SECOND FEATURE.

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 328, 15 September 1932, Page 3

SECOND FEATURE.

"Love; in a land where love began." j That is what one Hollywood writer calls "Tabu," the F. W. Murnau feature picture of South Seas island i life, which opens at the Grand Theaj tre to-night. ! "Tabu" is the story of a primitive, love hetween Reri, a beautiful Polynesian girl of the island of Bora Bora, and her handsome lover, Matahi, a 1 youth of the same tribe. I They live happily in the carefree, joyousness with which all the natives ' seem to be endowed. But their ro- ; mance is threatened when the chief of j the islands arrives to announce that j Reri has been honoured as the Chosen | One, the maid who will hencefiorth be i set apart from all others. She, is to be "tabu" — that is, unattainable, beyond the possession of any man. None is to desire her. He who does, must suffer death. When Hitu, the chief, takes her away, Matahi follows and steals her from the righteous-minded old leader. Reri and Matahi go to a far-away island, where he succeeds for the time as a pearl-fisher, earning money, which they spend freely in feasts and semi-civilised carryings-on. But -old Hitu finds them out, and thre,atens Matahi with death unless he gives up his loved one. In order to save her lover, Reri goes with Hitu. Matahi learns of this in time to follow the departing hoat. He swims manfully, desperately, to rescue her. The ending is dramatic, full of heart-stirring emotion.