Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (pronounced [ˈtapu]) is a 1931 American synchronized sound film directed by F. W. Murnau.

The second chapter, "Paradise Lost", depicts the couple's life on a colonised island and how they adapt to and are exploited by Western civilisation.

The title comes from the Polynesian concept of tapu (spelled tabu in Tongan before 1943), from which is derived the English word "taboo".

In 1994, Tabu: A Story of the South Seas was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

The local policeman receives a notice from the French government announcing a reward for the return of the couple, but Matahi bribes him with his last pearl.

Then, Hitu arrives on the island and sees Reri alone, informing her that she has three days to give herself up or Matahi will be put to death.

Matahi gets up and decides to get money by getting a pearl from a tabu region of the lagoon, a perilous place guarded by a shark that has already taken the life of one diver.

[4] The film's script was rewritten and the title was changed to Tabu: A Story of the South Seas to avoid potential legal issues with Colorart.

[1][2] Murnau, Flaherty, and Crosby were the only professional filmmakers working on Tabu: A Story of the South Seas; the rest of the crew was made up of local natives.

[2] Returning to Los Angeles, Murnau spent the winter editing the film and used the last of his money to hire Hugo Riesenfeld for the music scoring.

The film had its premiere on March 18, 1931, a week after Murnau died, at New York's Central Park Theater.

The film was not a box-office success upon release, grossing just $472,000 worldwide, which failed to recoup Murnau and Paramount's investment.

[2] The re-release was not a success and in the 1960s Murnau's nieces, Ursula Plumpe and Eva Diekmann, bought back the rights.

[7] This version re-instates the footage cut by Paramount prior to the film's premiere, including shots of nudity.

It was restored for Blu-ray release in the UK as part of the Eureka Masters of Cinema Series (Spine No 61) and issued in June 2013.

Included is a longer version than the Paramount 1931 release; an extensive 56-page booklet; a short program on Murnau's films; extensive clapperboard footage that has survived; and a short made at the time for UFA/Tobis release, Treibjagd in der Südsee (“Drift Hunting in the South Sea”).