I haven't read the Joseph Conrad novel that forms the basis for this film, but regardless of whether or not it is true to the source material, Outcast of the Islands is a remarkable film and a sterling example of pure cinema. Trevor Howard delivers the greatest of his many fine performances as the morally compromised Willems, who finds himself stranded on a remote Indian Ocean trading outpost. His malign influence soon infects all around him, including fellow English ex-pat Almayer (Robert Morley, also in magnificent form) and crafty local Babalatchi (George Coulouris). Willems finds himself enthralled by native girl Aissa (exotic Algerian-born actress Kerima), the daughter of the local chieftain, but finds his lust turned against him by an Arab trader (Dharma Emmanuel) eager to get a slice of the trading action. William Fairchild's screenplay is erudite, sharply written, and probably went miles over the heads of most 1950s audiences, as it implicitly confronts issues of sex, race, and imperialism at a time when Britain was just beginning to disassemble its Empire. Ted Scaife and John Wilcox share credit for the film's cinematography (it's my guess that one went on location to Sri Lanka whilst the other stayed home to shoot interiors), and their work is frequently stunning, capturing indelible images of tropical life: boats skimming across the water, pounding rainstorms that seem to melt whatever they touch, natives intently and quizzically watching their white guests. But it's Howard's performance that will stay with you, as he transforms from canny con-man to obsessed fool (is it only coincidence that the object of his affection shares the name of H. Rider Haggard's all-powerful She?) to power-mad villain with consummate ease. And I would be remiss not to mention the understated performance of Wendy Hiller as Almayer's charity case wife, and little Annabel Morley's turn as spoiled six-year old Nina--young Annabel seems to have had a great time working with her Daddy! A truly great work of art, Outcast of the Islands is crying out for rediscovery and critical reassessment: I was at turns reminded of films such as Lord of the Flies, Salt of the Earth, Woman in the Dunes, and even Apocalypse Now, all films that came AFTER what is, arguably, director Carol Reed's finest hour. It's essential viewing for anyone who loves the art of movie-making.
26 Reviews
Powerful, but misses the point of the novel
tonstant viewer26 February 2006
This exciting film is well-worth watching. It is visually rich, and the acting is consistently surprising, even from such known quantities as George Coulouris and Wilfred Hyde-White. Trevor Howard shows great emotional flexibility, a quality we don't necessarily associate with him, and Robert Morley twinkles a good deal less than usual. Whether Sir Ralph Richardson looks good throwing a punch is something you'll have to decide for yourself.
However, the camera falls in love with picturesque young boys diving into water, which delays, over-ornaments and distracts from Conrad's austere story-telling.
More importantly, two of the female characters, Mrs. Almayer and Mrs. Willems, are turned from native women into transplanted Englishwomen, leaving Aissa the only native girl involved.
This has the effect of turning the movie into a tract on the horrors of miscegenation, when Conrad's novel is clearly focused on Peter Willems' double betrayal of Tom Lingard. Willems' taking up with a native woman is treated by the film as unique, instead of the usual thing in these climes. It is shown as embodying Willems' personal moral decline, which the book would regard as nonsense.
So if you can find the film, by all means watch it and enjoy its many virtues, but the movie has less to do with one of the great novels then it pretends to.
P.S. TCM now has this film in its library!
However, the camera falls in love with picturesque young boys diving into water, which delays, over-ornaments and distracts from Conrad's austere story-telling.
More importantly, two of the female characters, Mrs. Almayer and Mrs. Willems, are turned from native women into transplanted Englishwomen, leaving Aissa the only native girl involved.
This has the effect of turning the movie into a tract on the horrors of miscegenation, when Conrad's novel is clearly focused on Peter Willems' double betrayal of Tom Lingard. Willems' taking up with a native woman is treated by the film as unique, instead of the usual thing in these climes. It is shown as embodying Willems' personal moral decline, which the book would regard as nonsense.
So if you can find the film, by all means watch it and enjoy its many virtues, but the movie has less to do with one of the great novels then it pretends to.
P.S. TCM now has this film in its library!
"Provoke? There is nothing in you to provoke."
brogmiller13 May 2020
Despite being of Polish descent and not learning English until his twenties Joseph Conrad became one of the greatest writers in the English language. His novels are deeply pessimistic and depict Man as being able neither to escape nor elude his destiny. To say that his works are unfilmable would be an overstatement but they certainly pose particular challenges. Such a pity that David Lean's plan to direct Conrad's late work 'Nostromo' did not come to fruition.
Here we have his second novel directed by another of our truly great directors Carol Reed. Although Reed's films of the 1960's show a distinct falling off, this comes from a period when he is really 'on form'. There are changes from the novel but that is par for the course where film adaptations are concerned. Conrad was fascinated by the nature of evil and here it is personified by Trevor Howard as Willems who plays his part with tremendous relish. Ralph Richardson brings his presence to bear as Lingard although his appearance is rather pantomimic. Robert Morley and Wendy Hiller are excellent as Mr. And Mrs. Almayer but her role is underwritten and 'ambiguous' to say the least.
In the novel Willems dies but here he is left to exist in the living hell he has created for himself and Aissa, played by Kerima, whose sexual magnetism has caused so much destruction. Willems has described his feelings for her as 'something between love and hate but stronger' and this ambivalence is powerfully depicted.
Reed and adaptor William Fairchild have ended the film with a masterful shot of Aissa lowering her head in despair. This sweeping and mesmerising film with a majestic score by Brian Easdale is from a director at the top of his game.
Here we have his second novel directed by another of our truly great directors Carol Reed. Although Reed's films of the 1960's show a distinct falling off, this comes from a period when he is really 'on form'. There are changes from the novel but that is par for the course where film adaptations are concerned. Conrad was fascinated by the nature of evil and here it is personified by Trevor Howard as Willems who plays his part with tremendous relish. Ralph Richardson brings his presence to bear as Lingard although his appearance is rather pantomimic. Robert Morley and Wendy Hiller are excellent as Mr. And Mrs. Almayer but her role is underwritten and 'ambiguous' to say the least.
In the novel Willems dies but here he is left to exist in the living hell he has created for himself and Aissa, played by Kerima, whose sexual magnetism has caused so much destruction. Willems has described his feelings for her as 'something between love and hate but stronger' and this ambivalence is powerfully depicted.
Reed and adaptor William Fairchild have ended the film with a masterful shot of Aissa lowering her head in despair. This sweeping and mesmerising film with a majestic score by Brian Easdale is from a director at the top of his game.
So it's not the Third Man, it's still a great movie
Tom-33728 March 2000
This movie got short shrift critically, because it followed Carol Reed's three greatest films, "Odd Man Out," "The Fallen Idol," and "The Third Man." It's been a while since I saw it, but if you get a chance and you're a fan of Reed's adventurous filmmaking, check it out. A riveting performance by Trevor Howard -- this, plus his performances in 3rd Man and Brief Encounter show an astonishing range. Robert Morley is wonderful as well.
My most memorable moments that still haunt me years after I saw the film: Morley "singing" a lullaby to his daughter ("Schlaf, kindchen, Schlaf") as Howard approaches in the night -- and said daughter calling "Pig!" after Howard's character later in the same scene. The bonfire, and Morley's torture. And Howard spotting Kerima standing in the water among the posts -- beautiful photography.
An unjustly forgotten film. May it play at a repertory theater near you.
My most memorable moments that still haunt me years after I saw the film: Morley "singing" a lullaby to his daughter ("Schlaf, kindchen, Schlaf") as Howard approaches in the night -- and said daughter calling "Pig!" after Howard's character later in the same scene. The bonfire, and Morley's torture. And Howard spotting Kerima standing in the water among the posts -- beautiful photography.
An unjustly forgotten film. May it play at a repertory theater near you.
