Robinson Crusoe (1954)

Very disappointing...

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

I realized that as famous a book as "Robinson Crusoe" is, there are relatively few well known movie versions. This is one of the more well known, but even then, it isn't that famous. This is really a shame, because I personally found this to be a great underrated movie. I have read the original book version and loved it. It is kind of sad how I really don't read novels anymore and I don't remember that much from the actual book. What I do know is that this was a very faithful retelling. I think the main alluring of the story in general is how it gives a realistic interpretation of being trapped on an island. It's interesting just to hear and read about how he has to make his crops to survive. I guess it's pretty mundane, but is laid out in such an entertaining manner.It gets even better when Friday is introduced. It's so amusing to see him teach Friday all that he knows. And you thought Bill Maher in "Religulous" was the first person to ask why God doesn't just destroy the Devil! It also helps that there's a lot of cute animals in the movie. I love the cat in this movie. Back in the 1950's, you slowly saw most movies become color. As someone who's seen a lot of black and white films at the time, you truly realize how much it stands out and just looks so classy. I think it truly is a timeless tale and you probably couldn't tell it took place as far back as the 1600's. The sets in this movie are great, the acting works so well because of how mellow it is. I realize that I'm a big fan of works about people being stuck on islands. It's just something about minimalism that appeals to me. I found the best ever execution of this to be the classic "Swiss Family Robinson" movie from 1960. Please watch this great film! It has a 100% on RottenTomatoes! Granted, it has few reviews, but that still means something! ****

Luis Bunuel's Robinson Crusoe (1954) is a classic example of the auteur film in its initial sense: the director's vision and style emerge from the tension with the conventional materials assigned him. Later he would make more freeform films with a more blatant style that transcended the term "auteur."Bunuel was among three hands scripting the famous novel, which was too famous to highjack. It's Bunuelian in smaller touches.His Crusoe exhibits many of the discreet charms of the bourgeoisie. Obviously he's ingenious, clever, perseverant, what a man who survives 28 years on a jungle island would be. But Bunuel takes his liberties. That pottery wheel seems a Magrittean incongruity. The scale of the hero's little world seems too impressive, too grand a reward for the Protestant work ethic to be credible.When Crusoe is ultimately rescued he returns to the image of the bourgeoisie, neatly coiffed, elegantly dressed and perfumed, a lord worthy any manner and manners.When Crusoe leaves the later mutineers to maintain his legacy he envies them for possessing what he lacked: companionship. But those surlies promise about as much community and collaboration as the beggars of Viridiana.As Defoe describes, when Crusoe accrues his man Friday he un-christianly reduces him from person to weekday and makes himself his Master. He discourages the grovel but encourages frightened awe — and total obedience. After overcoming his own fears of Friday's cannibalism and desire to escape Crusoe comes to trust him with the weapons, gives him full training and ultimately gives him the rewards of smoking. He will take him in full livery to the English jungle, society. Here Crusoe is the model of the European slave keeper.Bunuel's spiirit gleams in the religion scenes. Crusoe has learned to recite his rote faith well, but flounders when he tries to explain it to Friday. Bunuel gives the pagan (aka uncontaminated) Friday an impish rational skepticism that Crusoe can't handle, only feel superior in dismissing.Turning to his parrot for agreement betrays Crusoe as a reciter of unabsorbed rote, unable to respond to basic questions. Unburdened by the cant, Friday can plainly ask: If God keeps Satan alive to tempt man why does he punish man for sinning? In an earlier scene Crusoe goes off to his echo vale for the delusion of company, when he cries out to himself and receives his echo. In choosing a Psalm what Crusoe shouts and yearns to hear is a confirmation of his faith, of the existence of his God, renewal of his soul. What he gets is a hollow taunt of himself. Choosing the psalm makes his need for religious support, which the empty echoes can't feel. Crying for soul renewal he strides forward to fill the screen with his strictly material presence, his soul unswelled.Whether or not in Defoe, Bunuel allows his island an immaculate conception. Where Crusoe's cat found a lover is never known but her litter embodies the fertility and mystery with which the natural wilds outruns our logic and pragmatism. Twice Bunuel gives Crusoe the discomfit of erotic stirrings. The first is when he sees a dress blowing on his scarecrow. The second — more angrily suppressed — is when Friday dons a dress and gold necklace and plays at war. The is Bunuel's delight in tweaking sexual repression rather than DeFoe's. It's Defoe's classic novel but Bunuel's most promising early film.

It's 1659. The British aristocrat Robinson Crusoe (Dan O'Herlihy) is a third son with a wish to travel despite his father's objections. He's on trip from Brazil to buy slaves in Africa when his ship is caught in a storm. He is marooned on a deserted island. He finds the shipwreck, salvage some supplies and rescues Sam the cat. He finds Rex the dog on the beach. He would battle loneliness, cannibals, and joined by Friday.Robinson Crusoe is one of those classic novels that gets remade over and over again. This one is pretty good. It doesn't always take advantage of the lush outside shoots. The interior is rather bland. I like the splashes of color from the exterior shoots. Part of the charm of the movie is to see Crusoe change over time. Dan O'Herlihy is able to stretch the character although he doesn't instill the required sympathy. Crusoe is a haunted lonely man on the verge of madness. He's also very an aristocratic englishman. It's not quite as cute as Tom Hanks with a volleyball. The direction isn't daring enough. The camera work is functional. Also the non-stop narration feels like an easy cheat. It's still a well-made movie with an immersive performance.

Watched this last night and of course I loved the story since it's one that I seemed to of learnt from a very young age. I have to say tho that I'm a little surprised at the relatively high rating of 7.5 here, perhaps it's more to do with the directors reputation than the quality of the film ?.The film is just above average thanks mainly to the close adherence of the source novel, and the bravo performance of Dan O'Herlihy as the title character, he does well to keep the viewer intrigued as to his state of mind, and of course we root for him during the films crucial final reel.Nothing to write home about here tho, 6/10 mainly for Dan.