9.02.2010

swiss family robinson


the year: 1960

the genre: adventure


the cast: John Mills (Father); Dorothy McGuire (Mother); James MacArthur (Fritz); Tommy Kirk (Ernst); Kevin Corcoran (Francis); Janet Munro (Roberta/Bertie)


the plot: A family in route to New Guinea is shipwrecked on a deserted tropical island. They are forced to remain on the island because of the damage to the ship and the pirates that are roaming the islands. Adventure ensues as the family deals with issues of survival, pirates, and the brothers must learn how to live on the island with an uncertain future.


check out: the treehouse. I mean, come on – let’s be honest. Who DIDN’T want one of those?



count: how many coconut bombs Francis sets off before the pirates arrive.


listen for: “Do you read a lot, Fritz?” “Who, him? He practically doesn't ever read at all!” “Never really needed to. Sooner or later, Ernst tells me everything he knows.”



don’t miss: the Pirate King’s color-changing coat. It alternates between red and blue in shots of the same scene. Think that’s in homage to Sleeping Beauty?



did you know: Duke, one of the Robinson’s Great Danes, stars in a later Disney film as Brutus, the Ugly Dachshund.





extra bonus points: if you can name what animals Turk, Rocky, Lightning, Clementine and Duchess are.




5 comments:

Laney said...

Saying I Love this movie just doesn't quite communicate it! And shocking I've seen the Ugly Dachsund and liked it. Is Clementine the Zebra? I can't remember all the others except "Come on little fella, I won't hurt you!" Disneyland changed SFR Tree House to Tarzan's Tree House...LAME! SFR is WAY cooler! And yes, I wanted one. Fear of heights and all.

Erika said...

Lol. I was about to comment on the disapponting change at Disneyland as well!

Let's see....zebra, ostrich, monkey,...turtle?

Millie Motts said...

Answer: Duke and Turk are the dogs, Rocky is an elephant, Lightning is the donkey, Clementine is an ostrich, and Duchess is the Zebra.

Scott said...

This was probably the most exciting movie we were allowed to watch on Sundays. You've gotta love Hollywood and how often people are gender-duped by a hat.

Anonymous said...

In my school book it doesn't talk about elephants and zebras... Weird...