Outcast of the Islands (1952)

I love this movie so much

best movie i've ever seen.

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

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.

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'.

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.

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.