The Proud and Profane (1956) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The story takes place primarily in Noumea, New Caledonia, which serves as the base for Red Cross workers entertaining troops during WWII. The narrative also extends to Guadalcanal, reflecting the frontline danger of the broader South Pacific theater.

• noumea
• new caledonia
• guadalcanal
• pacific theater
• wwii setting

The events unfold in 1943 during World War II, a period of intense island-hopping campaigns in the Pacific. This era's sense of duty, sacrifice, and shifting moral expectations frames the relationships and choices of the characters.

• 1943
• world war 2
• wwii
• pacific campaign
• 1940s

Lee Ashley is a Red Cross volunteer and the widow of a Paramarine lieutenant who travels to the South Pacific to investigate her husband's death at Guadalcanal. She represents a woman navigating the demands placed on women in war while balancing empathy with independence.

• lee ashley
• red cross volunteer
• widow
• deborah kerr

Colin Black is a Marine Raider commander who initially mocks women's roles but becomes drawn to Lee. He uses manipulation in courtship, later revealing vulnerability and moral conflict as the story progresses.

• colin black
• marine commander
• william holden
• lieutenant colonel

Romance develops under wartime strain, testing personal morals and professional boundaries. Lee's attraction to Black challenges traditional gender roles and the expectations placed on Red Cross workers. The relationship becomes a focal point that both compels and complicates the characters' duties.

• romance
• love
• relationship
• attraction
• gender roles

The Red Cross work highlights the dual call of care and combat, showing how morale-boosting tasks coexist with nursing the wounded. Characters wrestle with balancing personal longing and their obligations to teammates and mission. Duty drives actions even as it limits personal happiness.

• duty
• obligation
• service
• sacrifice
• responsibility

Guilt threads through the narrative, especially around a grenade incident and its aftermath. The chaplain Holmes carries a spiritual burden while Black confronts the consequences of his actions. The theme examines whether moral reckonings can coexist with wartime duty.

• guilt
• trauma
• forgiveness
• consequences
• chaplain holmes

Eddie Wodcik is a young private whom Lee adores as a surrogate son. He demonstrates loyalty and courage by defying authority to protect Lee, showcasing a fiery and impulsive personality including jiu jitsu skills.

• eddie wodcik
• private
• surrogate son
• dewey martin

Kate Connors is Lee's service club leader who is initially wary of Lee's assignment but ultimately becomes supportive. She serves as a pragmatic and caring presence among the troops and Red Cross staff, observing shifts in morale.

• kate connors
• service club
• thelma ritter
• support character

Navy chaplain Lt. (jg) Holmes is a quiet, haunted character shaped by past events including a grenade incident. His guilt reflects the war's spiritual weight and influences his relationships with Marines and other characters.

• chaplain holmes
• navy chaplain
• guilt
• william redfield
• spiritual weight

The tropical setting, military routines, and constant threat of conflict create the film's atmosphere. Noumea serves as a base for entertainment and medical support, while Guadalcanal represents frontline danger. The environment reflects both the physical and emotional challenges faced by characters.

• war setting
• tropical
• military atmosphere
• south pacific
• combat threat