Bird of Paradise (1932)
“A forbidden love between two worlds.”
Streamed free from the Internet Archive · no signup, no cost — this film is in the public domain.
Synopsis
King Vidor's lush pre-Code South Seas romance pairs Dolores del Río and Joel McCrea in a tale of cross-cultural passion and tribal taboo. Shot with striking location atmosphere and a Max Steiner score, it caused a sensation for del Río's apparent nude swim. RKO mounted it as an exotic spectacle.
Cast
About the Director
King Vidor — King Vidor embraced the material's sensuality and visual exoticism, staging the volcano-sacrifice climax as pure melodramatic spectacle and coaxing genuine romantic chemistry from his young leads.
Why It’s Free: The Public-Domain Story
The film entered the US public domain in 1960 because the copyright claimants did not renew the registration in the 28th year after its 1932 publication. The lapse covers the RKO film as an audiovisual work.
Behind the Scenes
The picture scandalized audiences with a scene appearing to show del Río swimming nude (she wore a flesh-colored garment). It was one of several pre-Code "South Seas" romances trading on exotic settings.
Did You Know?
- Max Steiner contributed an early film score that helped establish his Hollywood reputation.
- The "nude" swim was achieved with a flesh-colored garment, fueling the film's publicity.
- RKO remade it in 1951, but the 1932 Vidor version remains the celebrated one.
Reception & Legacy
A box-office draw thanks to its exoticism and the del Río scandal, the film drew mixed reviews for its thin plot but praise for its visual beauty. It endures as a key pre-Code South Seas fantasy.
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Sinners in Paradise
Salt of the Earth
Wives Under Suspicion