? She carries on with James Darren, heavily made up and George Chakiris is around since the year before he away with playing a Puerto Rican in "West Side Story", so why not? He plays a doctor but I think the only thing in his medicine bag is his Supporting Oscar, to remind anyone who asks what the hell he's doing in this movie. In the meantime, Heston, ever the hypocrite, is having an affair with a Hawaiian woman (Nuyen) and apparently the movie is racist enough to make the statement that Hawaiians are okay to sleep with but don't mix the bloodlines. All prejudice is right on the table and even an elderly Hawaiian woman admits to her own reverse-prejudice. How nice. I am a big Mimieux fan and even watched her other effort with Heston, called "Skyjacked". She is very beautiful in my eyes and a decent actress.With that in mind, if you're in the mood for some heavily dated, overacted melodrama, you could do a lot worse. I still wish someone would explain to me why Heston had such a great career. Its not like there weren't 30 other actors who could've done better in any of the movies he was in. He was from a time when there was no shortage of competent leading men who could look good on the screen AND act. He's not really evil enough in this to make a memorable villian and since the movie rests on his huge jaw, its not as trashy as it could have been, or as classy either.