Robby (1968)

This film is inspired by Robinson Crusoe story, only that this time it is two little boys who are stranded alone in an island.The views of the island, sandy golden beach and crystal clear sea water are totally breathtaking. With the two boys swimming and running around the beach naked, the whole movie gives a feeling of nature coming home and a relaxing environment.Some people seem to have a problem with the fact that the two little boys are nude on the island most of the time, and I believe this was precisely one of the intents of the movie, to challenge the wrong long held belief that nudity is a bad thing.The last thing I would want is for my kids to be brought in a religious and repressive environment feeling shameful and guilty over what a naked body looks like, my kids loved this film too.

Film has its flaws-but the ideal is magical and it does have its own beauty.My kids 8,9 years old loved it but my 14 year old thought the story line somewhat ridiculous that these two kids could survive on this island and being too Disney like in nature suggesting the kids looked like two boys skipping from school rather than facing survival on a deserted island.Instead,I Suggest the original 1965 lord of the flies film if this kind of movie interest you.This Film is far more likely to be enjoyed by kids than adults-the kids in my 3rd grade class enjoyed it but I found myself nearly yawning at times.Of course, I think simply watching anyone enjoying a Caribbean paradise makes a film easy to watch and making it possibly too easy-perhaps too easy to make a good film.One can be sure these young actors had a ball making this movie.A cute and happy film but not much more.

Paradise lost seems to be an appropriate second title for this not very famous movie. Why this lack of fame? Obviously because of what seems to appear as inappropriate content: the director has indeed decided that the description of the return to innocence of the children implied that they had to get rid of their clothes. This meant a lot of problems to distribute the movie and of course things have only gotten worse in our contemporary society. The background being set, I would like to insist on the cinematographic qualities of the movie, which are real: Bluemke intended to emphasize the beauty of nature and the strong link between the latter and people. There are a lot of general shots that are here to remind us of the close relation between the landscape and its `products', the children. And the director obviously thinks that mankind must not loose its memory and its origin: therefore the return of Robby to nature, when his friend teaches him to swim, is presented as a very positive thing, which Christopher Young's very moving and delicate music emphasizes. In such scenes the nudity of the children has certainly nothing to do with voyeurism: it is just an integrated part of the artistry of the movie. In a way it reminds me of the photographs Edward Weston made of his son (the famous `Neil' series): everyone recognizes today the value of this approach, which is very similar to the one developed by Bluemke, who wants to show in a very sober way the lines that constitute the human body. Of course the movie is not perfect: there is for instance some amateurism in the acting of the children and the director has not the eye of his greatest peers (Nicholas Roeg's masterpiece Walkabout which develops a similar theme). But it still is a commendable work which wants us to believe that return to nature may lead to innocence and not cruelty and madness, as it is the case in Lord of the flies for instance.

What a waste of time...unless you happen to enjoy two little boys spending most of their time in their 'birthday suits' on a tropical island. Horribly acted and photographed, but a 'favorite' of bare little boy movie lovers. Chris Young's score is actually better than the movie. Note: this was originally a feature-film at 85+ minutes, but was cut way down to 'keep the interest' of the boy...er...movie-watchers.