Our setting is an island in the Pacific occupied by the Americans during World War II.
Nellie Forbush a nurse meets and falls in love with a middle aged French planter, Emile De Becque.
To the island comes young Lieutenant, Joseph Cable who has been assigned the task of getting to another island occupied by the Japanese so that he can transmit the details of aircraft and ship movements of the enemy.  To do this he needs the assistance of Emile who has an intimate knowledge of all the islands in the vicinity.
When Cable arrives he meets a Tonkenese Trader, “Bloody Mary”, who tells him about the mystic island of Bali Hai.  His curiosity is aroused, but duty must come first and he meets the island Commander who arranges a meeting with Emile.  When the proposition is put to the French planter he refuses to go because of his love for Nellie.
Cable is disappointed and on asking what he ought to do, he is told to “take a boat and go fishing.”  He now has an opportunity of going to Bali Hai and does so, when there, “Bloody Mary” brings him a beautiful young Tonkenese girl Liat and they fall in love.
In the meantime Nellie finds out that Emile has two half caste children, whose Tonkenese mother has died and feels now she knows this, she cannot marry him.
Cable too has complications and when it is suggested he should marry Liat he cannot bring himself to do so.
The two men meet again when their spirits are low and Emile decides to go with Cable on the dangerous mission.
Every love story usually has a happy ending, but there can be sadness sometimes too.  To anyone unfamiliar with the story it would be unfair to tell the ending.  The ending therefore is left to you.