|
This popular Walt Disney comedy is about a US Navy pilot who becomes a
modern-day Robinson Crusoe. Lt. Robin Crusoe(Dick Van Dyke) is a
pilot onboard an aircraft carrier in the South Pacific. When his
plane crashes at sea, he must cling to a liferaft, with only a
condescending survival manual as "company", until he lands on a lush
deserted tropical island. Like that other Crusoe, he learns to
acquire food and shelter and survive on the island. While exploring
the island he finds a space-age trained chimpanzee named Floyd, who
has also been marooned on the island, and the chimp becomes Robin's
drinking and poker buddy, golf partner, and best friend on the island.
Things become considerately more interesting for Robin when he
encounters a beautiful native girl Wednesday(Nancy Kwan). Although at
first she seems a bit wild and dangerous, Robin eventually gains her
trust. Wednesday is the daughter of a cruel tribal chief
Tanamashu(Akim Tamiroff), who has exiled her to the island for
refusing to wed the man of his choice. Robin teaches her that she
need not submit to her father's arranged marriage, because "all women
have rights." When Wednesday's female cousins and friends arrive on
the island, who were also exiled for their independent thinking, Robin
organizes them into an all-woman army to force the overthrow of the
evil Tanamashu. The ever popular Dick Van Dyke shows his talent with
ad-libbing and physical humor that made him a Disney mainstay. Nancy
Kwan turns in a nice comic performance, especially in the "charades"
scene. Despite the film's disappointing ending, it is great fun to
watch Robin slowly fall under Wednesday's irresistable spell.
|
Purchase
