Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

Masterful Cinema

Good start, but then it gets ruined

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

As the result of an exchange deal, director Charles Vidor found himself working at RKO on the Lewis Meltzer-Robert Carson screenplay of James Hilton's adaptation of Nordhoff and Hall's novel, No More Gas, - a title which was changed to The Tuttles of Tahiti (1942).For several generations, the Tuttles, once of New England, have been vegetating with a vengeance under softer skies. Impecunious, irresponsible and amazingly prolific, these quasi-Polynesians are a problem to the community, but a constant source of amusement to themselves. They have also amused even a hardened critic like me. Sol Lesser's production is a minor field day for Charles Laughton, who obviously enjoys disporting himself as the sloppy, whimsical Jonas Tuttle of this Tahitian Tobacco Road. His best scene: Bug-eyed over the neat, crisp 400,000-franc salvage check in his trembling hand, he asks huskily, "Do you think it would be all right if I fold it?"There are some beautiful shots of a storm and a hilarious wedding party. But all in all, instead of a glamorous Hollywood Tahiti, director Charles Vidor shows us a cheap, realistic South Seas locale that would astound the grass-skirt hula school. Although fondly remembered as one of Laughton's most beguiling characterizations, The Tuttles of Tahiti seems to have slipped off the planet. Only six reviews here at IMDb, and this will make seven!

With the 1939 adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame being one of my favourite films,I keep a look out for lesser-known Charles Laughton movies appearing on TV. Checking what films were about to be taken off BBC iPlayer,I was delighted to find an obscure Laughton title,which led to me getting set to meet the Tuttles.The plot:Returning home from the high seas Chester Tuttle finds that his family has not changed one bit,with his dad Jonas still borrowing money from Dr. Blondin. Wanting help his family out,Chester gets a fighting chicken to take part in rooster fights. Believing that Tulltles are onto a winner, businessman Jensen gets Blondin to transfer the debt,which leads to Jensen writing a mortgage for the family,and putting all his savings on them winning. Going to the fight confident,the Tuttles are taken aback when the bird flies off from the match,and takes the roof above their heads with it.View on the film:Joining Chester on his return to the family,director Charles Vidor & cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca melt light Comedy with an Adventure atmosphere baked in scorching hot light beaming down on each of the Tuttles get rich quick adventures. Disappointingly making a $170,000 loss, Vidor elegantly displays the lavish treats of the Tuttles,with Vidor wisely trimming the most negative aspects (such as the rooster fighting) down.Landing from the pages of Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall's book No More Gas,the screenplay by Lewis Meltzer/Robert Carson and James Hilton smoothly make the Tuttles rush for cash one that heightens the Adventure mood,via each attempt to pay Blondin leading to a new "adventure." Despite the threat of homelessness being something that most folk would take seriously,the writers impressively find paths to keep the easy-going Comedy breezy,by giving the exchanges between the Tuttles a Screwball Comedy zest. Made when Hollywood was a lot less racial/culturally sensitive, Charles Laughton gives a great performance as Jonas,thanks to Laughton giving Jonas a hilarious gruffness,as the people of Tahiti welcome another member of the Tuttles in.

Like the Capra film, this one is all about the maxim of, "Work to Live, don't Live to Work".In today's parlance, the Tuttles would be considered 'white trash'. Working only enough to get by, 'mooching' off of their friends, wasting their money on fun and games. In truth, they live the sort of life that everyone secretly wishes that they themselves could live. Fortunately for them (and the film), instead of envying them, others around them love them for it.While their home may be run down, and their credit is no good, the Tuttles themselves are rock solid people who have their values straight. Family, Fun, and Fishing. That's about as fundamental as it gets.The plot is thin, but that's OK. It's the characters that carry this movie. Frankly, it's the sort of film one doesn't see anymore. What with the breakdown of the family unit, and the now foreign idea of large family's living under a single roof, the setup alone may be one that modern audiences no longer understand. It very much perpetuates the matriarchal/patriarchal social dynamic that one used to find in the U.S.A. While the setting may be in the far flung south pacific, no doubt that Midwestern families back when this movie premiered could see certain of themselves in the Tuttles.It's an ode to a slower (and richer) pace of life that too many people in our 'go-go-go' world have lost touch with these days.So, get a little money, get a little gasoline, do a little fishing, and then have a party with your friends. Life is all about the living of it.

Here in the 21st century, it's very hard to imagine a mainstream family movie whose plot involves cock fighting! But, very oddly, this is a major plot element in "The Tuttles of Tahiti"--a very strange film from 1942. Times sure have changed and I am pretty sure PETA-types won't appreciate this movie.The casting of "The Tuttles of Tahiti" is quite strange--though in the 1940s, such odd casting was not unusual. While you might expect French-speaking (or at least French-accented) actors since the islands are French, there are none. While you might expect Polynesian-looking actors, many are just white guys who are painted a bit dark to look kinda Tahitian! As I said, this was the norm in the good 'ol days. So, don't be too surprised when you see Charles Laughton in this inappropriate role.The story is about the Tuttles--sort of like the Waltons set in Polynesia. The patriarch of the family (Laughton) seemed like a bit of a schemer and lazy guy. After all, gambling everything he has on a cock fight! And, throughout the course of the film it gets worse--but you'll have to see to that yourself. All I know is that I had a hard time liking or connecting with any of them. And so, when he gets himself into serious trouble, I just didn't care. However, I noticed the other reviewers did like the film--so maybe you will, too. Well made but the script just didn't wow me at all.