Swiss Family Robinson (1940)

...and that includes dogs, cows, horses, pigs on a barrel and those of the human variety. The birds can fly, joining the exotic variety which has probably never seen a duck in its life. Thomas Mitchell, the pop from "Gone With the Wind", takes on the role of another literary patriarch, a successful businessman who immigrated from Switzerland to England, and now wants to find a new home with the Napoleonic wars approaching. And what a home they find, but in this case, it is not Disney style.This version of the Johann David Wyss novel is in glorious black and white, and is all the better for it. While the Disney version is worthy of its classic status, this version has been wrongfully overlooked, with a lesson pre-war of survival and growing up, and what living on this earth is all about. Mitchell and his wife (Edna Best) have strived to raise their children with dignity and ideals, but they have ended up being too worldly and materialistic. It's obvious that life in God's country will make men out of them, and only hard work will bring them survival in their challenging new home.Tim Holt, Freddie Bartholomew and terry Kilburn are the three post adolescent children, with Baby Quillan as the cute newest addition to the family that brings ooh's and aah's for his cuteness. A giant sea turtle and ostrich are among the new creatures of God who help show the family the truth of their new paradise. And if course, there's the famous tree house, not quite as grand as Disney's, but no bird's nest, either. All in all, a fine version of a classic tale that I'd long wanted to see and was not disappointed in the least. My only issue is the obvious passage of time that does not seem to age the youngest child as the two older sons obviously arrive at adulthood.

Purchased a VHS copy of this film from AMAZON years ago. The quality is the worst I have ever seen. I should have returned it. Almost unwatchable. My memories of this film go back to grammar school and watching it in the auditorium of my catholic school in West Philadelphia. I remember the scary giant spider scene! Disney should restore the film and release it to the public. Disney has historical interesting films like this and Song of the South which they refuse to release in the United States for silly reasons . The actors in this film did an excellent job of giving the viewer the feel of being on an island and the thought of never returning to civilized life

Aside from the reviews I have read about this film, I am making the following statements because, I saw this film when it first came out in the theaters.My most memorable (mental picture) of this movie is of a young boy, perhaps 12 years of age - riding an Ostrich. The family is on an island due to the ship they were on being wrecked, and they made it to shore, from that point on it is nothing but fun, the way they get organized, children being children, animals being animals, and the Mother and Father trying to cope with it all, they are a truly brave couple, and they fight the good fight together. Well acted, and directed, it left me with plenty of good memories, it is a true SHAME if it is no longer available to be seen.Thanks to all who made this movie, so that I could enjoy it many years past.

Family (dad, mom, four boys) heading for Australia from England during the early part of the 19th century are shipwrecked on an island in the south Pacific and do their best to survive. Concentrate on Thomas Mitchell's usual fine performance and less on the 1940 vintage special effects, and very poor print quality (typically available) and there is some entertainment to be had of here. The lush "island" surroundings would have been enhanced by filming in color...but I have a suspicion this was not a very big budget picture and it would have been more obvious how many of the scenes were filmed on a sound stage in front of a rear projection screen. Even the island looks like a matte painting. Don't look for bedraggled, miserable Robinson Crusoes either, for generally, the Swiss Family have most of the comforts of an Andy Hardy home...so much for hokey 1930's family film realism.