Isle of Destiny

1940
Approved
1h 35m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Katherine DeMille, Wallace Ford, William Gargan, June Lang, and Gilbert Roland in Isle of Destiny (1940)

Society glamor girl/aviatrix Virginia Allerton decides to alter her around-the-world flight by stopping off on the Pacific isle of Palo Pango where her brother, Lieutenant Allerton is statio... Read allSociety glamor girl/aviatrix Virginia Allerton decides to alter her around-the-world flight by stopping off on the Pacific isle of Palo Pango where her brother, Lieutenant Allerton is stationed with a detachment of U.S. Marines, including "Stripes" Thornton and "Milly" Barnes. Lo... Read allSociety glamor girl/aviatrix Virginia Allerton decides to alter her around-the-world flight by stopping off on the Pacific isle of Palo Pango where her brother, Lieutenant Allerton is stationed with a detachment of U.S. Marines, including "Stripes" Thornton and "Milly" Barnes. Local smuggler Barton baits her into a trap using her plane for his gun-smuggling racket and... Read all

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IMDb RATING

4.7/10

113

YOUR RATING

4User reviews

See production info at IMDbPro

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Trivia
This was filmed by Franklyn Warner's Fine Arts Pictures as part of a contract with Grand National Pictures, to be distributed by them. But Grand National was in receivership and bankruptcy proceedings when it was finished, and RKO-Radio bought the rights to the film.

Goofs
U.S. Marines are referred to as soldiers

Soundtracks
Moonlight Magic
Melody by Irving Bibo
Lyrics by Eddie Cherkose
Sung by The Sportsmen Quartet (uncredited)

User reviews4

Review

Featured review

3/10

Sluggish.

Despite all the exciting plot elements, "Isle of Destiny" is a rather dull little B-movie. While there is an aviatrix making a round the world trip and gun runners, the story never really created a lot of excitement.

When the story begins, a famous aviatrix, Virginia Atherton (June Lang) and her co-pilot are on a round-the-world flight. However, they seem in no particular hurry and they stop to visit her brother in the US Marines stationed at Palo Pango in the South Pacific. There they meet up with some folks who seem okay but who are actually gun runners intent on stealing the airplane. When they do, it's up to her new friends in the military and her brother to come to the rescue.

Like many movies of the day, this one features William Gargan and Wallace Ford...two veterans of dozens and dozens of Bs. They and the rest of the cast do reasonably well, but Katherine DeMille (daughter of the famous director) comes off rather poorly as she's painted up to look like a native but who looks about as Polynesian as Mantan Moreland.

As for the plot, well, it didn't really make a lot of sense and Catalina Island (off the California coast) didn't exactly look like Polynesia.The thrilling showdown, also, was a disappointment--and it was annoying to see the cliche of the lady in distress who does NOTHING to help when the men are fighting to the death! I say she either helps or you should just leave her! Overall, slow going and a bit silly...but still watchable....not that this is a glowing endorsement.