I’m Gonna Wash that Man Right-South Pacific by Mitzi Gaynor movie

We are coming to the end of our study of dramatic “right hand turns” in South Pacific. If time allows, we will post another story about Lt. Joe Cable and Liat; but for now, we need to finish our story about Nellie and Emile. It is an interesting story, because it highlights one of the best attributes about Americans in general and American women in particular. You will recall that in our last post, Nellie told Emile that she couldn’t marry him because he had been married to a woman of “color.” Nellie had put in for a transfer.

Because she had turned him down and unbeknownst to Nellie, Emile accepted the offer to guide Lt. Cable around Marie Louise Island to spy on Japanese shipping, and the two men were smuggled onto the Island by plane and then submarine. They immediately were able to send back very important information about Japanese ship and troop movements, allowing American flyers to intercept the Japanese at a vulnerable place called the “bottleneck” in the play (called “The Slot” in real life).

After telling Emile that she couldn’t marry him, Nellie realizes that she behaved badly and goes to the plantation to apologize; but she cannot find him. Emile’s two children, a boy and a girl who only speak French, are alone; and they do not know where Emile is, either. It is at this point, when Emile cannot be found and the children need someone to care for them, that Nellie, the 100% caring, American woman takes over. This is an emergency, and she uses every little bit of French that she knows to talk to the children. She wants to make sure they eat all their food and mind their manners. Her shoulders broaden out, as she leaves the safety of her position as nurse and takes on the responsibility of caregiver. She forgets her own feelings and begins to put the needs of others first. For the first time, she realizes what it means to be at war; she cares for wounded flyers in the ward when on duty and for the children when she is off duty.

But she also hears strange mutterings by the pilots in her ward; they talk about a Frenchman; how the Frenchman said this and the Frenchman said that. Finally, after a week goes by, she gets up the courage to see Capt. Brackett to find out whether the Frenchman the flyers are talking about is HER Frenchman. The Captain has to admit that the Frenchman is Emile and that no one could tell her before this because the mission was a secret. At that moment, the wireless crackles into life, and Nellie hears Emile’s voice. He tells them that Joe Cable died from his wounds received three days earlier; that the Japanese have been pursuing them; and that they need to make this transmission short so that they can find a safer place. Just then the sound of aircraft and machine gun fire is heard, and the radio goes silent.

Perhaps for the first time in her life, Nellie realizes the enormity of what they are doing and the sacrifices and contributions that must be made in order to win the war. In a sort of prayer, Nellie goes to the beach, looks out at the ocean and says: “Come back so I can tell you. Oh, my God, don’t die until I can tell you! All that matters is you and I being together. That’s all!”

While she knows that there is a chance that Emile can survive on Marie Louise Island, she also knows that the chances of his survival are not good. She decides that no matter what else she does, she must take care of the children. At lunch the next day, the children are being playful with her and are not minding her. She tells them to sit down in her bad French accent. “Ass–say–yay–voo. Now, you have to learn to mind me when I talk to you and be nice to me too. Because I love you very much. Now, mangez.”

She doesn’t see Emile near the trellis at the other end of the stage, but he hears her talking to the children. He smiles, tired as he is in his dirt-stained uniform. The children beg Nelly to sing. She starts to refuse: “I will not sing that song. You just want to laugh at my French accent.” She relents, and the three of them start to sing “Dites-Moi Pourquoi,” soon to be joined by a fourth voice.