Vitals

Richard Arlen as Edward Parker, shipwrecked sailor

South Pacific, Summer 1932

Film: Island of Lost Souls
Release Date: December 23, 1932
Director: Erle C. Kenton

WARNING! Spoilers ahead!

Background

The old maxim that a gentleman shouldn’t wear white after Labor Day has long grown outdated, but those looking for one last hurrah in summer whites can find inspiration in Erle C. Kenton’s pre-Code sci-fi/horror adventure Island of Lost Souls.

Set on the titular island (but actually filmed on Catalina), this adaptation of H.G. Wells’ 1896 novel The Island of Doctor Moreau stars Charles Laughton as the eponymous Moreau and Richard Arlen as the shipwrecked Edward Parker, who finds himself at Moreau’s mercy on the island.

The sole survivor from the sunken S.S. Lady Vain, Parker is plucked from the sea aboard the Covina, where he’s treated by the enigmatic ex-doctor Montgomery (Arthur Hohl)—who seems more in command of the ship and its strange animal cargo than the drunken Captain Davies (Stanley Fields), who grumblingly describes their mysterious destination as “Dr. Moreau’s island, and it stinks all over the whole South Seas.”

Parker soon understands this criticism firsthand after discovering that Moreau has been dissecting men and beasts and combining their DNA into grotesque hybrid creatures, snarling in response: “Now I can understand why you and your island stink from one end of the South Seas to the other!” To keep Parker distracted and further his own experimentation, Moreau introduces him to the alluring Lota (Kathleen Burke) without explaining that she is part-panther.

Born 126 years ago today on September 1, 1899 (and shockingly only two months younger than Laughton), Arlen was cast after Randolph Scott was initially considered to play Parker. One of the most prominent actors of the 1920s and ’30s, Arlen brought his experience as a Canadian Royal Flying Corps pilot to his starring role in the first-ever winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, Wings (1927). Though his stature waned in later decades, Arlen was one of the few major silent-era stars to successfully transition onto television, with guest appearances on dozens of shows until his death in March 1976.

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What’d He Wear?

Despite being filmed in black-and-white with no existing color photography from the production, I feel confident in describing Parker’s bleached suit as white, given its stark brightness on screen. The weight and wrinkle are suggestive of linen, though it could also be a light tropical-weight wool. White tailoring serves the context for a gent traversing the South Seas, as we also see his new acquaintances Montgomery and Dr. Moreau similarly clad in white—or, at least, a very bright off-white.

Parker’s white single-breasted suit jacket has notch lapels—reinforced with swelled edges—that roll to a high two-button front stance. The ventless jacket is tailored with a close fit, shaped with front darts but loosely structured to keep it light against the warm, sunny climate. The sporty patch pockets over the left breast and hips maintain the suit’s informality, with flaps covering the rounded-bottom hip pockets and a light pocket square dressing the breast pocket. The sleeves are finished with two-button cuffs.

Parker initially wears a white or off-white cotton shirt, detailed for adventure with its pair of chest pockets that are each covered with rectangular single-button flaps. The shirt otherwise follows a conventional design with its front placket, button cuffs, and attached point collar—at a time when the simple convenience of attached collars were eclipsing old-fashioned detachable collars.

Though not clearly seen in these screenshots, the crew-neck of Parker’s white undershirt occasionally rides up through the open-neck tops of his shirts.

Once Dr. Moreau prevents Parker from leaving, he evidently outfits the sailor with a fresh bush shirt. Almost certainly a light khaki twill, the shirt includes the usual military-informed styling of shoulder epaulets, front placket, two-button cuffs, and two chest pockets, each covered with a single-button scalloped flap.

The suit’s matching white linen trousers have an appropriately long rise to Richard Arlen’s natural waist, where they’re held up with a narrow belt likely crafted from brown leather with a single-prong buckle. Either a pocket watch or set of keys are attached to the long chain that Parker wears clipped to the foremost belt loop on the right side of his trousers, tucked into the right-hand of his two on-seam side pockets, which are supplemented by a pair of jetted back pockets.

The trousers have a full fit through Parker’s legs down to bottoms finished with turn-ups (cuffs) that break over the tops of his shoes. Also white, these calfskin leather oxfords have the usual wingtips and decorative perforations characteristic of full brogues, attached to dark leather soles. White cotton lisle socks continue the leg-line between his trousers and shoes.

Parker also wears a hefty ring on his left ring finger, though this may have been Arlen’s own affectation.

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The Gun

When Parker threatens Dr. Moreau, the doctor calmly smiles, pulls the large Colt revolver from his belt holster, and offers it to Parker butt-first: “Take it. I’m not unarmed and you’re fully protected. It’s quite evident, isn’t it?, that I mean you no harm.” Parker accepts and later uses the gun to defend his fiancée Ruth (Leila Hyams) after her arrival on the island.

The revolver’s profile—specifically the absence of a lug connecting the ejector rod under the barrel—marks it as an early 20th century Colt, specifically a larger-framed model like the Official Police or New Service. Given its older hard rubber grips, the military-style lanyard ring, and what appears to be a large-bore chambering, I suspect Moreau’s revolver is the latter—a Colt New Service like the Model 1909, chambered in .45 Long Colt.

Colt had introduced the New Service in 1898 as its first big-frame swing-out revolver, chambered for cartridges ranging from the .38-40 and .44-40 Winchester to hefty British rounds like the .455 Webley and .476 Enfield. At the time, American servicemen armed with the M1892 in .38 Long Colt were finding it dangerously inadequate during the Philippine-American War, forcing the Army to recall older but more powerful .45-caliber Single Action Army revolvers. This led to the eventual adoption of the New Service in .45 Long Colt as the standardized Model 1909 for the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps.

Though it was soon overshadowed by the iconic M1911 semi-automatic in .45 ACP, the New Service proved adaptable enough to remain relevant. During World War I, Colt retooled it into the M1917 variant with half-moon clips to fire .45 ACP when 1911 production couldn’t keep up. In the 1930s, its strong frame also made it an early candidate to chamber the new .357 Magnum, giving lawmen a revolver that could punch through car bodies and body armor in the fight against Depression-era gangsters.

Colt officially ended New Service production with the dawn of World War II in 1941, but the revolver endures as a collectible favorite thanks to its variety of barrel lengths, calibers, finishes, and grips—a workhorse sidearm that spanned both military service and law enforcement history.

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How to Get the Look

Edward Parker’s bleached tropical tailoring receives an adventurous twist when the villainous Dr. Moreau offers him a khaki bush shirt that adds a warm, subtle contrast to his all-white suit and brogues. No wonder the panther woman couldn’t resist!

• White linen tropical suit:
  • Single-breasted 2-button jacket with notch lapels, patch breast pocket, flapped patch hip pockets, 2-button cuffs, and ventless back
  • Flat-front trousers with belt loops, side pockets, jetted back pockets, and turn-ups/cuffs
• Khaki twill long-sleeved bush shirt with point collar, front placket, shoulder epaulets, two chest pockets with single-button scalloped flaps, and two-button cuffs
• Brown slim leather belt with single-prong buckle
• White calf leather full-brogue/wingtip oxford shoes
• White cotton lisle socks
• White cotton crew-neck undershirt
• Ring

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Do Yourself a Favor and…

Check out the movie.