I wanted to like this one more than I did
AlsExGal31 December 2022
British drama based on a book by Joseph Conrad. Trevor Howard stars as middle manager in a Far East shipping company. When he's found to have been embezzling, he's virtually exiled and runs of with his old friend, ship captain Ralph Richardson. Ralph takes him to a remote island paradise and instructs Trevor to learn the ways of their trading business with local overseer Robert Morley. However, Howard slowly succumbs to his worst impulses in the never-ending heat and boredom of island life.
I really wanted to like this one more than I did. The direction from Carol Reed is good, although things drag in a few places. The cinematography is very good; one of the camera operators was Freddie Francis. Guy Hamilton also worked as the assistant director. My chief problem with the film was the Howard character. I haven't read the source novel, and perhaps it provided more of the inner voice of the character, but as he stands in the film, he's completely unlikable, and not in a compelling or entertaining way. He's just a boring, self-centered jerk.
The natives are presented in a less-than-flattering light as well, which is exacerbated by having one of them be George Coulouris in dark body paint. I've also never been fond of Robert Morley. He's an irritating ham and he's unpleasant to even look at. That's terrible to say, I suppose, but in a visual medium, it's a valid point. His real-life daughter played his on-screen daughter here, and she's just as annoying.
I really wanted to like this one more than I did. The direction from Carol Reed is good, although things drag in a few places. The cinematography is very good; one of the camera operators was Freddie Francis. Guy Hamilton also worked as the assistant director. My chief problem with the film was the Howard character. I haven't read the source novel, and perhaps it provided more of the inner voice of the character, but as he stands in the film, he's completely unlikable, and not in a compelling or entertaining way. He's just a boring, self-centered jerk.
The natives are presented in a less-than-flattering light as well, which is exacerbated by having one of them be George Coulouris in dark body paint. I've also never been fond of Robert Morley. He's an irritating ham and he's unpleasant to even look at. That's terrible to say, I suppose, but in a visual medium, it's a valid point. His real-life daughter played his on-screen daughter here, and she's just as annoying.
Interesting film, though I was somewhat disappointed
kuciak24 August 2008
I am a big fan of THE THIRD MAN, I think it is one of the seven greatest movies ever made, I liked ODD MAN OUT, and also liked Reeds earlier effort of THE FALLEN IDOL. His latter film, THE KEY, while not being totally successful in my eyes in a good film, and an even better film is OUR MAN IN HAVANA. So I was excited about seeing this film. Perhaps if I was more patient, had seen this in a movie theater as it was meant to be seen, and did not have the benefit of a remote control for a VCR, I would have liked it more.
Everyone has said how great Trevor Howard is. I have also liked him in staring roles like Brief Encounter, Clouded Yellow, but here, even though he has some great moments, more towards the end of the film, I somehow feel he has been miscast. In one of the opening scenes, when he leaves the Billiards club, I felt I was watching Howard Imitating Orson Welles from THE THIRD MAN. if Reed and Welles could have formed a partnership, and that might have actually been from ODD MAN OUT, I think he would have been a better choice, though I'm sure they couldn't get him. One of the problems with his character is, that we realize right from the beginning what a jerk he is, and their fore, we never really care about him. This film would have worked better for me if I would have liked this guy in the beginning. Welle's Harry Lime, was a likable character, even though he was not a good man. Bogarts Harry Dobbs in Treasure Of the Sierra Madre works because we care about him in the beginning, and are sad to see his mental destruction. Howard's character elicits no such feelings, and for me this is one of the major failings of the film, and why this film has not received the accolades of Reed's previous three films.
I found Ralph Richardson's performance hammy, I just could not buy him as a captain, appeared to be a poor makeup job, and since we don't see him much, (He ironically got top billing), he does not appear to be important to this story, even if he gives the final denouncement. I also disliked George Courlouris (did I spell that right) as a native. Since they filmed this in Ceylon, they did not need an actor doing a role in black face.
Robert Morley is excellent in this film however. Those people who have always looked upon him as that jolly Englishmen who did those British Airline commercials, or seen him in other films, will get quite a revelation in this film. He is the one standout in this movie. One can just imagine how his daughter might turn out having a father like this. His character, while perhaps not being the character that Howard's character is, just oozes slime, would you want a father like this, and his acting makes the most of it. Wendy Hiller is alright as the suffering wife of Morely, and they should have made more of what I thought might have been her lust for the Howard character, while Howard's character lusts after the native woman, who, played by an actress named Kerima, who is supposed to have been born in Algeria, almost looks like an English actress given a darker skin tone, though probably not.
Reeds direction at the beginning of this film is unimaginative, I was quite disappointed with the back screen shots that were employed considering the location photography, and I always remember his great cinematography from his other films (Love that tilted camera). However never has lust been filmed so amazingly in an early 1950's movie, (British at that), here Howard is quite good, and the shots of Kerima, our realizing that she does not love this man and may have ulterior motives, in closeup, without Howards knowledge are well done. The last two climactic sequences, with Morely and Howard in a sequence that seems to predate Cornel Wilde's THE NAKED PREY, which probably sent shock waves in cinema's of the early 1950's, and the sequence at the end between Howard and Richardson are two very memorable moments from this film.
If the film comes out on DVD, with some interesting extras, a good audio commentary, I would be interested to see it again, and Hopefully get some further insight that might change my mind. However, of the six movies I have seen of Director Carol Reed, This is my least favorite.
Everyone has said how great Trevor Howard is. I have also liked him in staring roles like Brief Encounter, Clouded Yellow, but here, even though he has some great moments, more towards the end of the film, I somehow feel he has been miscast. In one of the opening scenes, when he leaves the Billiards club, I felt I was watching Howard Imitating Orson Welles from THE THIRD MAN. if Reed and Welles could have formed a partnership, and that might have actually been from ODD MAN OUT, I think he would have been a better choice, though I'm sure they couldn't get him. One of the problems with his character is, that we realize right from the beginning what a jerk he is, and their fore, we never really care about him. This film would have worked better for me if I would have liked this guy in the beginning. Welle's Harry Lime, was a likable character, even though he was not a good man. Bogarts Harry Dobbs in Treasure Of the Sierra Madre works because we care about him in the beginning, and are sad to see his mental destruction. Howard's character elicits no such feelings, and for me this is one of the major failings of the film, and why this film has not received the accolades of Reed's previous three films.
I found Ralph Richardson's performance hammy, I just could not buy him as a captain, appeared to be a poor makeup job, and since we don't see him much, (He ironically got top billing), he does not appear to be important to this story, even if he gives the final denouncement. I also disliked George Courlouris (did I spell that right) as a native. Since they filmed this in Ceylon, they did not need an actor doing a role in black face.
Robert Morley is excellent in this film however. Those people who have always looked upon him as that jolly Englishmen who did those British Airline commercials, or seen him in other films, will get quite a revelation in this film. He is the one standout in this movie. One can just imagine how his daughter might turn out having a father like this. His character, while perhaps not being the character that Howard's character is, just oozes slime, would you want a father like this, and his acting makes the most of it. Wendy Hiller is alright as the suffering wife of Morely, and they should have made more of what I thought might have been her lust for the Howard character, while Howard's character lusts after the native woman, who, played by an actress named Kerima, who is supposed to have been born in Algeria, almost looks like an English actress given a darker skin tone, though probably not.
Reeds direction at the beginning of this film is unimaginative, I was quite disappointed with the back screen shots that were employed considering the location photography, and I always remember his great cinematography from his other films (Love that tilted camera). However never has lust been filmed so amazingly in an early 1950's movie, (British at that), here Howard is quite good, and the shots of Kerima, our realizing that she does not love this man and may have ulterior motives, in closeup, without Howards knowledge are well done. The last two climactic sequences, with Morely and Howard in a sequence that seems to predate Cornel Wilde's THE NAKED PREY, which probably sent shock waves in cinema's of the early 1950's, and the sequence at the end between Howard and Richardson are two very memorable moments from this film.
