Goona-Goona; An Authentic Melodrama of the Isle of Bali
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Wyan
Dasnee
Seronee
Ktot
Nonga
Rei
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Prince Okah reminds the Rajah of Bali that his son, Prince Nonga, who is on his way home from Europe, where he has been educated, is to marry his daughter, Princess Maday. Nonga arrives in Bali in a combination of Western and Balinese clothing, and in a ceremony using both animism and Hinduism, the people give thanks to their gods for his safe return. Wyan, meanwhile, a laborer in Okah's service, meets with his sister Seronee and fiancée Dasnee, who work in a cake shop. One day Nonga visits the shop and takes a liking to Dasnee. In the market, Nonga follows Dasnee until her father Ktot sends for her. In honor of his engagement to his daughter, Okah gives Nonga a symbolic sword, the Kriss, but Nonga has no desire to marry Maday. Ktot ambitiously tries to break up the expected match, but to prevent a marriage out of caste, Okah promotes Wyan's plan to wed Dasnee. Seronee then helps to prepare Wyan's wedding through a symbolic abduction, without Ktot realizing what has happened until financial arrangements have been made. A priest intervenes to convince Nonga to marry Maday, and his festive, traditional wedding takes place immediately. After the ceremony, the people return to the rice fields, as do the newlyweds. Nonga is disconsolate, however, so his unscrupulous sister Rei offers to see Lungo, a sorcerer. The blind and cave-dwelling Lungo gives Rei some goona-goona, a stimulant. Later, Wyan is sent away to a neighboring island, and Dasnee and Seronee are brought to the palace via boat. Rei invites the sisters to stay overnight, and although they refuse, they partake of a meal on which goona-goona has been sprinkled. That night the girls awake, and Nonga goes to Dasnee. After later waking up from what she hopes was a nightmare, Dasnee goes to pray in the jungle. Wyan returns, visiting his mother and bringing a ring for Dasnee. While making Dasnee's bed, Seronee finds the Kriss. Wyan expels the girls from the house and, Kriss in hand, rushes to confront Nonga, who is bathing in a river. The rivals struggle, and when the sword is taken from its scabbard, Nonga is killed and swept away. Others in the village rush to Wyan and attack him. Finally Wyan gives the Kriss to Okah, who uses it to stab Wyan to death.
Cast
Wyan
Dasnee
Seronee
Ktot
Nonga
Rei
Okah
Maday
Rajah Of Bali
Lungo
Rono
I. Maria
A. Legong
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The title card contained the subtitle, "An Authentic Melodrama of the Isle of Bali . The film was also known as Love Powder, and was released overseas as The Kriss. Andre Roosevelt is introduced to the audience in the opening and states that he is reconstructing the story as told to him by natives. The Variety review also noted that the film included sub-titles, but complained that they lacked standardization. Although Variety refers to the film as "French made," no evidence to support that claim has been found. Initially released overseas, the film was the first Balinese feature seen there, but, as Variety notes, was the fourth such movie to appear in America. According to a news item in Film Daily, Baltimore censors objected to a "display" advertising the film in which two Balinese women nude above the waist were shown. Copyright records indicate that Denis was a research engineer with Eastman Kodak Co., and Roosevelt was a cousin of Theodore Roosevelt and a relative of then-presidential candidate Franklin Roosevelt.
Miscellaneous Notes
Shown at Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival in New York City November 8-14, 1996.
b&w
