Character Relationship Map: Diamond Head

Characters

• Richard 'King' Howland (played by Charlton Heston) — protagonist

  Richard is a swaggering land baron on Hawaii's Big Island and Sloane's brother. He objects to her engagement to Paul, despite his own affair with Mai Chen. After Mai dies giving birth to his son, he i...

• Sloane Howland (played by Yvette Mimieux) — supporting

  Sloane is Richard Howland's sister, and she plans to marry Paul Kahana despite Richard's objections. After Paul is killed while trying to stop a fight at their engagement party, she leaves for Honolul...

• Dr. Dean Kahana (played by George Chakiris) — supporting

  Dean is Paul's brother. After Paul is killed, Dean and his family take in Sloane when she runs away to Honolulu. He later joins Sloane in an angry confrontation with Richard over Richard's refusal to...

• Mai Chen (played by France Nuyen) — supporting

  Mai is an Asian woman having a torrid affair with Richard Howland and the mother of his child. Her brother attacks Richard with a knife during Sloane and Paul's engagement party, where Paul is killed...

• Kapiolani Kahana (played by Aline MacMahon) — supporting
• Paul Kahana (played by James Darren) — supporting

  Paul is a native Hawaiian engaged to Sloane Howland, whose marriage plans are opposed by her brother Richard. At the couple's engagement party, Mai Chen's brother attacks Richard with a knife. Paul tr...

• Bobbie Chen (played by Marc Marno) — supporting

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Paul Kahana → Dr. Dean Kahana (Family Brothers) — Dean becomes connected to Sloane's aftermath because of Paul's death and his family connection.

  The plot explicitly identifies Dean as Paul's brother.

• Mai Chen → Bobbie Chen (Family Brother And Sister) — Their sibling bond is expressed through Bobbie's violent reaction to Richard.

  Bobbie Chen is identified as Mai Chen's brother when he attacks Richard during the engagement party.

• Richard 'King' Howland → Mai Chen (Romantic Lovers) — A passionate but socially complicated affair that results in a child.

  The plot states that Richard is having a torrid affair with Mai Chen.

• Sloane Howland → Paul Kahana (Romantic Fiancés) — Their engagement represents a relationship crossing the social and cultural divide opposed by Richard.

  Sloane announces that she plans to marry Paul, and the plot later refers to their engagement party.

• Richard 'King' Howland → Sloane Howland (Family Brother And Sister) — Sibling relationship damaged by prejudice, grief, and conflicting loyalties.

  The plot explicitly identifies Sloane Howland as Richard's sister. Their relationship is strained by Richard's objection to her marriage and later by...

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Dr. Dean Kahana → Richard 'King' Howland (Conflict Confronter) — Dean participates in the confrontation that forces Richard to reconsider his beliefs and responsibilities.

  After an angry fight involving Sloane and Dean, Richard is confronted with the personal dilemma of accepting his newborn son.

• Sloane Howland → Kapiolani Kahana (Alliance Household Support) — Kapiolani is part of the family environment that receives Sloane in Honolulu.

  Sloane is taken in by Dean and his family after she runs away to Honolulu; Kapiolani is listed as a member of the Kahana family.

• Sloane Howland → Dr. Dean Kahana (Alliance Supportive Allies) — Dean provides Sloane with shelter and support after Paul's death.

  After leaving for Honolulu, Sloane is taken in by Paul's brother Dean and his family.

• Richard 'King' Howland → Paul Kahana (Conflict Cultural Rivals) — Richard's prejudice places him in opposition to Paul's relationship with Sloane.

  Richard objects to Sloane marrying Paul because Paul is a native Hawaiian, while Richard is simultaneously involved with Mai Chen.

• Bobbie Chen → Paul Kahana (Conflict Indirect Antagonists) — Their violent encounter produces the film's central loss, even though Paul is not the intended target.

  Paul tries to break up Bobbie's attack on Richard and is killed during the intervention.

• Bobbie Chen → Richard 'King' Howland (Conflict Attacker) — Bobbie's attack triggers the violent chain of events leading to Paul's death.

  During Sloane and Paul's engagement party, Mai's brother attacks Richard with a knife.

Story Analysis

A prejudiced land baron is forced to confront grief, family responsibility, and the consequences of rejecting his newborn son.

Plot Progression

1. A Forbidden Engagement — Richard Howland objects to his sister Sloane's engagement to Paul Kahana because Paul is native Hawaiian. The conflict is complicated by Richard's own affair with Mai Chen.
2. Violence at the Celebration — At Sloane and Paul's engagement party, Mai's brother Bobbie attacks Richard with a knife. Paul intervenes and is killed, permanently changing the relationships among the families.
3. Flight to Honolulu — Sloane becomes bitter toward Richard and leaves for Honolulu. Dean, Paul's brother, and his family take her in after the loss.
4. A Child Without Acceptance — Mai gives birth to Richard's child and dies during childbirth. Richard refuses to accept the baby, while Sloane assumes responsibility for its care.
5. The Moral Reckoning — An angry confrontation involving Sloane and Dean forces Richard to face his responsibilities. The central question becomes whether he will abandon his closed-minded ways and accept his newborn son.