If the film comes out on DVD, with some interesting extras, a good audio commentary, I would be interested to see it again, and Hopefully get some further insight that might change my mind. However, of the six movies I have seen of Director Carol Reed, This is my least favorite.
Offbeat treatment of Joseph Conrad's story has greatness
NRREX6 February 2000
As art I rate this the single greatest movie I've ever seen. Not for those with a weak stomach. An incredible performance by Robert Morley as a man driven insane by hate. The hatred is directed at Trevor Howard who's inner demons lead him to destruction. This film has a cast of cannibalistic natives who consider murder a recreational sport.
Indulged too much in the vices
bkoganbing9 October 2013
When the Marlon Brando version of Mutiny On The Bounty came out one of the scenes I remember is Trevor Howard remonstrating with Brando after finding him getting ready to get down to business with Tarita about controlling his lust. Captain Bligh would have had little use for the character that Howard plays in Outcast Of The Island where his lust truly gets the better of him.
Those tropical islands have always had a certain allure to us westerners, but this movie based on a Joseph Conrad novel clearly demonstrates the problem of having too much of a good thing. Howard's been in the area for years and he's indulged all the readily available vices too much for too long. When he's caught stealing it might be the end for him.
But an old friend trading captain Ralph Richardson takes pity on him and takes him from Singapore to a small island where his son-in-law Robert Morley lives with wife Wendy Hiller and real life daughter Annabel Morley. Richardson deposits him there, not that Morley truly wants him.
It doesn't take long for Howard to start stirring things up and all of his schemes and machinations involve a bad case overwhelming lust for the beautiful Kerima. She certainly is something to lust over. In the end she brings about his total ruination.
The central character among the Occidentals is Howard, but Richardson and Morley aren't any model specimens either. Richardson's main concern is keeping a monopoly of the trade there. The harbor is inaccessible for the most part, but Richardson knows a narrow navigable passageway through the reefs so he monopolizes the trade. And he's pretty ruthless about keeping his monopoly.
As for Morley he's one uptight businessman. The prior relationship between Richardson and Morley is taken up in a previous Conrad novel and sad to say if you haven't read that book, a lot of it will elude the viewer.
Hiller is good, but sadly wasted in a role of a woman trapped in a bad situation. She's got an unrequited yen for Howard, but she's still a faithful wife, just like Jean Arthur in Shane.
Outcast Of The Island is a most atypical South Seas story. Conrad's vision is not fully realized by the film, but the players all do a fine job with what they are given.
Those tropical islands have always had a certain allure to us westerners, but this movie based on a Joseph Conrad novel clearly demonstrates the problem of having too much of a good thing. Howard's been in the area for years and he's indulged all the readily available vices too much for too long. When he's caught stealing it might be the end for him.
But an old friend trading captain Ralph Richardson takes pity on him and takes him from Singapore to a small island where his son-in-law Robert Morley lives with wife Wendy Hiller and real life daughter Annabel Morley. Richardson deposits him there, not that Morley truly wants him.
It doesn't take long for Howard to start stirring things up and all of his schemes and machinations involve a bad case overwhelming lust for the beautiful Kerima. She certainly is something to lust over. In the end she brings about his total ruination.
The central character among the Occidentals is Howard, but Richardson and Morley aren't any model specimens either. Richardson's main concern is keeping a monopoly of the trade there. The harbor is inaccessible for the most part, but Richardson knows a narrow navigable passageway through the reefs so he monopolizes the trade. And he's pretty ruthless about keeping his monopoly.
As for Morley he's one uptight businessman. The prior relationship between Richardson and Morley is taken up in a previous Conrad novel and sad to say if you haven't read that book, a lot of it will elude the viewer.
Hiller is good, but sadly wasted in a role of a woman trapped in a bad situation. She's got an unrequited yen for Howard, but she's still a faithful wife, just like Jean Arthur in Shane.
Outcast Of The Island is a most atypical South Seas story. Conrad's vision is not fully realized by the film, but the players all do a fine job with what they are given.
OUTCAST OF THE ISLANDS (Carol Reed, 1951) ***1/2
Bunuel19761 January 2014
Although he made a handful of worthwhile films before them and won a competitive Oscar much later, Carol Reed is still most admired for his immediate post-WWII work: ODD MAN OUT (1947), THE FALLEN IDOL (1948), THE THIRD MAN (1949) – all of them BAFTA winners – and the movie under review. The latter is the least-seen and least-regarded of the lot (perhaps because there are very few sympathetic characters in it!) but emerges a remarkable achievement nevertheless, with the director's sure hand more than evident in several striking sequences throughout. It features a great cast, all of whom deliver splendid performances: Trevor Howard (second-billed but clearly the protagonist here), Ralph Richardson, Robert Morley, Wendy Hiller, George Coulouris (as an English-speaking native!), Wilfrid Hyde-White and Frederick Valk.
While the Far East atmosphere is undeniably vivid and captivating (and John Wilcox's cinematography suitably gleaming), this never draws attention away from the complex character study at the center of Joseph Conrad's typically sea-based and compelling plot line (which works its way up to an abrupt yet memorable ending) about a rogue trader driven mad by lust for a native girl (the silent Kerima) and delusions of grandeur a' la Kurtz in the same author's "Heart Of Darkness". For the record, OUTCAST OF THE ISLANDS was also a BAFTA nominee, was apparently shorn of 8 minutes for U.S. TV screenings and is featured in cult American film-maker Monte Hellman's All-Time Top 10 list, apart from being championed by eminent movie critics like Pauline Kael and David Thomson!
While the Far East atmosphere is undeniably vivid and captivating (and John Wilcox's cinematography suitably gleaming), this never draws attention away from the complex character study at the center of Joseph Conrad's typically sea-based and compelling plot line (which works its way up to an abrupt yet memorable ending) about a rogue trader driven mad by lust for a native girl (the silent Kerima) and delusions of grandeur a' la Kurtz in the same author's "Heart Of Darkness". For the record, OUTCAST OF THE ISLANDS was also a BAFTA nominee, was apparently shorn of 8 minutes for U.S. TV screenings and is featured in cult American film-maker Monte Hellman's All-Time Top 10 list, apart from being championed by eminent movie critics like Pauline Kael and David Thomson!
Dissipated action
eigaeye30 August 2012
This film falls well below Carol Reed's best work. Despite a strong cast and the benefits of location shooting, the action is dissipated by poor editing (the frenzied intercutting of shots). The idea of the worthless white man left to wash up on an alien shore (condemned to the too-fleshy arms of his 'half-caste' woman) seems terribly hackneyed from today's viewpoint. Reed's artistry, unfortunately, is not sufficient to overcome these weaknesses. The one memorable thing is the presence of the actress, Kerima, whose character does not utter even one line of dialogue. That the film's assistant director, Guy Hamilton, should have married her soon after will came as no surprise to anyone. As much as I admire Trevor Howard, Wendy Hiller and Ralph Richardson as performers, this is not a worthy vehicle for their talents.
What is it about Conrad that even film-makers as good as Carol Reed struggle to put his stories to film? For what it's worth, I think Hitchcock's 'Sabotage' is a better film, albeit a loose adaptation of Conrad's 'The Secret Agent', than this more faithful adaptation of 'The Outcast of the Islands'.
What is it about Conrad that even film-makers as good as Carol Reed struggle to put his stories to film? For what it's worth, I think Hitchcock's 'Sabotage' is a better film, albeit a loose adaptation of Conrad's 'The Secret Agent', than this more faithful adaptation of 'The Outcast of the Islands'.
