Venus of the South Seas

A story of girls and pearls, love and adventures, mermaids and wonders, of the South Seas.

Venus of the South Seas, New Zealand, 1924

New Zealand Dominion Picture Productions
Director: James R. Sullivan
Presented by: Lee Bradford
Distributed by: NZ Picture Supplies

With: Annette Kellerman (Shona), Norman French (John Drake), Roland Purdu (John Royal), Robert Ramsey (Robert Quane)

35mm, 47 minutes

A story of girls and pearls, love and adventures, mermaids and wonders, of the South Seas.

“The strength depends entirely upon the aquatic Annette Kellerman and some beautiful water scenes. There is a story about Miss Kellerman as Shonda [sic] being marooned upon a far away island in the South Sea with her daddy, and how she meets a nice looking boy who falls in love with her. There are some close ups of Miss Kellerman in the water, which are based upon a legendary tale which Miss Kellerman is supposed to tell a group of native children. Quite a melodramatic theme but secondary to the Kellerman diving and swimming stunts. The picture will prove of greater interest in the neighborhoods.” - Variety, 6 June 1924

“The story concerns a lonely pearl diver and his beautiful daughter, Shona. She is a child of nature, a goddess of the seas, and one moonlight night, romance comes to her when she swims out to a strange boat and meets the hero. A rival pearl pirate, on the death of the old man, attempts villainy, but the young man pits himself against him, and, naturally all ends well. Playing opposite Miss Kellerman is Mr Norman French, who does excellent acting, and makes a manly hero all through.” - The Evening Post, 7 June 1924

In 1984 Venus of the South Seas was returned to the Film Archive by the National Archive, London, in exchange for some early British films which had been thought not to have survived.

Australian born Annette Kellerman was a champion diver and swimmer who made headlines in 1907 when she was arrested in Boston for wearing a one piece bathing suit. In Hollywood she starred in Neptune’s Daughter, (1914) and A Daughter of the Gods (1916). The exterior scenes were filmed in Nelson, the interior in Christchurch.

The hero, Norman French (1891-1974) had earlier appeared in the epic The Birth of New Zealand (1922). After Venus of the South Seas he settled in Australia, between 1931 and 1935 he appeared in four Australian features, Diggers (1931), Waltzing Matilda (1933), Diggers in Blighty (1933) and Heritage (1935). By lying about his age Norman French managed to fight in, and survive, both World Wars. After World War One he tried his luck in Hollywood, but without success.

Screenings: Venus of the South Seas screened in a Silents of the Surf season at The Brisbane International Film Festival on 6 November 2011; and on 19 February 2009 with musical accompaniment by Mike Cooper.