Lewis Gilbert's (1957) film, adapted from J.M. Barrie's play by the director, is set on what in English folklore is usually described as a 'desert island'. A 'desert island' is not in fact a desert - as there is always a plentiful supply of fresh water - but is, in fact, merely an island that is deserted.
J.M. Barrie (1860-1937, author of 'Peter Pan') seems to borrow something from Daniel Defoe (1860-1731, author of 'Robinson Crusoe') in placing a titled, shipwrecked family a long way from home where the normal rules of social etiquette do not apply.
Skillfully avoiding institutional racism, J.M. Barrie's story focuses on the English class system and as the story plays out, a natural leader with an impeccable sense of diplomacy emerges.
This is a story that is very well told by the film and has been repeated many times in fact.
The most remarkable factual account of a similar situation comes from the annals of British Airways.
Well before the days of satellite navigation and a reliable infrastructure of ground-based radio beacons, an aircraft took off in North Africa for a flight between Khartoum and Dacca. In those days, like the RAF, a multi-engined airliner carried two pilots and a navigator.
But like these days, there was only so much fuel in the tanks. If the navigator pointed the pilots in the direction of a large desert (where there is never a plentiful supply of running water) they would fly there in good faith.
On this occasion, it was a young cabin steward (who had flown this route a number of times) who meekly alerted the flight crew to the fact that the sun was coming up on the wrong side of the aeroplane.
The navigator didn't know what he'd done wrong; the pilots did their best to land an aircraft, used to asphalt, on the crest of a sand dune. People were injured, but a party of survivors were befriended by nomadic Arabs and found their way to safety.
Up to this point, they were guided by the good judgement and social skill of the young cabin steward.
If you like that story, which is true, then you'll like this film, which is only true figuratively.
J.M. Barrie (1860-1937, author of 'Peter Pan') seems to borrow something from Daniel Defoe (1860-1731, author of 'Robinson Crusoe') in placing a titled, shipwrecked family a long way from home where the normal rules of social etiquette do not apply.
Skillfully avoiding institutional racism, J.M. Barrie's story focuses on the English class system and as the story plays out, a natural leader with an impeccable sense of diplomacy emerges.
This is a story that is very well told by the film and has been repeated many times in fact.
The most remarkable factual account of a similar situation comes from the annals of British Airways.
Well before the days of satellite navigation and a reliable infrastructure of ground-based radio beacons, an aircraft took off in North Africa for a flight between Khartoum and Dacca. In those days, like the RAF, a multi-engined airliner carried two pilots and a navigator.
But like these days, there was only so much fuel in the tanks. If the navigator pointed the pilots in the direction of a large desert (where there is never a plentiful supply of running water) they would fly there in good faith.
On this occasion, it was a young cabin steward (who had flown this route a number of times) who meekly alerted the flight crew to the fact that the sun was coming up on the wrong side of the aeroplane.
The navigator didn't know what he'd done wrong; the pilots did their best to land an aircraft, used to asphalt, on the crest of a sand dune. People were injured, but a party of survivors were befriended by nomadic Arabs and found their way to safety.
Up to this point, they were guided by the good judgement and social skill of the young cabin steward.
If you like that story, which is true, then you'll like this film, which is only true figuratively.