Sporadically powerful adaptation of a Joseph Conrad novel, lacking clear focus on what sort of film it is really trying to be.
barnabyrudge6 January 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Based on a novel by Joseph Conrad, directed by the great British director Carol Reed, and featuring a cast of considerable distinction (Ralph Richardson, Trevor Howard, Robert Morley and Wendy Hiller), one comes to Outcast Of The Islands with high hopes indeed. Unfortunately, the film doesn't really deliver on its promise – it's an interesting, well-acted and perfectly watchable film, but by no means a masterpiece. More of a curiosity than anything, in all fairness.
Caddish Peter Willems (Trevor Howard) was rescued from a life of poverty and obscurity as a boy by noble seafarer Captain Lingard (Ralph Richardson). Since then, their lives have taken different paths – Lingard has remained a staunch and reliable sea captain, travelling the seas and making his fortune through peaceful trade, while Willems has become a manipulative, opportunistic bully despised by all. When his business interests go belly-up, Willems is forced to flee from Singapore. The only person willing to help him is his old friend Lingard who, against all reason and wisdom, still sees some good in the young protégé. He smuggles Willems to a remote coastal community and suggests that he spend some time there, laying low until the storm surrounding his business controversies has blown over. He leaves Willems under the watchful eye of his daughter (Wendy Hiller) and jealous son-in-law Elmer (Robert Morley). Alas, Willems' self-destructive nature quickly leads him into trouble. He offends his hosts, falls in love with a dangerous wild-woman (Kerima), plays tribes-people off against each other, and gives away precious information about the secret sea route to the community. Ultimately, his cruel nature catches up him with and he must pay a terrible price for his mistakes.
Howard is excellent, cast against type as a monstrous man with few redeeming qualities; Richardson holds his own too as the foolishly loyal father-figure trying to give him one last chance in life that he probably doesn't deserve. The Far Eastern location shooting gives the film an authentic feel, though the film doesn't quite manage to get a clear hold on what it really wants to be. A Malayan adventure? A sun- soaked tragedy? A dark comedy? A morality play? It veers amongst all of these without ever quite cutting it as one or the other. Flashes of individual power remain (Richardson bellowing "you are my shame!" – as he finally realises how much his faith in Howard has been misplaced and abused – being one of the most memorable moments), but the film as a whole is neither here nor there. It's just a very strange film – a peculiar choice for big screen treatment, sometimes fascinating but just as often flat, and ultimately a rather bitter and negative film. Worth a look in spite of all this.
Caddish Peter Willems (Trevor Howard) was rescued from a life of poverty and obscurity as a boy by noble seafarer Captain Lingard (Ralph Richardson). Since then, their lives have taken different paths – Lingard has remained a staunch and reliable sea captain, travelling the seas and making his fortune through peaceful trade, while Willems has become a manipulative, opportunistic bully despised by all. When his business interests go belly-up, Willems is forced to flee from Singapore. The only person willing to help him is his old friend Lingard who, against all reason and wisdom, still sees some good in the young protégé. He smuggles Willems to a remote coastal community and suggests that he spend some time there, laying low until the storm surrounding his business controversies has blown over. He leaves Willems under the watchful eye of his daughter (Wendy Hiller) and jealous son-in-law Elmer (Robert Morley). Alas, Willems' self-destructive nature quickly leads him into trouble. He offends his hosts, falls in love with a dangerous wild-woman (Kerima), plays tribes-people off against each other, and gives away precious information about the secret sea route to the community. Ultimately, his cruel nature catches up him with and he must pay a terrible price for his mistakes.
Howard is excellent, cast against type as a monstrous man with few redeeming qualities; Richardson holds his own too as the foolishly loyal father-figure trying to give him one last chance in life that he probably doesn't deserve. The Far Eastern location shooting gives the film an authentic feel, though the film doesn't quite manage to get a clear hold on what it really wants to be. A Malayan adventure? A sun- soaked tragedy? A dark comedy? A morality play? It veers amongst all of these without ever quite cutting it as one or the other. Flashes of individual power remain (Richardson bellowing "you are my shame!" – as he finally realises how much his faith in Howard has been misplaced and abused – being one of the most memorable moments), but the film as a whole is neither here nor there. It's just a very strange film – a peculiar choice for big screen treatment, sometimes fascinating but just as often flat, and ultimately a rather bitter and negative film. Worth a look in spite of all this.
Outcast Of The Islands - Study of A Corrupt Soul
krocheav1 November 2020
Warning: Spoilers
It's easy for some viewers to sit back in their easy chair and criticize works (often made before they were born) for the lack of special effects - this superior work is about character, not spectacular effects. Effects in this era were limited to rear projection or models, and when tackling a subject serious as this - knowing the majority of audiences prefer a happy ending - you weren't going to make a lot of money. It was brave enough of master filmmaker Carol Read (or any movie maker) to take on a Joseph Conrad novel, let alone one as detailed as An Outcast of the Islands. Outcast, like other Conrad writings, is an in-depth study of a heart filled with darkness, a soul on a path of selfish self-destruction. Trevor Howard is superb as Willems, a waif taken under the protective wing of a kindly sea captain (Ralph Richardson) who offers a guiding hand and employment in his trading business. When Willems attempts to go it alone, his all-consuming greed takes control - leading him to fraudulently cheat his employers at every opportunity.
Forced on the run he goes into hiding, relying once more on his kindly benefactor. It's here he forms a dalliance with the sultry daughter of a conniving local chieftain - creating deeper complications. Robert Morley is equally excellent as yet another opportunistic 'fortune-hunter' who marries the boss's daughter to secure employment and a home - while waiting in the wings to take over the business. Wonderful Wendy Hiller is the daughter/wife treated as a dishrag and mother to their daughter. Her role is an alteration from Conrad's original native girl - possibly to make the film more appealing in the world marketplace, and while a secondary character she's always a joy to see.
The eventual showdown between adopted father and his corrupt charge is dynamic in its setting and verbal power - making this a perfect (while slightly flawed) masterpiece - a vividly detailed examination of morality over immorality. Between Reed's intelligent direction, William Fairchild's biting screenplay and the combined photographic talents of Ted Scaife (The Third Man) John Wilcox (The Last Valley) Ted Moore (Man for all Seasons) and Freddie Francis (The Elephant Man) making up the splendid Cinematography team. Shooting in rugged tropical locations in stark B/W, nothing could be visually more striking. Then add Brian Easdale's broadly descriptive music score - it's almost motion picture perfection. Anyone who knows how to visually 'read' a vintage classic should see this amazing film.
The Studio Canal remastered DVD treatment is most impressive in its visual quality and sound.
Forced on the run he goes into hiding, relying once more on his kindly benefactor. It's here he forms a dalliance with the sultry daughter of a conniving local chieftain - creating deeper complications. Robert Morley is equally excellent as yet another opportunistic 'fortune-hunter' who marries the boss's daughter to secure employment and a home - while waiting in the wings to take over the business. Wonderful Wendy Hiller is the daughter/wife treated as a dishrag and mother to their daughter. Her role is an alteration from Conrad's original native girl - possibly to make the film more appealing in the world marketplace, and while a secondary character she's always a joy to see.
The eventual showdown between adopted father and his corrupt charge is dynamic in its setting and verbal power - making this a perfect (while slightly flawed) masterpiece - a vividly detailed examination of morality over immorality. Between Reed's intelligent direction, William Fairchild's biting screenplay and the combined photographic talents of Ted Scaife (The Third Man) John Wilcox (The Last Valley) Ted Moore (Man for all Seasons) and Freddie Francis (The Elephant Man) making up the splendid Cinematography team. Shooting in rugged tropical locations in stark B/W, nothing could be visually more striking. Then add Brian Easdale's broadly descriptive music score - it's almost motion picture perfection. Anyone who knows how to visually 'read' a vintage classic should see this amazing film.
