Until They Sail

Barbara is the film’s moral center, navigating loyalty to her sisters with a growing attraction to Jack Harding. She defends Delia’s choices, then faces the loneliness and temptation of wartime life, ultimately envisioning a future with Jack. Her arc blends resilience, pragmatism, and a cautious optimism amid tragedy.

Anne is the judgmental, dutiful sister who clashes with wartime romance and propriety. She works in a Christchurch lingerie shop and becomes involved with Capt. Dick Bates, leading to pregnancy and upheaval. Her arc ends with departure to Oklahoma for a new life, illustrating how war reshapes traditional expectations.

Delia seeks independence from an abusive marriage, moving to Wellington to work for the Navy and later pursuing affairs with American servicemen. She plans a divorce to emigrate with her latest lover, Andy, but her life ends in tragedy when her husband murders her with a Japanese sword. Her arc highlights independence, temptation, and the consequences of betrayal.

Dick is a courteous Marine whose presence stirs romance with Anne and forms a bond with Barbara. He embodies wartime duty and emotional distance, returning with injuries and ultimately becoming a casualty of the conflict that reshapes the sisters’ lives. His actions catalyze pivotal moments for Barbara and Anne.

Jack is a Marine investigator who skeptically assesses wartime romances but forms a close bond with Barbara. He embodies pragmatism amid passion, offering a cautious path through love during war. By the end, he becomes Barbara’s partner, choosing a future together despite the surrounding chaos.

Andy is the American lieutenant who introduces Barbara to Jack and flirts with Delia. His presence highlights cross-cultural allure and the transient, surface-level nature of wartime liaisons.

Delia’s husband, abusive and possessive, whose jealousy erupts when Delia seeks affection elsewhere. His violent act—killing Delia with a Japanese sword—dramatically exposes the peril behind wartime passions and the failure of controlling desire.