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Poster for Hawaii

Hawaii

James Michener's novel reaches the screen.

1966 · 3h 9m · Approved Adventure, Drama, History, Romance
Directed by George Roy Hill

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Overview

Abner Hale, a rigid and humorless New England missionary, marries the beautiful Jerusha Bromley and takes her to the exotic island kingdom of Hawaii, intent on converting the natives. But the clash between the two cultures is too great and instead of understanding there comes tragedy.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
67%
Tomatometer
Fresh

Hill's direction, solid in the intimate dramatic scenes, is as good in crowd shots which rep the major external events.

Variety Staff, Variety
Rotten

Although the film tells the sadly ironic story of the extinction of one culture upon invasion by another, one comes out of the theater not so much moved as numbed.

Vincent Canby, New York Times
Fresh

Hawaii, as it happens, is a normal, lively, fairly intelligent ten-ton mouse.

TIME Magazine
Fresh

The conflict between naive dogma and naive innocence is effectively established, but the spectacle is always broader than it is deep.

Time Out

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