The Studio Canal remastered DVD treatment is most impressive in its visual quality and sound.
Up the River
richardchatten22 January 2024
Probably the most exotic film of the black & white phase of Carol Reed's career as a director, 'An Outcast of the Islands' marks his venture into Conrad's heart of darkness.
Although Ralph Richardson gets star billing as Captain Lingard the film plainly belongs to Trevor Howard in the title role as Peter Willems, succumbing to the pleasures of the flesh in the feral form of Kerima.
The British empire are represented by Robert Morley who brings weighty presence to the part of Almayer (with Wendy Hiller as his wife kitted out incongruously in a cute little bonnet and carrying a parasol); while further down the cast list comes the remarkable sight of George Coulouris in blackface and veteran silent director A. V. Bramble as Kerima's father, a blind village elder who when he throws a curse on Howard draws the response - displaying typical British sang froid - "Well, that's not very helpful!"
Although Ralph Richardson gets star billing as Captain Lingard the film plainly belongs to Trevor Howard in the title role as Peter Willems, succumbing to the pleasures of the flesh in the feral form of Kerima.
The British empire are represented by Robert Morley who brings weighty presence to the part of Almayer (with Wendy Hiller as his wife kitted out incongruously in a cute little bonnet and carrying a parasol); while further down the cast list comes the remarkable sight of George Coulouris in blackface and veteran silent director A. V. Bramble as Kerima's father, a blind village elder who when he throws a curse on Howard draws the response - displaying typical British sang froid - "Well, that's not very helpful!"
Slow-moving and unpleasant
Leofwine_draca9 August 2016
I had no idea before watching that OUTCAST OF THE ISLANDS was based on a novel by Joseph Conrad; I might have avoided watching it had I known. I'm not a fan of Conrad after I struggled to read HEART OF DARKNESS, which I found pretentiously written and a chore to struggle through. OUTCAST OF THE ISLANDS explores a tale that sees the author on familiar ground, telling of an ordinary man driven out of his mind by the wild passions of the exotic Far East.
The film is set in and around some trading ports in an unnamed Eastern country, probably Malaya or the like. Trevor Howard plays a roguish character who begins the film by being sacked and then takes up a new position in another location, where he quickly falls for the charms of a native woman. Robert Morley has a splendid role as a stuffy ex-pat who crosses swords with Howard and the 'hammock' scene is by far the most memorable of the film.
Sadly, the rest of it is a bit of a bore. The ending is dramatic but it takes a long time to get there and it doesn't help that the writers give you nobody to root for. Ralph Richardson appears in the production so infrequently that he might as well be in a cameo. As ever, watching a bunch of British actors "browned up" to play natives dates this quite considerably. I like Howard when I've seen him in the likes of THE CLOUDED YELLOW but his hateful character here is too off-putting. I know Carol Reed made some well-remembered films but this certainly isn't one of them.
The film is set in and around some trading ports in an unnamed Eastern country, probably Malaya or the like. Trevor Howard plays a roguish character who begins the film by being sacked and then takes up a new position in another location, where he quickly falls for the charms of a native woman. Robert Morley has a splendid role as a stuffy ex-pat who crosses swords with Howard and the 'hammock' scene is by far the most memorable of the film.
Sadly, the rest of it is a bit of a bore. The ending is dramatic but it takes a long time to get there and it doesn't help that the writers give you nobody to root for. Ralph Richardson appears in the production so infrequently that he might as well be in a cameo. As ever, watching a bunch of British actors "browned up" to play natives dates this quite considerably. I like Howard when I've seen him in the likes of THE CLOUDED YELLOW but his hateful character here is too off-putting. I know Carol Reed made some well-remembered films but this certainly isn't one of them.
The Best Film Version of a Joseph Conrad Novel
theowinthrop22 February 2005
Carol Reed's "An Outcast Of The Islands" is generally conceded to be the finest film ever made of Joseph Conrad's tales. To be fair "Nostromo", "Under Western Eyes", and "Chance" never have been filmed. Hitchcock's "Sabotage" (based on "The Secret Agent") is a good Hitchcock film, but the story is modernized and changed. The later film version of the novel was politely received and then forgotten. "Victory" was made into a serviceable love and adventure story with Fredric March and Cedric Hardwicke, but the irony and allegory of the story was lost. "Lord Jim" was better recalled for the severe drubbing critics gave it - concluding with a Mad Magazine spoof called "Lord Jump". There is "Apocalypse Now" which is a fine attempt at "Heart of Darkness", but it changes the site of the story from the Belgium Congo of Leopold II to Vietnam in the 1960s and 1970s. "An Outcast" stuck to the basic story of Willems and his betrayal of Almayer and Captain Lingard for a beautiful native girl. Trevor Howard gave many memorable, delicate performances in his life (best, perhaps, for "Brief Encounter"), but this performance as a man who was poor enough material to begin with but goes to seed is possibly better. The supporting cast is great, with Robert Morley playing his most despicable character, and Ralph Richardson as the decent Lingard. George Coulouris is properly Machiavellian as the sly Babalatchi, and Wendy Hiller is tragic as that human dishrag Mrs. Almayer. The only problem a purist may have is that Willems is killed at the end of the novel accidentally (and quite memorably). Not so in the film. But his punishment of living as a monument to failure and hopelessness may be even more fitting - I leave to the reader/viewer.
Great individual moments and serious flaws result in an interesting misfire
cherold9 May 2018
Outcast of the Islands perhaps illustrates the reasons someone with the talents of Carol Reed so rarely achieved true greatness. Reed could make a great movie when everything came together, as in The Third Man, but unlike Orson Welles, he didn't have the level of brilliance where even his mistakes were interesting.
Outcast is the story of sleazeball Peter Willems, played with gusto by Trevor Howard, who embezzles some money then sets sail with an old sea-captain mentor who sails him to an Indonesian village. There he contends with the captain's angry son, considers betraying his mentor, and becomes obsessed with a local beauty.
Filmed in Sri Lanka, the film does a lovely job of portraying the village, offering a level of authenticity unusual for the time and a real sense of a living, breathing place. This is undercut by the casting of Europeans in major parts. George Coulouris in brown make-up doesn't look or sound remotely like the extras surrounding him, and while the French actress Kerima doesn't look as out of place, it seems weird that they wouldn't consider a Sri Lankan actress for a non-speaking part.
This authentic/non-authentic dichotomy plagues the movie. Ralph Richardson's sea captain was weirdly unweathered; it was hard to believe he'd done more than day sailing. And I swear the little girl's voice is dubbed by a child impersonator, although I don't know why since she's still generally incomprehensible.
I also found the character development weak. The dynamics between the captain and his family seem poorly defined. The captain does a lot of dumb things and is insufferably paternal to the islanders (and neglectful to his son), yet I felt the movie was putting him forth as the "good" character. And I found his daughter-in-law's attitude towards Willems odd, in part because I was never clear on what she thought of her husband; it would make sense if she loathed him passionately and was completely blind to Willems flaws, but that's not clear in the film.
Robert Morley is excellent as the bitter son, but I feel there's an issue with the character. Morley is rather unpleasant to his wife and openly hostile towards Willems, and I think we're supposed to find him loathsome, but because his father is so unfatherly and because Willems really is a terrible person that the son is completely right about, I feel he's got some justifiable anger.
The end result is a movie with wonderful moments - the little boy trailing after the disdainful Willems, Kerima's eyes peering through a hut's reed wall, the little girl shouting "pig" as her father is tortured - undercut by all sorts of unfortunate directorial and casting decisions and a script that skimps on motivation.
