An American drifter comes to a remote Polynesian island controlled by a Puritanical missionary and turns the social life of the island upside-down.
Based on the short story "Mr. Morgan" from "Return To Paradise" (James Michener's sequel to "Tales of the South Pacific"). Morgan (Gary Cooper), a drifter and soldier-of-fortune washes up on a Pacific island that is a small dictatorial state under the puritanic rule of Pastor Corbett (Barry Jones), a missionary. They conflict but Morgan stays on and carves out a cozy life. He has a child out of wedlock with island native Maeva (Roberta Haynes), but departs the island after her death, leaving the young daughter behind. He returns years later in search of his daughter. It is circa the early years of WW II, and he finds that his daughter has fallen in love with an American pilot who has crash-landed on the island. It appears that the pilot will do for the girl what Morgan did for her mother, and then depart.—Les Adams <[email protected]>
Gary Cooper stars as an island drifter, Mr. Morgan, who falls in love with a lovely Polynesian girl (Roberta Haynes) and defies a dominating bible-toting preacher whos out to dominate all island life. With Morgan as an example, the natives gain courage and are able to overcome the rule of the despot. After his lover dies tragically duringbirth Morgan grieves, fleeing the island, leaving his baby daughter in the hands of his trusted friends. Many years pass and Morgan returns to the island to find he is a legends hero, the story told to the children and his daughter, now of age, seeks his guidance and love. Will Morgan remain to become a father to his forgotten and neglected daughter or will he leave, never to return to paradise.
