Ah, the way things were. Revel in the past for a moment, won’t you. Imagine walking into a movie theatre in 1960, preferably one built in the golden age of film watching – mohair seats, architectural detailing (crown moulding, wooden panelling), a proper sized atrium. . . and, as you make your way to your place, enjoying some popcorn as the lights dim, you are not bombarded by numerous commercials that take you out of that magic place (and sadly reminding you of the business-centric reality of show business), but rather, are greeted by an animated short, 1949’s Sea Salts, the perfect lead-in to your Disney feature, Swiss Family Robinson.
These two films did show back to back upon Swiss Family Robinson’s initial run, so they will both be reviewed here. Sea Salts, directed by Jack Hannah, finds ‘Mac’ Bootle Beetle (Dink Trout) recalling his long, rather unusual friendship with sea captain Donald Duck (Clarence Nash) – the pair were forced to abandon ship long ago, finding themselves stranded on a tiny, uncharted isle.
A fun, simple little seven minute short, poor ‘Mac’ is constantly mistreated by his so-called friend and captain. Finding ways of tricking the chap, not only out of food, but also into being bait, it is reminiscent of the mismatched treatment of an Abbott and Costello film – poor Lou always getting duped by the smarter and edging on cruel Bud (two examples that immediately come to mind have him testing the water at a long abandoned resort to reveal if it is poisonous – Hold That Ghost; and, after finding themselves stranded at sea, Abbott attempts to convince his friend to commit suicide so that there is more food for himself – Pardon My Sarong). Though, just beneath the humorous gags, you’ll find a story about friendship, and comradery, finding a way to survive while maintaining a partnership, and having some fun (sometimes at your buddy’s expense), along the way. And, after all, life is a bit more fun if you keep it as simple as that.
Now, on to our feature presentation.
Directed by Ken Annakin, Swiss Family Robinson finds a family from, you guessed it, Switzerland, fleeing Europe during the Napoleonic Wars. Leaving for a fresh start in New Guinea, the ship they are on is attacked by pirates, the captain taking them into a storm to avoid the violent thieves. The family gets stuck in their room below deck, and, unbeknownst to them, those piloting the sailboat abandon ship, the storm thrashing it into protruding rocks off an uninhabited island (thankfully, it becomes one with the formation, sending them not to Davy Jones’ Locker).
Though at first frustrated with himself for endangering his family, their patriarch (John Mills) soon learns that this island is a paradise providing a clean slate – the opportunity to forge their own way of life with no outside interference. This does not sound quite as good for his wife (Dorothy McGuire), while their three sons, eldest Fritz (James MacArthur), the hands on builder, middle child Ernst (Tommy Kirk), the reader and thinker of the group, and youngest Francis (Kevin Corcoran), a scamp obsessed with collecting wild animals and getting into trouble – are just happy to go along for the ride.
A tale of pure freedom and imagination, Swiss Family Robinson provides the viewer with an Eden-like landscape to daydream about. What would you do? How would you live? What type of home would you construct? Blessed with numerous animals and materials onboard, the creative family are able to rescue what is needed, building a magical abode that will outdo nearly any tree house you may have imagined when you were a child. With trap doors, multiple bedrooms (with both beds and hammocks), running water, a rooftop that opens onto the stars, and everything in between, it puts those stranded on Gilligan’s Island to shame.
Of two minds, does the family attempt to find a way off the island, or enjoy its impressive bounty? Likewise, when the two eldest brothers, on a scouting trip, stumble upon the same pirates that attacked them on the open seas and rescue a young woman, Roberta (Janet Munro), from their clutches, they too will become divided in an adolescent bout of one-upmanship to impress the only other female on the isle. Further complicating things, this most recent offense has riled the pirates, placing the family at number one on their hit list.
With more than impressive production values, everything you see on camera is real. Filmed on Tobago, the tree house was fully functioning (every invention, including how they got running water, actually worked), while there were multiple ships used for production. Every animal seen on set is equally as real – a battle with a gargantuan anaconda, two dogs fighting a tiger, and the most unusual race (featuring a zebra, baby elephant, ostrich, monkey riding a dog, and pony), just three examples of stunts done with the actors and these exotic creatures (scenes that would never get past the stringent laws protecting animals today). All in all, it was actually quite a dangerous production, actors were thrown off animals, John Mills just missed landing on a razor-sharp rock whilst swinging from vines at the watering hole, and young Kevin Corcoran found himself trapped underwater with the elephant’s foot on him – thankfully, the current was so strong it stopped the elephant from stepping down.
Actually, it is impressive how enjoyable the narrative is when you consider its back story. In one of the most unusual ways to put a film together, upon acquiring the rights to the 1812 novel by Johann David Wyss, the creative team scrapped almost the entire story (other than the basic concept and name). Annakin and his team instead brainstormed countless ideas that they would love to see in such a project, storyboarding their thoughts. . . then handed it over to screenwriter Lowell Hawley to try to write some dialogue for their vision. An intriguing sidenote, Walt Disney purchased the rights to the 1940 RKO version, burying as many prints as he could find so there could be no comparisons between it and his remake.
A good old fashioned family adventure film that was a major success at the box office (the top money earner of the year and fifteenth highest grosser upon its re-release in 1969), some may be surprised to find out that Swiss Family Robinson was actually a major influence on George Lucas. Not only did he name Anakin Skywalker after the movie’s director, but the major battle that is the feature’s climax was a direct influence on the final Ewok clash in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi. No traps here, set your course for this classic Disney flick – there will be no need to wave the white flag in defeat over this one.
*** Sea Salts accompanies the DVD release of Swiss Family Robinson