Outcast is the story of sleazeball Peter Willems, played with gusto by Trevor Howard, who embezzles some money then sets sail with an old sea-captain mentor who sails him to an Indonesian village. There he contends with the captain's angry son, considers betraying his mentor, and becomes obsessed with a local beauty.
Filmed in Sri Lanka, the film does a lovely job of portraying the village, offering a level of authenticity unusual for the time and a real sense of a living, breathing place. This is undercut by the casting of Europeans in major parts. George Coulouris in brown make-up doesn't look or sound remotely like the extras surrounding him, and while the French actress Kerima doesn't look as out of place, it seems weird that they wouldn't consider a Sri Lankan actress for a non-speaking part.
This authentic/non-authentic dichotomy plagues the movie. Ralph Richardson's sea captain was weirdly unweathered; it was hard to believe he'd done more than day sailing. And I swear the little girl's voice is dubbed by a child impersonator, although I don't know why since she's still generally incomprehensible.
I also found the character development weak. The dynamics between the captain and his family seem poorly defined. The captain does a lot of dumb things and is insufferably paternal to the islanders (and neglectful to his son), yet I felt the movie was putting him forth as the "good" character. And I found his daughter-in-law's attitude towards Willems odd, in part because I was never clear on what she thought of her husband; it would make sense if she loathed him passionately and was completely blind to Willems flaws, but that's not clear in the film.
Robert Morley is excellent as the bitter son, but I feel there's an issue with the character. Morley is rather unpleasant to his wife and openly hostile towards Willems, and I think we're supposed to find him loathsome, but because his father is so unfatherly and because Willems really is a terrible person that the son is completely right about, I feel he's got some justifiable anger.
The end result is a movie with wonderful moments - the little boy trailing after the disdainful Willems, Kerima's eyes peering through a hut's reed wall, the little girl shouting "pig" as her father is tortured - undercut by all sorts of unfortunate directorial and casting decisions and a script that skimps on motivation.
South-seas seduction
Chase_Witherspoon17 September 2023
Engaging yet somewhat uneven drama features the brooding, withdrawn Howard enamoured by the sultry (and mute) warrior daughter (Kerima) of a local chieftain on an Indonesian trading outpost after he's brought to the island by Captain Richardson, much to the chagrin of Robert Morley's character who regards Howard as a troublemaker.
Kerima is as exotic as she is enigmatic, and amid the backdrop of their torrid, forbidden affair, it's never really certain to whom her allegiance is sworn. Howard's besottedness soon becomes a vulnerability Morley is able to exploit to prove his instinctive distrust, whilst shifty tribal middleman Coulouris sees the opportunity to leverage Howard's weakness for financial & political gain in the important trade route which has otherwise remained in Richardson's monopolistic grip.
Nicely photographed and generally well-constructed South Seas romantic-melodrama meanders a bit, sometimes neglecting plot and pacing for characterisation, as Howard takes his time to reveal a deeply-insecure vagabond, tragically beguiled by the destructive wild thing he can't resist, despite patient warnings of the imminent peril it will bring.
Seductive newcomer Kerima (French former model turned actress and later wife to Guy Hamilton) is well-cast despite not having any dialogue, and Howard excels in the type of role for which he became synonymous; rugged, tough exterior disguising a deeply flawed personality which invariably leads to catastrophe. Very watchable.
Kerima is as exotic as she is enigmatic, and amid the backdrop of their torrid, forbidden affair, it's never really certain to whom her allegiance is sworn. Howard's besottedness soon becomes a vulnerability Morley is able to exploit to prove his instinctive distrust, whilst shifty tribal middleman Coulouris sees the opportunity to leverage Howard's weakness for financial & political gain in the important trade route which has otherwise remained in Richardson's monopolistic grip.
Nicely photographed and generally well-constructed South Seas romantic-melodrama meanders a bit, sometimes neglecting plot and pacing for characterisation, as Howard takes his time to reveal a deeply-insecure vagabond, tragically beguiled by the destructive wild thing he can't resist, despite patient warnings of the imminent peril it will bring.
Seductive newcomer Kerima (French former model turned actress and later wife to Guy Hamilton) is well-cast despite not having any dialogue, and Howard excels in the type of role for which he became synonymous; rugged, tough exterior disguising a deeply flawed personality which invariably leads to catastrophe. Very watchable.
Minor Defects but still Absolutely Stunning!
JohnHowardReid17 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Copyright 19 November 1951 by British Lion Film Corp. A London Film Production, presented by Sir Alexander Korda. U.S. release through United Artists: 11 July 1953. New York opening simultaneously at the Astor and the Fine Arts: 15 May 1952. U.K. release through British Lion: 25 February 1952. Australian release through London Films/Universal-International: 21 August 1952. 9,225 feet. 102 minutes. Censored to 8,981 feet (less than 100 minutes) including Censorship Certificate — "Not Suitable for Children" — in Australia. Cut to 93 minutes in the U.S.A.
SYNOPSIS: An unprincipled English swindler's consuming passion for a native girl leads him to betray his friends. Setting: An island in the Far East. — Copyright summary.
COMMENT: A lavish historical spectacle. Unfortunately, the conclusion is unsatisfactory and the picture could stand some trimming. It's a shame that the pace and the exotically heady atmosphere of the film's best scenes was not maintained. It's when the characters try to use some of Conrad's original dialogue that the film falls down.
Wisely, however, Reed decided to eliminate all Kerima's speech in the editing stage. We never hear her voice. This adds rather than detracts from her mysterious appeal, and allows her beautifully expressive, sultry face to convey her emotions unhindered.
Trevor Howard seems convincing and the support cast is strong (Wilfrid Hyde-White treats us to another incisive portrait), but Sir Ralph Richardson delivers his lines in his usual throwaway style — which is not always appropriate.
For all its minor defects, "An Outcast of the Islands" will bowl any audience over with its stunning visual delights. The superlative camera-work is often abetted by marvelous film editing. Did you notice that Howard and the river-boy never appear on-screen together? I didn't.
OTHER VIEWS: Working on the same plan as he did throughout production of "The Third Man" with two complete technical crews, Carol Reed successfully directed "Outcast of the Islands". This plan is a simple one — for the crews. One camera unit lines up a shot, lights the set and Carol Reed steps in to direct the scene. Meanwhile, the second camera unit on another stage is lining up and lighting for a different scene. Reed hurries from one to another. Production experts estimate that a total of over four weeks' studio shooting time is saved by this method thus saving overheads to a considerable amount. When Reed is concentrating on a lengthy scene with one unit, the other crew busy themselves with inserts and traveling Matte shots.
Apart from the physical energy consumed during a day lasting from 8.30am to 7.15pm in the studio, Carol Reed's mental activity is superlative. He appears to switch from scene to scene quite readily; can adapt his mind to completely different technical and emotional problems connected with his script.
The director spends his whole lunch break viewing the previous day's work in the studio theater and when floor work is over for the day hurries off to the cutting rooms to consult with editor, Bert Bates, about the work on the film to date. — Studio Publicity.
SYNOPSIS: An unprincipled English swindler's consuming passion for a native girl leads him to betray his friends. Setting: An island in the Far East. — Copyright summary.
COMMENT: A lavish historical spectacle. Unfortunately, the conclusion is unsatisfactory and the picture could stand some trimming. It's a shame that the pace and the exotically heady atmosphere of the film's best scenes was not maintained. It's when the characters try to use some of Conrad's original dialogue that the film falls down.
Wisely, however, Reed decided to eliminate all Kerima's speech in the editing stage. We never hear her voice. This adds rather than detracts from her mysterious appeal, and allows her beautifully expressive, sultry face to convey her emotions unhindered.
Trevor Howard seems convincing and the support cast is strong (Wilfrid Hyde-White treats us to another incisive portrait), but Sir Ralph Richardson delivers his lines in his usual throwaway style — which is not always appropriate.
