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Title

The Beach of Falesa

Plot

An island merchant is cast out of his village after marrying a local woman in defiance of their faith. In order to restore his family's pride and reclaim his trade, he must go against a shrewd and highly competitive business rival.

Episode

0131

Air Dates

  • First Run - August 12, 1974
  • Repeat - October 11, 1974
  • Repeat - September 23, 1979

Actors

Writer

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Rating

108
82     26


13 Responses to Episode 0131

This adaptation of Stevenson's story downplays the issues of colonialism in favor of the adventure at the story's core. It plays a lot like a Western, with a recent arrival to the South Seas having to stand up to a ruthless trader who will exploit the law, religion, and the native population in order to crush his potential business rivals. The source material and exotic setting make for a solid yarn.

Matt Sandwich

A trader is thwarted by his rival competitor which uses voodoo to scare away his customers. Based on a Robert Lewis Stevenson story.

Tracy

A quickie marriage to a local girl results in an island trader becoming an outcast. He must fight a voodoo religion and a business rival to restore his honor and his business and save hsi family.

Brendan Lewis

A quickie marriage to a local girl results in an island trader becoming an outcast. He must fight a voodoo religion and a business rival to restore his honor and his business and save hsi family.

M. Monarch Mamba

A kind hearted English trader arrives in a Polynesian island with a handicapped boy he adopted in another land to set up shop. Upon arrival he is greeted by his rival in trade who appears friendly enough and arranges a marriage for him (after all, you need someone to cook and clean and provide companionship!) The bartender performs a phoney ceremony much to the chagrin of the Englishman, but he accepts the young woman into his life and treats her well. They work to set up the shop but no one comes… apparently they are taboo… but why? And how will they rid themselves of the taboo?

Matt

You don't have to go to Polynesia to draw ire for a mixed-race marriage! Suspense; imagined supernatural elements.

Andy

This could have been better. But the voice of Evie Juster as Uma was just horrible. Juster not only played the voice of a young island girl, but also the voice of a young island boy. It was really not that bad of an episode from a writing point of view--after it was an adaptation of a Stevenson work. But the casting was poor to the point of annoyance. However, I do like the idea of an aged missionary finding love with a young island princess. If that is possible, I would like to go island hopping telling natives the gospel. Ha Ha, Hee Hee. I'm not that lucky. 3 stars for the episode.

DAVY JOE

The voicing of Uma and the boy weren't the best, but okay. The story was a good adaptation (not that I read the original, though). It's always good to hear an adaptation of a classic tale.

Alec

I'm trying, but I can't be that generous. Evie Juster has been featured in many episodes and did great work over and over. But here she is appalling. Trying so hard to think about the time the original story was written (I can forgive quite a lot) and the time this radio program was recorded (I can forgive quite a bit), but I can't with this one. That Uma characterization was unforgivable; grading on a curve and correcting for the era -- it still fails. Badly. I've already used the word, but I'll say it again. This was appalling.

Gilly

Trader Sam Wiltshire arrives on the island of Falesá to find that the natives are fearful of approaching his store to trade their copra. Through his wife Uma, Wiltshire learns that a rival, Jeremy Case, manipulates the islanders with threats of voodoo and devil gods. Seeking to break Case’s hold over the natives, Wiltshire realizes he alone must destroy Case’s devil idols in the dark jungle.

Jack

The storyline, based on Stevenson tale is good. Acting could have been better. Sound effects were good. Glad there were commercials. Not one of the better productions.

Nancy

Evie Juster’s voice is very annoying in this but if you can get past it the story is well done. Alexander Scourby’s voice is rich as a strong cup of coffee.

Christine

One negative comment and they all fall in line like tumbling dominoes. Evie Juster died in 1988 at the age of 73, why complain about something so long ago in the past? She isn’t here to change it for you, either enjoy or switch the story to another one 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ Having completed 225 episodes she knew what she was doing; It’s called artistic license; how would you play her fictional character? And then maybe the director wanted the character to be played as she did. In the mean time it’s well written and well played and much better than many visual garbage movies 🙄 of today.

Debbie


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