South Pacific Synopsis
The action takes place in the South Pacific during World War II
ACT I
On a terrace in the South Pacific during World War II, French plantation owner Emile de Becque escorts Nellie Forbush, a nurse from Arkansas, on a tour through his estate. Nellie admires the view of the sun over the ocean. Nellie confides in Emile that she joined the Navy to see the world and to meet new people. Emile breaks away to pour them a brandy as they get lost in each other’s eyes. After polite small talk about French literature, Emile confesses his love for Nellie, recalling the dinner just two weeks prior when he first noticed her. Just before Nellie leaves to return to work, Emile reveals that he left France because he killed a man there, and she trusts him when he tells her that it was justified. Across the island, the restless American Seabees, led by crafty Luther Billis, lament the absence of female company. The one civilian woman on the island, nicknamed “Bloody Mary”, is a sassy middle-aged Tonkinese ven
dor of grass skirts who engages the sailors in sarcastic, flirtatious banter as she tries to sell them her wares. Billis yearns to visit the nearby island of Bali Ha’i – which is off-limits to all but officers – supposedly to witness a Boar’s Tooth Ceremony (at which he can get an unusual native artifact). The other sailors josh him, saying his real motivation is seeing the young French women there. Lieutenant Joseph Cable arrives on orders. Cable tells Captain Brackett and Commander Harbison about a mission to spy on the Japanese from their islands. Before Cable sneaks his way there, he must recruit an ally for help, someone who knows the country well. With Emile in mind, Cable, Harbison, and Brackett call Nellie into their office to ask her to find out the Frenchman’s political leanings, and to learn why he killed a man before fleeing his home country. Nellie realizes she doesn’t know that much about him. Out by the showers, the other nurses ask Nellie what Captain Brackett wanted. She tries brushing their questions off by announcing she is intent on ending her relationship with Emile for good. Just then, Emile arrives, inviting her to a dinner party to introduce her to his friends and cohorts. She uses the opportunity to ensure that Emile believes in American ideals – that every man is created equally. He also tells her about the man he killed in France when he was much younger – a tyrant who overtook his town leaving its citizens powerless. He asks her to marry him and, disregarding her earlier promise to wash him right out, she agrees to come to his dinner. Back in his office, Brackett warns Emile that, should he agree to aid Lt. Cable in his spy mission, he may not survive, but it could potentially do great good for America in this region. To Cable’s disappointment, Emile thoughtfully declines. Harbison suggests that Cable take a few days to unwind, so Cable decides to take Billis up on his suggestion of a boat trip to the exotic paradise. On Bali Ha’i, Bloody Mary introduces Cable to her young and beautiful daughter, Liat. In a native hut, the two spend a night together and Cable confesses his love for her. Bloody Mary proudly tells Billis that Cable is going to be her son-in-law. After a night of champagne at Emile’s party, the two are ecstatically in love and Emile introduces Nellie to Jerome and Ngana. Though she finds them charming, Nellie is shocked when Emile reveals that they are his children by his late first wife, a dark-skinned Polynesian woman. Nellie is unable to overcome her deep-seated racial prejudices and tearfully leaves Emile.
ACT I
On a terrace in the South Pacific during World War II, French plantation owner Emile de Becque escorts Nellie Forbush, a nurse from Arkansas, on a tour through his estate. Nellie admires the view of the sun over the ocean. Nellie confides in Emile that she joined the Navy to see the world and to meet new people. Emile breaks away to pour them a brandy as they get lost in each other’s eyes. After polite small talk about French literature, Emile confesses his love for Nellie, recalling the dinner just two weeks prior when he first noticed her. Just before Nellie leaves to return to work, Emile reveals that he left France because he killed a man there, and she trusts him when he tells her that it was justified. Across the island, the restless American Seabees, led by crafty Luther Billis, lament the absence of female company. The one civilian woman on the island, nicknamed “Bloody Mary”, is a sassy middle-aged Tonkinese ven
dor of grass skirts who engages the sailors in sarcastic, flirtatious banter as she tries to sell them her wares. Billis yearns to visit the nearby island of Bali Ha’i – which is off-limits to all but officers – supposedly to witness a Boar’s Tooth Ceremony (at which he can get an unusual native artifact). The other sailors josh him, saying his real motivation is seeing the young French women there. Lieutenant Joseph Cable arrives on orders. Cable tells Captain Brackett and Commander Harbison about a mission to spy on the Japanese from their islands. Before Cable sneaks his way there, he must recruit an ally for help, someone who knows the country well. With Emile in mind, Cable, Harbison, and Brackett call Nellie into their office to ask her to find out the Frenchman’s political leanings, and to learn why he killed a man before fleeing his home country. Nellie realizes she doesn’t know that much about him. Out by the showers, the other nurses ask Nellie what Captain Brackett wanted. She tries brushing their questions off by announcing she is intent on ending her relationship with Emile for good. Just then, Emile arrives, inviting her to a dinner party to introduce her to his friends and cohorts. She uses the opportunity to ensure that Emile believes in American ideals – that every man is created equally. He also tells her about the man he killed in France when he was much younger – a tyrant who overtook his town leaving its citizens powerless. He asks her to marry him and, disregarding her earlier promise to wash him right out, she agrees to come to his dinner. Back in his office, Brackett warns Emile that, should he agree to aid Lt. Cable in his spy mission, he may not survive, but it could potentially do great good for America in this region. To Cable’s disappointment, Emile thoughtfully declines. Harbison suggests that Cable take a few days to unwind, so Cable decides to take Billis up on his suggestion of a boat trip to the exotic paradise. On Bali Ha’i, Bloody Mary introduces Cable to her young and beautiful daughter, Liat. In a native hut, the two spend a night together and Cable confesses his love for her. Bloody Mary proudly tells Billis that Cable is going to be her son-in-law. After a night of champagne at Emile’s party, the two are ecstatically in love and Emile introduces Nellie to Jerome and Ngana. Though she finds them charming, Nellie is shocked when Emile reveals that they are his children by his late first wife, a dark-skinned Polynesian woman. Nellie is unable to overcome her deep-seated racial prejudices and tearfully leaves Emile.
ACT TWODuring The Thanksgiving Follies revue, Emile arrives, bearing flowers for Nellie, who is emceeing the lively event onstage. Billis, promising to deliver the flowers, tells Emile that Nellie requested a transfer to another island. Meanwhile, Lt. Cable is determined to make his way back to Bali Ha’i, where he’s been visiting Liat daily, despite being treated for a serious case of malaria. Liat arrives with Bloody Mary who urges Lt. Cable to marry her daughter, elaborately describing the good life the two would have together. For the final number of The Thanksgiving Follies, Nellie performs a comedy burlesque dressed as a sailor singing the praises of “his” sweetheart. After the show, Emile asks Nellie to reconsider. Frustrated and uncomprehending, Emile asks Cable why he and Nellie have such prejudices. Cable, filled with self-loathing, replies that “it’s not something you’re born with”; it was an ingrained part of their upbringing. Dejected and feeling he has nothing to lose, Emile agrees to join Cable on his dangerous mission. The mission begins and the two send back reports on Japanese ships’ movements. On the beach, Nellie reflects regretfully on her choices in their relationship. She realizes she loves Emile and was foolish to reject him due to the race of his children’s mother. Nellie spends time with Jerome and Ngana and soon comes to love them. Emile appears to discover that Nellie has overcome her prejudices and has fallen in love with his children.