For all its minor defects, "An Outcast of the Islands" will bowl any audience over with its stunning visual delights. The superlative camera-work is often abetted by marvelous film editing. Did you notice that Howard and the river-boy never appear on-screen together? I didn't.
OTHER VIEWS: Working on the same plan as he did throughout production of "The Third Man" with two complete technical crews, Carol Reed successfully directed "Outcast of the Islands". This plan is a simple one — for the crews. One camera unit lines up a shot, lights the set and Carol Reed steps in to direct the scene. Meanwhile, the second camera unit on another stage is lining up and lighting for a different scene. Reed hurries from one to another. Production experts estimate that a total of over four weeks' studio shooting time is saved by this method thus saving overheads to a considerable amount. When Reed is concentrating on a lengthy scene with one unit, the other crew busy themselves with inserts and traveling Matte shots.
Apart from the physical energy consumed during a day lasting from 8.30am to 7.15pm in the studio, Carol Reed's mental activity is superlative. He appears to switch from scene to scene quite readily; can adapt his mind to completely different technical and emotional problems connected with his script.
The director spends his whole lunch break viewing the previous day's work in the studio theater and when floor work is over for the day hurries off to the cutting rooms to consult with editor, Bert Bates, about the work on the film to date. — Studio Publicity.
A Perfect Film - Outcast of the Islands
arthur_tafero1 August 2021
The finest British film ever made. The greatest performance in the considerable list of good films by Trevor Howard. The most erotic British film EVER made. Delivers what Duel in the Sun wanted to be, what Gone With the Wind wanted to be, and what very few films in the history of cinema ever delivered. It has everything; high adventure, dripping erotic romance that makes all other romantic films look like Disney films, and electric performances by everyone in the cast. Karima is aptly named. Those piercing eyes! She doen't need useless words or dialogue. She speaks more with her eyes than ten actresses with 100 scripts. The hottest screen presence ever captured on film. If you are a male over 13, you will lust after her up to the age of 90. People rave about the Third Man and Brief Encounter, both of which were very good. And Brief Encounter is one of the most delicate love stories ever recorded on film; far better than Gone With the Wind as soap. The Third Man is a wonderful mystery, But this film is pure erotica for both men and women with a lustful soul. If you have one ounce of passion in your body, you will adore this film. It now goes into my top 20 films of all time; on my list of 100 of the best films of all time. Out of over 20,000 films I have viewed, this is the most erotic of them all.
For curiosity value only - and for fans of Trevor Howard.
britlektorcomenius28 July 2020
I have not read the original Conrad novel, but I cannot imagine he would have been wholly satisfied with Carol Reed's translation of this to the screen.
However, this is worth seeing once for curiosity value. I ventured upon it whilst searching for Trevor Howard films, but this film belongs to Ralph Richardson, especially during the climax in the last ten minutes or so. Robert Morley is sterling, but Wendy Hiller is unfathomable most of the time.
Bosley Crowther of the New York Times praised the acting, but at the end concluded: "The course of the downfall is clear and the general significance of it is neither arresting nor profound. If any Conradian sagacity is supposed to be lodged within the film, it entirely escaped this reviewer. It is a great show of sheer dry-rot, that's all." Slightly harsh,
However, this is worth seeing once for curiosity value. I ventured upon it whilst searching for Trevor Howard films, but this film belongs to Ralph Richardson, especially during the climax in the last ten minutes or so. Robert Morley is sterling, but Wendy Hiller is unfathomable most of the time.
Bosley Crowther of the New York Times praised the acting, but at the end concluded: "The course of the downfall is clear and the general significance of it is neither arresting nor profound. If any Conradian sagacity is supposed to be lodged within the film, it entirely escaped this reviewer. It is a great show of sheer dry-rot, that's all." Slightly harsh,
A Carroll Reed Masterpiece and the Best Conrad Adaptation
ahicks-215 November 2020
This film's ensemble performs with has all the crispness of Reed's performances in FALLEN IDOL. (And Trever Howard, Ralph Richardson and Robert Morely are all superb.) It's shot with all the atmospheric richness of his THE THIRD MAN. Its story of a man unravelling may be too dark for some but it's done with all the
mastery of NIGHT AND THE CITY and LAST TANGO IN PARIS.
Something special for my hundredth contribution
jandesimpson11 November 2003
I remember making an occasion of my 50th "user comments" by electing to write about a film that I found rather special, Carol Reed's "The Third Man". I concluded those comments by saying that I would take the opportunity to write about Reed's one remaining great film, "Outcast of the Islands", as my hundredth contribution, so here goes. We had left school by the time "Outcast" appeared so opportunities for quizzes during breaks no longer existed. Instead a group of us would visit the cinema together once a week and when walking home would give each other a slot of about ten minutes in which to extemporise a criticism of what we had just seen. This would certainly have been our "Outcast" game as we devoured everything Reed gave us. He was in fact our God. Although much of his work now seems a little dated and I am not at all sure that "Odd Man Out" or "The Fallen Idol" are quite the masterworks that we thought they were at the time, critical acclaim seems undiminished for "The Third Man". This has never been quite the case with "Outcast" although it found a great devotee in Pauline Kael who described it as "a marvellous film". It is a work that grabs you from the very first shot of a seething mass of natives and even an elephant on a dockside in the Far East and sweeps you forward with its tremendous pace and the director's sheer love of bravura cinema. It doesn't quite conform to any of the conventional genres being hardly an adventure thriller, a romance or a tragedy and yet it has elements of all three. I suppose one would have to call it high melodrama, a film, epic in its detail and scope yet more concerned with integrating its vast gallery of images of local colour into its narrative than bursting into big set-pieces of action. Films about anti-heroes have never had great box office success, much less those where the anti-hero is weak through and through. Was it this that doomed Wyler's greatest film "Carrie" to near oblivion and was partly the reason for the neglect of "Outcast of the Islands"? And yet to ignore Trevor Howard's marvellous portrayal of Joseph Conrad's pathetically inadequate Willems would be to pass over one of British cinema's finest performances. And then there is that great actor Ralph Richardson as Captain Lingard whose Achilles heel is the misplaced trust he places in Willems. His portrayal has been seen as over the top by some but I would defend it to the hilt for its quality of Shakespearian declamation that is all part and parcel of Reed's directorial style. So often during his work of this period he shoots his scenes, particularly those between two characters, as if they are taking place on a huge theatrical stage. They shout at each other across large spaces, an effect that gives such scenes tremendous strength and resonance. The final sequence of "Outcast" between Howard and Richardson where they employ this device during the sudden outbreak of a tropical rainstorm is so powerful it has haunted me for years. It is possibly the single greatest scene in all Reed's work. Although he managed to retain his uniquely individual style of cinema throughout the subsequent "The Man Between" and the early part of "A Kid for Two Farthings", he was working with much less interesting scripts. That he ultimately lost even his stylistic fingerprints in later works such as "The Agony and the Ecstasy" and "The Running Man" is one of cinema's greatest tragedies.
As sultry as the climate
Philipp_Flersheim23 May 2023
'Outcast of the Islands' is a slow-burner: The mood of the film is as sultry as the climate of Indonesia, where it is set, and tension builds up like the atmospheric oppressiveness ahead of a thunder storm. The storm actually breaks twice, first in an episode of shocking violence, and shortly thereafter as an actual downpour during which the tension is finally released. The plot concerns Peter Willems (Trevor Howard), a fraudulent company clerk in Makassar who loses his job and is taken by his old acquaintance captain Lingard (Ralph Richardson) to a trading outpost somewhere on the coast of Batam. There Willems is to support Lingard's manager Almeyer (Robert Morley). He quickly begins to succumb to the languor of the climate and the charm of Aissa (Karima), the daughter of the local chieftain. I have never watched any other film that shows as compellingly as 'Outcast of the Islands' how a person can completely go to pieces, losing not only their moral compass but also any vestiges of the esteem of others and self respect. It is entirely fitting that in the end, Lingard refuses to shoot Willems, preferring to leave his former friend to the hell he has created for himself and Aissa. Acting is good (excellent in the case of Howard), and the film has been beautifully shot in black and white (presumably colour would have been available, but black and white was a good decision). 'Outcast' is not an easy film to watch, which perhaps accounts for the fact that it is relatively little-known today, but it is still highly recommendable.
