Off the shelf o' DVDs, by The Movie Snob.

South Pacific (B). I had the opportunity to buy this movie and Oklahoma! in a two-pack at Sam's for $20, so I did it. Now, months later, I've watched one of them. It's not a bad flick, although a little long for my taste (2 1/2 hours, I think?). You probably already know the general contour of the plot. In WWII, the war in the Pacific is just underway, and Japanese forces have occupied lots of islands in the south seas. On an American-occupied island, a French plantation owner and an American nurse (from my home town of Little Rock, Ark.!) have just met and are falling in love. At the same time, a brave young American lieutenant is on a daring mission to try to make a secret landing on a Japanese-occupied island so he can radio information back to American forces about Japanese naval movements. He tries to persuade the French plantation owner to be his guide. I won't say more, but it's a decent flick with some decent tunes. It is also very startling how forthrightly the movie challenges the settled racial prejudices of the day (the movie was made in 1958). Definitely worth a look, but take advantage of the intermission.