As senseless as an episode of "Gilligan's Island" (and possibly the film where Sherwood Schwartz got some plot ideas for that cult sitcom), this Technicolor Paramount musical focuses on three American pilots shipwrecked on a deserted island who manage to escape after overpowering three Japanese pilots and stealing their plane. Of course, they are shipwrecked once again after the American navy sees the approaching Japanese plane (its painted on American flag dissolved in a rainstorm) where one of them (Eddie Bracken) is believed to be their God after the local natives notice his resemblance to his totem pole likeness (the same thing which happened to Gilligan). Handsome Barry Sullivan falls in love with the not so native girl Dorothy Lamour, still wearing a sarong, but shipwrecked as a child along with her father (Forrest Orr), and every bit as tan as the natives. As for Bracken, his "Godly" identity is questioned by the native queen (Anne Revere), high priest Reed Hadley and warrior Marc Lawrence, and when the queen is given a sleeping poison, Bracken is set for execution, either by being burnt alive or eaten by a huge carnivorous plant, all to see if he really is a God. While my numerical rating indicates the fact that I consider this to be a substandard film, it is still an entertaining piece of nostalgic hokum that has to be seen to believed for really how bad it is, stereotypical in pretty much every way and cast with actors whom you know were embarrassed by their participation in it. Lamour and Bracken could play their parts in their sleep, but I really felt bad for the future Oscar Winning actress Anne Revere who in dark make-up looks ridiculous, even if she gives a very commanding performance. The songs by Burton Lane and Ted Koehler are instantly forgettable, and even if the Technicolor photography is superbly beautiful, the sets are extremely artificial looking. It's obvious to me that the best way to view this is with tongue firmly planted in cheek, but when you compare these with the Road pictures made at Paramount around the same time, you can see why they stand the test of time, even in black and white, while this is much closer to the Universal series of colorful adventures starring Maria Montez.

RAINBOW ISLAND only existed on the Paramount lot and it was concocted to please kids and young adults with its story of three sailors (EDDIE BRACKEN, GIL LAMB, BARRY SULLIVAN) who land on a South Seas island populated by natives and a sarong wearing DOROTHY LAMOUR. They're delighted to be there until the natives realize that Bracken resembles the high man on their totem pole--and they decide to worship him unless he shows normal appetites that are not Godly.That's the thrust of the plot. Bracken makes the most of a well written comic role, and Lamour looks lovely when she sings a song called "Beloved" and is romanced by Barry Sullivan. With all of the idol worship going on, you just know that the Gods are going to be angry when Bracken is revealed as mortal and there's liable to be an eruption from that lively volcano.It's all very fetching to look at in brilliant Technicolor and there are plenty of amusing gags along the way. Only thing missing is Bob Hope and Bing Crosby--but Bracken and Lamb do pretty well in the laugh department.Strictly escapism fluff.

Curious -- those are the scenes that I recall, too. What I remember, in particular, was the vivid color! But then, that was only 60 years ago. Another movie that I remember from that time (ca 1943) was a combat documentary, "The Fighting Lady," about a US carrier in Japanese waters. It was released as a DVD in 2001. According to the descriptive material: "See the ship and its pilots undergo their baptism of fire, -- Kwajalein, Truk, and the Marianas Turkey Shoot." The film is quite educational -- and not simply a wartime motivational piece. It, too, is in striking color.Interested viewers may want to check it out (the same time frame and roughly covering the same historical interval) simply to compare it to the fictitious and humorous "Rainbow Island."

I, too, first saw it in theaters as a kid. To a kid: the most exciting thing about a (duh!) musical is the action! In one scene, while the pilots are trying to get off the isolated island on which they crashed, one is nearly swallowed by a flesh-eating plant that looked more like a giant artichoke. Cool! Then their ingenuity (didn't know what the word meant when I was a kid) came up as they captured a Japanese plane that had landed there. To turn the "Zero" red ball of the Japanese flag into an Army Air Corps U.S. star, they used plant dies to paint it on the wings. Unfortunately, as they flew near a U.S. flattop, a sudden tropical rain came up and washed away the "star" pattern, leaving the original "Zero". The ship began to fire at them !!!