Disreputable, seedy, selfish, lustful and avaricious with no redeeming qualities
JamesHitchcock19 April 2024
How do you follow up a masterpiece? This was Carol Reed's first film after what I (and many others) have always considered his greatest, "The Third Man". That was the second of Reed's trilogy of films noirs, all with a contemporary setting, the other two instalments being "Odd Man Out" and "The Man Between". With "Outcast of the Islands" he decided to do something a little different. It is a late nineteenth century period drama, based on a novel by Joseph Conrad and set in what was then the Dutch East Indies.
The main character is Peter Willems, an employee of a Singapore shipping company, who is sacked for dishonesty. He meets Tom Lingard, a ship's captain who once befriended him as a boy. Although you might think that Willems is the author of his own misfortunes, Lingard feels sorry for him. Lingard has made a considerable amount of money through trading with a village which can only be reached via a dangerous river mouth; the secret of navigating this difficult passage is known to Lingard alone. He takes Willems on his next voyage and introducers him to Almayer, his son-in-law and his representative in the village. The idea is that Willems should act as Almayer's assistant while Lingard is away on one of his trading ventures.
Well, they say that no kind deed goes unpunished. Willems, predictably, proves just as untrustworthy in his new position as he was in his old one. He quarrels with Almayer after the two men take a deep dislike to one another. He seduces Aissa, the daughter of the local village chief and betrays Lingard by revealing the secret of the navigation channel to an Arab trader, one of Lingard's rivals. Eventually he leads the villagers in an attack on Almayer, who escapes with his life but at the cost of a loss of his dignity.
Trevor Howard had appeared in "The Third Man" as Major Calloway, a humane and decent British officer. He appears again here as Willems, a very different type of character. "Outcast of the Islands" is a rare example of a film with a wholly unsympathetic protagonist. Reed's main characters are rarely paragons of virtue or clean-cut heroes, but for all their flaws they generally have some redeeming points. James Mason's IRA man in "Odd Man Out" may be a terrorist, but at least he eventually comes to realise the futility of violence and hatred. Ivo Kern in "The Man Between" (also played by Mason) is a complex, tormented figure, a one-time idealist whose idealism has been cruelly shattered by his witnessing the horrors of Nazism. Even Harry Lime in "The Third Man", although he is a monster of cynical self-interest who has no regard for the sufferings of others, manages to achieve a certain monstrous grandeur.
There is no grandeur about Willems. He is a disreputable, seedy little man, selfish, lustful and avaricious with no redeeming qualities. Even Lingard eventually recoils from him in disgust. It is to Howard's credit that he managed to make so unpleasant a character fascinating enough to hold the audience's interest, even if we only watch in a spirit of "I wonder what this scoundrel will get up to next" or "I wonder how he will get his comeuppance". There is another good performance from Robert Morley as Almayer, a man who, while not as dishonest as Willems, is nearly as unsympathetic- arrogant, pompous, patronising and self-satisfied. It is hardly surprising that they detest one another, as both are detestable.
"Outcast of the Islands" is not quite in the same class as "The Third Man", but then few films are. As an account of colonial-era villainy it remains very watchable. 8/10.
The main character is Peter Willems, an employee of a Singapore shipping company, who is sacked for dishonesty. He meets Tom Lingard, a ship's captain who once befriended him as a boy. Although you might think that Willems is the author of his own misfortunes, Lingard feels sorry for him. Lingard has made a considerable amount of money through trading with a village which can only be reached via a dangerous river mouth; the secret of navigating this difficult passage is known to Lingard alone. He takes Willems on his next voyage and introducers him to Almayer, his son-in-law and his representative in the village. The idea is that Willems should act as Almayer's assistant while Lingard is away on one of his trading ventures.
Well, they say that no kind deed goes unpunished. Willems, predictably, proves just as untrustworthy in his new position as he was in his old one. He quarrels with Almayer after the two men take a deep dislike to one another. He seduces Aissa, the daughter of the local village chief and betrays Lingard by revealing the secret of the navigation channel to an Arab trader, one of Lingard's rivals. Eventually he leads the villagers in an attack on Almayer, who escapes with his life but at the cost of a loss of his dignity.
Trevor Howard had appeared in "The Third Man" as Major Calloway, a humane and decent British officer. He appears again here as Willems, a very different type of character. "Outcast of the Islands" is a rare example of a film with a wholly unsympathetic protagonist. Reed's main characters are rarely paragons of virtue or clean-cut heroes, but for all their flaws they generally have some redeeming points. James Mason's IRA man in "Odd Man Out" may be a terrorist, but at least he eventually comes to realise the futility of violence and hatred. Ivo Kern in "The Man Between" (also played by Mason) is a complex, tormented figure, a one-time idealist whose idealism has been cruelly shattered by his witnessing the horrors of Nazism. Even Harry Lime in "The Third Man", although he is a monster of cynical self-interest who has no regard for the sufferings of others, manages to achieve a certain monstrous grandeur.
There is no grandeur about Willems. He is a disreputable, seedy little man, selfish, lustful and avaricious with no redeeming qualities. Even Lingard eventually recoils from him in disgust. It is to Howard's credit that he managed to make so unpleasant a character fascinating enough to hold the audience's interest, even if we only watch in a spirit of "I wonder what this scoundrel will get up to next" or "I wonder how he will get his comeuppance". There is another good performance from Robert Morley as Almayer, a man who, while not as dishonest as Willems, is nearly as unsympathetic- arrogant, pompous, patronising and self-satisfied. It is hardly surprising that they detest one another, as both are detestable.
"Outcast of the Islands" is not quite in the same class as "The Third Man", but then few films are. As an account of colonial-era villainy it remains very watchable. 8/10.
Interesting, well-acted, flawed, bonkers.
rick_718 May 2012
Warning: Spoilers
A batty colonial Third Man, as raffish thief Trevor Howard winds up at a trading outpost, where he falls for a female warrior (Kerima) and proceeds to betray his best friend (Ralph Richardson). This strange, intense drama – complete with broad comic interludes – lacks a consistency of tone, oscillates between profundity and pomposity (though some of the commentary on imperialism is fascinating) and is too low-budget to realise its ambitions, leading to continuity problems and some iffy back-projection. But it has a whole deck of wild cards that make it a must-see for fans of classic British film. Where else would you get to watch Robert Morley trussed up in a cocoon-like hammock, swinging, whooping above a bonfire? Or Richardson – in full Captain Birdseye make-up – trudging up a mountain, unsure whether to shoot or lecture his protégé? Indeed, much of the acting has to be seen to be believed, with a masterclass in madness from Howard, a poignant part from Richardson, Morley's bilious turn as a barking, greedy trader, and one of Wendy Hiller's rare film appearances: impossibly touching, in what could have been a hackneyed part, as the unhappily-married woman looking to trade in one bastard for another. Strange, then, that Reed sometimes gets sidetracked with devious George Coulouris (a Mancunian of Greek heritage, wearing a lot of slap) and his band of colonial rebels – a supporting story that's a bit too simplistic to really engage. This Conrad adaptation is a film of rough edges and odd diversions, but it's very interesting, and at it's best, it's just great.
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