South Pacific (2001 Television Soundtrack)
This soundtrack captures the March 2001 ABC-TV production ofSouth Pacific,Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's musical of passion, danger, and racial intolerance in the Pacific islands during World War II, based onJames Michener's book. Somewhat ... mature for the role of Nellie Forbush (the spunky naval nurse made famous by Mary Martin in theoriginal Broadway cast),Glenn Closeproves an adequate singer in her renditions of "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair" and "A Wonderful Guy."In the men's roles, Rade Sherbedgia's voice lacks sufficient richness for Emile de Becque's ballads "Some Enchanted Evening" and "This Nearly Was Mine," while as Lt. Joe Cable, jazz-pianist-turned-crooner-turned-actorHarry Connick Jr.makes "Younger Than Springtime" suave rather than wide-eyed. Robert Pastorelli and Lori Tan Chinn are fine as Billis and Bloody Mary, respectively, and the grandly romantic score is mostly intact, missing "Happy Talk" but adding a bonus track of Connick and Close singing "My Girl Back Home," which was cut from the original production, restored for the 1958 film, and cut again for this production. If you enjoyed the television film, this might be a useful souvenir, but serious fans of the score can stick to the original Broadway cast or thecomplete two-disc recording from JAY.--David Horiuchi