NAKED PARADISE

Beverly Garland and Richard Denning

NAKED PARADISE (aka Thunder Over Hawaii/1957). Produced and directed by Roger Corman. 

Duke Bradley (Richard Denning of The Black Scorpion) owns a charter boat and takes on passengers including gangster Zach Cotton (Leslie Bradley of Attack of the Crab Monsters), his "secretary" Max MacKenzie (Beverly Garland of Gunslinger), and nasty gunsels Mitch (Dick Miller) and Stony (Jonathan Haze). After pulling a robbery the gang set out for an island where Duke learns that Zach plans on forcing him to take them all in his small boat to the mainland, a ridiculous proposition. Duke and Max set sail by themselves but have to turn back due to an approaching hurricane, and are at the mercy of Zach and his cohorts. But all may not be hopeless ... 

Creeps: Miller, Bradley, Haze

Obviously Naked Paradise was considered a more exploitable title than the original Thunder Over Hawaii. The movie, which moves at the expected brisk pace, is reasonably entertaining and also unpredictable -- you're not really certain which of the participants will survive. A major asset of the film, also as expected, is the performance of Garland, who always raises things a notch. The others are all competent but unexceptional, and Bradley completely lacks charisma, essential when playing a gang leader. Miller and Haze have done better work elsewhere, and Denning displays his customary bland charm. The picture has a satisfying wind-up. Shot by Floyd Crosby and with a score by Ronald Stein. 

Verdict: At least the actors got a trip to Hawaii out of it! ***.