When Richard "King" Howland (Charlton Heston), a rich plantation owner, widower, and possible political candidate in Hawaii circa 1959, nicknamed "King" for the way he tries to control everything in his life, finds out that his younger sister Sloane (Yvette) intends to marry a local Hawaiian boy Paul (James Darren), even though she's long been pining for his racially mixed doctor brother Dean (George Chakiris of West Side Story fame), his seemingly almost ideal life comes crashing down around him when his stubborn, hypocritical racism leads to a series of misfortunes. Though he never thought much of intermingling "the races" before, even having a Hawaiian mistress himself, who is now pregnant with his child, the idea of his sister marrying one and having interracial children appalls him. After Paul dies in a fight that smears King's name and ruins his career, he continues to having falling outs with his sister in law Laura (Elizabeth Allen), who of course had feelings for him all along but could never reach him, his sister, and his mistress. Even as he begins to realize that his stubborn ways are destroying all that he holds dear he can't seem to let go. After his mistress dies giving birth to his son, Dean comes to finally make it clear that he and Sloane will be together regardless of whether or not big brother approves, King lashes out at both of them and rides off, blinded by anger and unable to think. Finally at the end of a long ride, King seems to have a moral awakening, then returns home to find Sloane & Dean gone with his son, he gets his closest servant to come with him as he drives out to reclaim his son.
Competently made drama about the futility of hatred and racism, generally well acted all around. Heston gives an overlooked yet interesting performance as a man who, as his mistress puts it, is determined to not to let himself be happy.
Competently made drama about the futility of hatred and racism, generally well acted all around. Heston gives an overlooked yet interesting performance as a man who, as his mistress puts it, is determined to not to let himself be happy.