Swiss Family Robinson poster

1940·93 min·Released

Swiss Family Robinson

“From the BEST "Best Seller" in Fiction History!”

Adventure

A family setting out for a new life across the sea is shipwrecked on a deserted island. The family members collaborate to create a home for themselves in the jungle environment.

5.7(31 votes)

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Cast & Crew

Thomas Mitchell

Thomas Mitchell

William Robinson

Edna Best

Edna Best

Elizabeth Robinson

Freddie Bartholomew

Freddie Bartholomew

Jack Robinson

Terry Kilburn

Terry Kilburn

Ernest Robinson

Tim Holt

Tim Holt

Fritz Robinson

Bobbie Quillan

Bobbie Quillan

Francis Robinson

Christian Rub

Christian Rub

Thoren

John Wray

John Wray

Ramsey

Herbert Rawlinson

Herbert Rawlinson

Captain

Jack Stoney

Jack Stoney

Seaman

Orson Welles

Orson Welles

Opening Narrator (uncredited)

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r96sk

Written on 6/26/2020

I thought I'd give this a watch before watching the Disney remake, given they are both on the latter's streaming service. I like 1940's <em>'Swiss Family Robinson'</em>, though there are many ways it could be improved upon which is what I hope the 1960 production does. This one, made by RKO Pictures, is enjoyable. The action sequences look decent enough, the acting is solid while the premise is very intriguing. I rate the film almost from start-to-finish, the moments which make up that last part disappoints unfortunately - the ending doesn't really make sense. Thomas Mitchell (William) and Freddie Bartholomew (Jack) are my standout characters, both of those two give good performances. Edna Best & Co. are all fine, though. It's with Best's character that makes the finale poor in my eyes. I won't spoil what happens, but it doesn't work in my opinion - especially in connection with what else occurs. Those criticisms of mine stop me from placing this higher. However, it is still an entertaining flick from 1940.

CinemaSerf

Written on 3/27/2022

Based on Johann Wyss' tale and relying heavily on a wonderful soundtrack, this is a much more faithful adaptation of the story of a well-to-do Swiss clockmaker and his family who decide to escape a Europe beset by the Napoleonic wars and start anew in New Guinea. En route they are shipwrecked by a storm and have to make do on a desert island. They cannibalise what's left of their ship and start to make a new home with astonishing - slightly incredible - adeptness. The cast gel well, though as per the book, not without their demons. Edna Best "Mrs. Robinson" struggles the most as her gay society life has been replaced by a much grittier survival-based existence; the rather over-indulged boys are growing older, but not necessarily wiser (or nicer) and this causes their father (Thomas Mitchell) to have headaches all around. There is some degree of triumph from considerable adversity for the family as they discover that they can rise to the challenges - despite foul weather and poisonous spiders. At times it plays almost like a silent film - with Schubert's "Quartet in A Minor" substituting for the dialogue in a suitably rousing fashion... It rarely gets an outing these days, but if you get an opportunity you should watch it.

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