The Hurricane (1937)
If anyone ever wondered how Hollywood coped before the advent of computer graphics, look no further than The Hurricane. The special effects are so incredible, it’s clear Hollywood needed no help from outside technology. What James Basevi and R.T. Layton created was a frightening masterpiece. Together, with John Ford’s directing, The Hurricane’s disastrous special effects stand up against any modern film. I rented The Impossible within a week of watching The Hurricane, and I was only marginally more impressed.
The rest of this natural disaster movie is quite good, with an interesting story and compelling performances. Raymond Massey and his wife Mary Astor are missionaries on a Pacific island, and while their intentions are good, the natives don’t appreciate all their rules and punishments. Jon Hall and Dorothy Lamour are engaged, and when Jon is imprisoned, he tries every possible avenue to find his way back to her. While it’s a different story than the remake, it’s very interesting, and Jon Hall earned a Hot Toasty Rag nomination for Best Supporting Actor! His performance was not only emotionally effective, but physically demanding as well. In one scene, pre-dating Jaws by forty years, he wrestled with a shark, and in a scene that was too graphic to be shown, he was severely, and actually, whipped.
Alfred Newman’s incredible music adds another layer to this already well-crafted film. Not only is the main theme very memorable, turned later into “Moon of Manakoora”, but it fits the tone of the film perfectly. It sounds Polynesian, romantic, and has a hint of impending doom—and, with groundbreaking orchestrations, part of it replicates the hurricane itself. Alfred Newman competed against himself during the 1937 Hot Toasty Rag Awards, and he took home a trophy for his work on The Hurricane.
More Mary Astor movies here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1979's remake Hurricane here!
The rest of this natural disaster movie is quite good, with an interesting story and compelling performances. Raymond Massey and his wife Mary Astor are missionaries on a Pacific island, and while their intentions are good, the natives don’t appreciate all their rules and punishments. Jon Hall and Dorothy Lamour are engaged, and when Jon is imprisoned, he tries every possible avenue to find his way back to her. While it’s a different story than the remake, it’s very interesting, and Jon Hall earned a Hot Toasty Rag nomination for Best Supporting Actor! His performance was not only emotionally effective, but physically demanding as well. In one scene, pre-dating Jaws by forty years, he wrestled with a shark, and in a scene that was too graphic to be shown, he was severely, and actually, whipped.
Alfred Newman’s incredible music adds another layer to this already well-crafted film. Not only is the main theme very memorable, turned later into “Moon of Manakoora”, but it fits the tone of the film perfectly. It sounds Polynesian, romantic, and has a hint of impending doom—and, with groundbreaking orchestrations, part of it replicates the hurricane itself. Alfred Newman competed against himself during the 1937 Hot Toasty Rag Awards, and he took home a trophy for his work on The Hurricane.
More Mary Astor movies here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1979's remake Hurricane here!
Hot Toasty Rag Awards:
Best Director of 1937: John Ford
Best Musical Score: Alfred Newman
Hot Toasty Rag Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Supporting Actor: Jon Hall
Best Director of 1937: John Ford
Best Musical Score: Alfred Newman
Hot Toasty Rag Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Supporting Actor: Jon Hall