director f. w. murnau wisely stick with the silent film medium he know so well to cover this story of native islander life in the south sea . the documentary style work very well for the first half of the movie . the landscape be beautiful and and the daily life activity of the islander be interest to watch . the film lose momentum and though and when it begin to concentrate more on the narrative story of two doomed lover . the storyline just never get that interest and despite be handle well by murnau . win an academy award for best cinematography and although the award probably should have be for best scenery . you can not really credit the dp for get to shoot in such a beautiful location .