Synopsis/Details
Auckland, New Zealand and a fictional island called Malata feature in this feature screenplay. The action takes place during one hot Summer in 1915 (January +) The protagonist Geoffrey Renouard is a reputed Canadian ‘adventurer’ who has purchased from the British Colonial government a concession to grow Chinese flax (called Ramey) for a laboratory in Liverpool who are trying to synthesize silk from it. Renouard and his crew harvest and deliver to Auckland two or three times a year for shipment.
The story opens with he and his foreman, Luis, dragging/carrying a plain coffin up the side of a hill. They are watched from a distance by two of the crew. The others have taken the day off. They are superstitious. And Renouard’s foreman, Luis, complains about them several time s. However, we soon meet people on the mainland just north of Auckland. These are a lovely 26-year-old woman from London who is there with her Father and Aunt to search for her runaway Faience. He was a bank employee in London who became a suspect in missing funds. Several months later, the true culprit been apprehended.
Renouard meets Miss Moorsom at the home of the Dunsters, who own the shipping firm in Auckland. We learn this and its effect on him when he visits his friend Max Ford, a local newspaper editor. We can see how agitated Renouard is about being fussed over by these people. He later, tries to escape to his more familiar life on the island. But wakes to discover that he is back at the Mainland again, (his skipper turning the boat around in the middle of the night.) It is then, that Geoffrey learns from Max about the reason the beautiful Miss Moorsom has come to New Zealand. This would explain why she seems so interested in him. He is a seasoned adventurer and might offer advice as to where her fiancé might have got to.
However, Geoffrey is by now besotted. He succumbs to this ‘malady’ and stays on Auckland ignoring his better judgement. He begins to visit the Moorsoms, who are staying with the Dunsters Eventually, Willie Dunster and Max Ford figure out that the missing fiancé can be no other than the mysterious assistant that Renouard has hired. They have fair proof from a letter that had been received by Felicia. She is entertaining her constant visitor Geoffrey, when they show up tipsy and over-zealous about their ‘discovery.’ Felicia disappears upstairs to be alone and grateful. Geoffrey is in shock. Max decides for him that the Moorsoms will be taken to Malata Island for the happy reunion. Geoffrey cannot think. His World suddenly is upside=down. And his crew have scattered to the winds.
These details are dealt with and the next morning the Schooner ‘Janet’ is sailing for the island with the Moorsoms, Renouard, and a temporary crew of two. It takes longer than expected to get to reach Malata. Geoffrey explains they cannot land until morning. Everyone sleeps on=board. But he sneaks off to the island to inform his Luis about the situation. He tells him that he needs to say that the assistant has gone on a supply boat to hire more hands and that he does not know when he will be back. That’s the story he needs to maintain. The Moorsom’s manage to settle into island life while they wait for the illusive fiancé to return. After a few weeks of this nerves begin to strain. Renouard has no idea what to do. He is biding his time. But one day Felicia asks him to take he up the hill to see the island from its highest point. Geoffrey agrees. At the top he is in bliss just to be with her. She discovers a tree sapling. The broad expanse of blue ocean gives rise to her true loneliness. She goes back to the other side of the pinnacle to confront Geoffrey. She senses that something is wrong. He confesses the truth. That her ‘betrothed’ is lying in his grave on the other side of the rock. And that the sapling is his tombstone. There is a heated exchange that starts with Felicia accusing Geoffrey of murder. He begs her to forgive his deception. He vows his love to her. She thwarts his advances. They are now descending the hill in a different route than their ascent. She calls him a fool, and the cut goes deep. He insults her and her Father. Moments later, he is begging for forgiveness again. She then, sees something that revolts her. He presents her with a gold ring. Felicia recognizes it as one she had given to her fiancé. She is sick -so she says – and hurries to the bottom. He follows and casts insults at her.
The foregoing is the most emotional part of the story. The next day the Moorsom save arranged passage back to Auckland. Renouard becomes a recluse. But as Felicia is leaving Geoffrey goes to her and asks again for forgiveness, which she refuses. He then, threatens supernatural revenge. Implying any number of things. Renouard has closed the plantation and paid off his crew long before people come looking for him. The final scene is of a search party, Max, Capt. Henery and crewman Tane, winding up the third attempt to find him. Malata Island has returned to her natural state. In a final humorous scene, Capt Henery removes the 'Dead Man's shoes' he was wearing and hurries barefoot to the Schooner. The sapling tree at the top of the hill has sprouted and green leaf. The Schooner sails away. The island is seen one last time.
