Isle of Destiny (1940)

Directed by Elmer Clifton, Isle of Destiny is a pulpy, action-packed adventure set in the exotic South Pacific. Originally produced by Franklyn Warner’s Fine Arts Pictures for Grand National Pictures, the film was completed in 1939 but delayed due to Grand National’s bankruptcy. It was eventually picked up and released by RKO Radio Pictures in 1940.

Plot Summary
Heiress and daredevil aviatrix Virginia Allerton (June Lang) is test-flying her seaplane, The Lady Bird, when a tropical storm forces her to land on the remote island of Palo Pango, where her brother, Lt. George Allerton (Grant Richards), is stationed with a detachment of U.S. Marines. She’s welcomed by two Marines—Stripes Thornton (William Gargan) and Milly Barnes (Wallace Ford)—both of whom quickly fall for her.

But the island harbors danger: suave trader Oliver Barton (Gilbert Roland) is secretly smuggling guns and has plans to use Virginia’s presence as a distraction. He challenges her to a flying race to Guam, but his motives are far from sporting. Things spiral into sabotage, jealousy, and jungle peril—especially when Barton’s wife Inda (Katherine DeMille) enters the fray with a blowpipe and a vendetta.

Cast Highlights

• June Lang as Virginia Allerton
• William Gargan as Stripes Thornton
• Wallace Ford as Milly Barnes
• Gilbert Roland as Oliver Barton
• Katherine DeMille as Inda Barton
• Etienne Girardot as Doc Spriggs — his final film role before his death
• Grant Richards, Tom Dugan, and Harry Woods in supporting roles
• Features Thurl Ravenscroft (of future Tony the Tiger fame) in his first screen appearance as a member of the Sportsmen Quartet

Behind-the-Scenes Trivia

• The film was the only feature ever shot in the Cosmocolor process, with prints made by Cinecolor
• It aired on early American television as far back as June 12, 1947, on New York’s DuMont Network (WABD Channel 5)
• The plot was loosely inspired by post–Amelia Earhart aviation fever, with Lang’s character echoing the daring female pilot archetype
• Despite its exotic setting, much of the film was shot on studio backlots with painted backdrops and stock jungle footage