I Sailed to Tahiti with an All Girl Crew (1968)

A slow boat to Tahiti, 27 January 2017

The title, I Sailed to Tahiti with an All Girl Crew, pretty much sums up the plot. To expand just a little, in a drunken state, Gardner (Gardner McKay) bets fellow boat owner Fred (Fred Clark) that he could beat him in a race to Tahiti with the titular All Girl Crew. The stakes – Fred puts up $30,000 while the inebriated Gardner bets his boat. Once in his right-mind, Gardner realizes his chances of winning are slim. So, instead of looking for women who can actual sail, he hires his crew based on appearance. 

I Sailed to Tahiti with an All Girl Crew is a harmless enough movie, but it's not got a lot going for it. The endless scenes of boats sailing through the Pacific, while very nicely filmed, get a bit dull after a while. The humor is lame and too safe. For example, the attempt to add variety and comedy to the film with the ill- advised silent movie treatment is just plain silly. And the acting is below par. I didn't expect much from some of the female cast who were most likely hired for looks – not acting ability – but Gardner McKay is awful. He's dull, dry, and painfully uninteresting. Beyond the excellent cinematography, character actor Fred Clark (in his last role), and a surprisingly nice performance from Diane McBain (known to me from her role in The Mini-Skirt Mob), there's really not much to recommend. I haven't rated it lower because, despite all the flaws, it didn't offend my senses like some of the truly awful movies I've seen.

4/10