The Tahitian
odd: label: Local Numbers
content: HSFA 1994.5.1
name: label: Creator
content: Long, Lotus
label: Creator
content: Knott, James
place: label: Place
content: French Polynesia
label: Place
content: Tahiti (French Polynesia : Island)
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Received from Ryon Rickard in 1994.
creator: label: Creator
content: Long, Lotus
label: Creator
content: Knott, James
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 8 Film reels (2 hours 57 minutes, color sound; 6,375 feet, 35mm)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1956
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Human Studies Film Archives
identifier: label: Identifier
content: HSFA.1994.05
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Film reels
label: Type
content: Sound films
label: Type
content: Fiction films
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Sound films
label: Genre/Form
content: Fiction films
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Edited film is a theatrical production filmed in Tahiti using Tahitians in the cast. Film was produced and created by Hollywood cameraman James Knott and his wife, actress Lotus Long. Story involves scientists trying to stop a filaria epidemic spreading through a local population. The doctors try to use western medicine to combat the disease but meet resistence from the local medicine man and chief.  The chief's son falls ill from the parasitic worm which causes the disease and negative attitudes quickly change.  The young man is cured.  Film also includes Tahitian dance and music.

Collection contains supplementary materials, namely associated texts (written narration).

Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or Anthropology Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.