HURRICANE ISLAND

 

HURRICANE ISLAND is about the most perfect example of a B movie that there is. It was produced (Sam Katzman) and directed (Lew Landers) by veterans of the form, it lasts only around 70 minutes, and it provides decent low-budget entertainment. 

This movie was shown recently on TCM as part of the cable channel's "Summer Under The Stars" day featuring the redoubtable Marie Windsor. She's the main reason to watch this pirate tale, which is set in the early 16th Century and deals with Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon's attempt to find the fabled Fountain of Youth in Florida. 

Windsor plays the striking and vivacious Jane Bolton, who leads her own pirate crew based in Cuba. (In her very first appearance, she is referred to as a "noisy wench".) Jane finds out about Ponce de Leon's expedition to Florida, and, assuming there will be gold found, joins up by infiltrating a group of women who are going along to become wives to those who will settle in the new land. 

Jane's ruse is soon discovered by Captain Carlos (Jon Hall), the second-in-command to de Leon (Edgar Barrier). Jane's crew follows along, and they and a tribe of natives cause plenty of trouble for the Spanish expedition. 

Sadly, Marie Windsor isn't used to her full advantage in HURRICANE ISLAND. Her character is so intriguing that she deserved her own movie, but in the later part of the story Jane Bolton gets very little to do. Windsor has far more screen presence than Jon Hall, a minor league Errol Flynn who for some reason got to play the lead in all sorts of period adventures. Windsor's Jane even falls for Hall by the end, an improbable turn of events that robs the viewer of the chance to see Marie heft a sword and engage in some daring-do of her own. The only standout in the supporting cast is long-time bad guy Marc Lawrence as Jane's treacherous pirate companion. 

Needless to say, historical accuracy wasn't much of a concern to those who were involved in HURRICANE ISLAND. No one acts as if they are Spanish, or even as if they come from the 16th Century, and the native tribe appears to be a mixture of Apaches and Polynesians. The climax is notable for the fact that it brings in a supernatural element. Not only does this element give a reason for the film's title, it also provides a twist that will be recognizable to any one who has seen any movie versions of H. Rider Haggard's SHE. 

HURRICANE ISLAND was filmed in a process known as "Supercinecolor", and the mediocre print shown by TCM didn't do it any favors. Marie Windsor still looked great, and it's too bad that the movie's budget and plot didn't do the actress justice.