Swiss Family Robinson (1960)

great family movie

what can i say that hasn't been said about this classic. it's a great family movie. great way the family comes together to defend itself. great way the boys are entrusted to go out and work for themselves to find a solution. lots of fun and excitement. is a little violent/graphic for a family movie, but no surprises over anything else. September 16, 2008

File under 'whimsical farce'.

Pass on this one, unless you have fond memories of it from childhood or you're buying it for kids. And this from a big Disney fan, but this was not one of Uncle Walt's better efforts.

The storyline just stretches simple logic one time too many, ok for children, they won't care. But it will leave most adults rolling their eyes. The first leap of faith comes when our brave castaways tow tons of equipment from the wrecked ship, then build the sort of treehouse you only see illustrated in a Dr. Seuss story. The not-so-humble abode is complete with running water and a pipe organ....For crying out loud, if all that energy had been spent on building a boat, they've could have been off the island already. But then, we wouldn't have a story, would we?
Can you say 'Gilligan's Island'?

And somehow, animals not native to any Pacific island are roaming around, including zebra and elephants. And incredibly, they're not afraid of humans. Heck, the family even learns to ride and race ostriches! Only in a Disney film....

Among other distractions....as is so often the case in family films of this ilk, the writer(s) seem to go out of their way to put in at least one character that's so annoying, you want to strangle them. And here, it's the family's youngest son, Francis. A prime candidate for Ritalin who runs his mouth constantly and gets in more trouble than any normal kid would. The other is the subplot involving the two oldest brothers, Ernst and Fritz (Tommy Kirk and James MacArthur), who were getting along nicely until they get their first whiff of female tail in the form of pixie-ish redhead Roberta (Janet Munro), who had been disguised as a cabin boy to protect her from the pirates. Now the boys are sniping at one another and even trade blows, more than once, thanks to those vicious male hormones, and the fact that Roberta is the only available girl on the island. One might argue there's a grain of truth here, but far too much time was spent on the brothers' rivalry.

The final assault of the pirates advancing on the family's hilltop stronghold just dissolves into stupidity. One of the first weapons the Robinsons unleash are some crossbows, which magically, only hit the pirates in their backsides. Not a single mortal wound! This is soon followed by an avalanche of rocks...some almost as large as a house, but again, the pirates get back up and keep coming. A barrage of coconut grenades proves only mildly distracting (what, no coconut shell shrapnel??), and even another avalanche, this time palm logs weighing thousands of pounds, fails to kill the pirates. It's only when our intrepid heroes break out the rifles do they actually start taking out some of the bad guys. Director Ken Annakin may have played this for laughs, but it just came off as silly.

I don't know....sometimes a film just hits you the wrong way and this one did. I didn't like it, even as a kid. On the plus side, it's a very family-friendly film. Something that's getting rare nowadays. And it IS a Disney production. Nicely photographed with exotic locations and rich, vibrant color. It's a shame that Dorothy McGuire, a lovely and talented actress, didn't have a larger role here. All told, not a bad film, but certainly more for children than adults looking for good entertainment. September 6, 2008

The tree house movie was (is) great.

As a paperboy working for the San Diego Tribune from 1959 to 1962 I was fortunate to be treated to a free movie from time to time; a guest of the Union/Tribune. There were several movies that we saw as a result of the generosity of the paper and Swiss Family Robinson was one of those. I saw this movie several times and loved it each time I did so.

The Robinson family, made up of father Robinson (John Mills), mother Robinson (Dorthy McGuire), Fritz (James MacArthur), Ernst (Tommy Kirk), Francis (Kevin Corcoran) was sailing to some destination I can't recall when their ship is caught in a storm and smashed on a reef. The crew and other passengers are all gone, leaving the Robinson's to fend for themselves. Fortunately, the reef upon which they wrecked was part of an island paradise. They soon make rafts and load them with provisions from the destroyed ship and find themselves marooned rather comfortably upon their deserted island. With astounding creativity and ingenuity they turn a spectacular tree into a tree house to end all tree houses. In fact, when I introduced my youngest daughter to the VHS version of the movie in the late 80's she referred to Swiss Family Robinson as the "tree house" movie.

Eventually, in an attempt to fully explore their new home, Fritz and Ernst set out to circumnavigate the island. On this outing they discover Roberta (Janet Munro) disguised as a cabin boy in the clutches of pirates. Helping him (her) escape they make their way back to their tree house. They eventually have to face their pirate visitors at the end of the movie in a climatic and gripping show down.

Directed by Ken Annakin, Swiss Family Robinson, like Third Man on the Mountain, and other wonderful Disney movies, is a testament to wholesome family movies that are exciting and hold the audience's attention without resorting to adult themes to boost profits. The 50's and early 60's were years that were truly magic at the Disney studios.

I highly recommend Swiss Family Robinson to be shared with your children. It is best viewed as a family.

Peace always.


August 6, 2008

Everything it was advertised to be....

I bought this as a gift for my daughter's birthday in Decemter (I shop VERY early) July 31, 2008

Wonderful World of Disney

I grew up watching this movie during the Wonderful World of Disney night on TV. This was one of my favorite of all the "old" Disney movies. It has all the characteristics of great movies; trouble, adaptation, resolution, good vs. evil, and a happy ending. Watching this movie brings back good memories of being a child. The characters don't diminish over time, but only grow greater and truer for today. Yes, it's Disney. In the modern era, it's missing the f/x and computer special effects, but it is a refreshing film that grants us view into humanity. The scenery alone is beautiful. A great, timeless movie to share with your family and students. Portrays old-fashioned values that could use a revival in today's society. June 15, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...