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Tabu

Play trailer Poster for Tabu 1931 1h 21m Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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92% Tomatometer 13 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
On the island of Bora Bora, the islanders welcome Tabu (Hitu), a messenger from the chief who has come to declare the island's virgin successor. Tabu names the beautiful young Reri (Anna Chevalier), unaware that she has a lover, Matahi (Matahi). Despite Tabu's claim that if a man touches Reri, it will mean death for him, Matahi follows Tabu as he leaves the island, and kidnaps Reri. Enduring numerous hardships, the couple arrives at another island -- but find that Tabu's curse has followed them.
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Tabu

Critics Reviews

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Mordaunt Hall New York Times 01/28/2006
5/5
It is like a picture poem, with its sunshine and happiness in the beginning and its stormy drama in the end. Go to Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader 01/01/2000
The exquisite tragic ending -- conceived musically and rhythmically as a gradually decelerating diminuendo -- is one of the pinnacles of silent cinema. Go to Full Review Dennis Harvey 48 Hills 01/08/2022
...closer to the romantic, "exotic" escapism of movies like Bird of Paradise than the intended co-director had wanted. But it was also lovely to look at... Go to Full Review Pamela Hutchinson Silent London 03/26/2020
This voiceless melodrama, as exotic and strange as it may seem, will slide right under your skin. Go to Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row 06/05/2019
3.5/4
A relatively minor Murnau film, lacking the director's usual visual flair, but Murnau's mastery of film as a visual language remains on display, along with Flaherty's clear love of its island location. Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 03/19/2013
A
Brilliantly simple lyrical film was shot on location in Tahiti. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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09/08/2022 Alright for the time it came out but sadly lost most of it's value over time. I do like that it takes place in a time in place most movies don't go to but it is very boring at times and has a rather abrupt ending. See more william d @acsdoug 07/07/2022 The story is entertaining enough. What I really enjoyed, however, was its depiction of Tahitian culture. I don't know how accurate it is, but I found it fascinating. See more 12/14/2021 F.W. Murnau left this film as his final effort, dying shortly after. It is a solidly filmed presentation of the south seas. The plot involves a clash between island civilization and that of modern western society. A tale of two lovers who have been put upon by superstition and quaint religious rule. The problem is that there is no place for them to find peace. See more William L 01/21/2021 Starting in familiar territory for early film with a simplistic romance of lovers forced apart by convention, Tabu gradually feeds in more complex themes, touching on colonization from the perspective of native inhabitants, traditionalism vs. progress, and the power of perception (the haunting nature of 'Tabu' whether enforced by tangible consequences or when its effects are only imagined). Perhaps most stunning for the period is the film's tragic ending, with little hint of even bittersweet tones, instead opting for complete failure on the part of the protagonists to succeed against the forces that would drive them apart. Beautifully shot on-location, the film may not have taken advantage of the sound technology that was by this point far more than a novelty, but it remains a stunning depiction of the Polynesian setting. It's not the greatest Murnau, but establishing any film as clearly superior among the director's limited and high-quality output (which includes Nosferatu and Sunrise) is quite difficult. (3.5/5) See more 03/13/2019 Murnau's last masterpiece. A romance of exploitation, tradition, and the defiance of such. See more 01/26/2019 The best romance movie ever made! See more Read all reviews
Tabu

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Cast & Crew

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F.W. Murnau

Director

Anna Chevalier

The Girl

Matahi

The Boy

Hitu

The Old Warrior

Bill Bambridge

The Policeman

Jules

The Captain

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Tabu

Tabu (1931) Tabu (1931) Tabu (1931) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis On the island of Bora Bora, the islanders welcome Tabu (Hitu), a messenger from the chief who has come to declare the island's virgin successor. Tabu names the beautiful young Reri (Anna Chevalier), unaware that she has a lover, Matahi (Matahi). Despite Tabu's claim that if a man touches Reri, it will mean death for him, Matahi follows Tabu as he leaves the island, and kidnaps Reri. Enduring numerous hardships, the couple arrives at another island -- but find that Tabu's curse has followed them.
Director
F.W. Murnau
Producer
F.W. Murnau, Robert J. Flaherty, David Flaherty
Distributor
Milestone Film & Video, Kino Video, Image Entertainment Inc., Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Paramount Pictures, Murnau-Flaherty Productions
Genre
Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 1, 1931, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 27, 2021
Runtime
1h 21m
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