First of all: you're completely right on all accounts. I think some of your complaints were intended for the sake of the movie e.g., "she has a head full of straw" or how the women gossip about their own worth; while other points you made I think - while not intended - you do have a point e.g., Mr. Harris's behavior as compared to the Polynesians.

I think there's a few things going on here:

Sexism: I think the movie is just very, very outdated. I mean, it was made in the era that was spoofed in the movie Anchorman - which does come out in places. So yeah, it's going to have some sexism here and there, regardless whether it was intended or not.

Polynesian portrayal: there's two points here. The first: again, it's an old movie; and while we see the portrayal as being a little racist, I'm sure they didn't feel that way at all back then. Second: You pointed out that Mr. Harris is - I forgot how you worded it, but I think the point you were trying to make was that Harris was educated and proper while the Polynesians were board-line savages. I agree with you to a point. You see, I was a missionary to the Tongan people. I know Tongans (and the Polynesians in general) very well. It might seem weird, but they don't see it as "educated" and "not educated". They see it as "white way" and "Polynesian" way. I have companions - I'm sure - who would have argued that Mr. Harris was the stupid and uneducated one, because he represented "white" values, and not "Polynesian" values; the two are not the same.

In summary: I think you have some very valid points. In my experience, when the movie is shown, it's shown in a "haha, this is funny" way - which, as you've pointed out, is not very good. While I don't think the movie is terrible (I actually think it does have a positive message), I can see how the past mentality has now overshadowed the positive message it has.