History and Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland
Michael's Movie Grade:A
Year Released:1960
History
This was not the first time Swiss Family Robinson had been adapted to film. It had been done before in 1940 (interestingly that film was released by RKO, which had previously distributed Disney films). Walt and Director Ken Annakin screened this film before embarking on their own version (something unusual in the making of a Disney film). After watching this they decided to make the Disney version very different from that previous version. One way to go about this was to use more location shooting. The movie would be shot on the island of Tobago. Actor John Mills would later state this was the most beautiful place any movie he was in was ever shot.
Most of the cast consisted of Disney Veterans. Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran had previously played brothers in both Old Yeller and The Shaggy Dog. Dorothy McGuire also appeared in The Shaggy Dog. Janet Murno had previously been in Darby O' Gill and the Little People and Third Man on the Mountain. This would be her last theatrical film for Disney. James McDonald had also been in The Light in the Forest and Third Man on the Mountain. Also appearing in Swiss Family Robinson was British actor John Mills. When John Mills was suggested to be in this movie, Walt watched him in a film called Tiger Bay. Walt was not only impressed by John Mills but his daugther Hayley Mills (Tiger Bay was her film debut) as well. So because of Tiger Bay, not only did John Mills get to star in Swiss Family Robinson, but Hayley Mills got to star in Pollyanna as well.
The crew themselves built the sets including the famous treehouse from materials sent from Trinidad. Many animals were also sent from over the world including 100 flamingos, 40 monkeys, 8 dogs, 6 ostriches, 6 hyenas, 4 zebras, 2 anaconda, 2 elephants and one tiger. Due to problems with weather, disease and animals the shooting took 22 weeks. To make matters worse while the cast got along great, the crew did not get along so well. On top of this the film came back with audio problems, and all the dialogue had to be rerecorded.
The crew themselves built the sets including the famous treehouse from materials sent from Trinidad. Many animals were also sent from over the world including 100 flamingos, 40 monkeys, 8 dogs, 6 ostriches, 6 hyenas, 4 zebras, 2 anaconda, 2 elephants and one tiger. Due to problems with weather, disease and animals the shooting took 22 weeks. To make matters worse while the cast got along great, the crew did not get along so well. On top of this the film came back with audio problems, and all the dialogue had to be rerecorded.
This film received mixed reviews from Critics, however it was one of the biggest box office success of 1960, out grossing both Psycho and Spartacus.
In 1962, the Swiss Family Treehouse, an attraction based off the treehouse in the movie was added to Disneyland. In 1999 it would be renamed Tarzan's Treehouse.
Fantastic adventure film is just pure fun from beginning to end.
This film's story is very far fetched, but that is exactly what makes it so good. This far fetched-ness is treated with such sincerity, that it is hard not to get caught up in the movie's charm.
Charming really is the best word to describe this film. Everything in this movie is simply charming, including the story, the characters, the beautiful photographer, and the setting. Almost all of this film is coated in an incredible sense of atmosphere as well. This movie in a way does leave the feeling that the viewer, just enjoyed a great island vacation. The film has a very relaxed feel to it that is simply additive. To see such a relaxed feel work so well is rare in the history of film, but here it is done amazingly well.
Overall a fantastic movie and a must watch for all Disney fans,
Film Credits
Director: Ken Annakin
Writer: Lowell S. Hawley
Based off a novel by Johann David Wyss
Cast: John Mills (Father), Dorothy McGuire (Mother), James McArthur (Fritz), Tommy Kirk (Ernst), Kevin Corcoran (Francis), Janet Murno (Roberta), Sessue Hayakawa (Pirate Leader), Cecil Parker (Captain Moreland), Milton Reid (Pirate), Larry Taylor (Pirate)
Producers: Walt Disney, Bill Anderson
Associate Producer: Basil Keys
Music: William Alwyn, Muir Mathieson, Buddy Baker
Cinematographers: Harry Waxman, Paul Beeson
Editor: Peter Boita
Production Designer: John Howell
Set Decorator: Jack Stephens
Costume Designer: Julie Harris
Hair Stylist: Eileen Bates
Makeup Artists: Charles Nash, Bill Lodge
Production Manager: Bill Hill
Assistant Director: René Dupont
Second Unit Director: Yakima Canutt
Assistant Art Directors: Peter Murton, John Hoesli
Sketch Artist: John L. Jenson
Dressing Props: Dickie Bamber
Sound Artists: Les Wiggens, John Dennis, Gordon K. McCallum
Special Effects Artists: Denny Lee, Walter Stones
Matte Artist: Peter Ellenshaw
Stunt Artists: Ken Buckle, Chuck Courtney, Evelyn Finley, Loren James, Fez Reynolds, Paul Stader, Armin Tardieu
Second Unit Focus Puller: James Devis
Animal Trainer: Fez Reynolds
Animal Supervisor: Ralph Helfer
Resources Used
http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/203349%7C0/Swiss-Family-Robinson.html
http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/2011/06/swiss-family-robinson-1960.html
The Imagineering Field Guide to Disneyland by The Imagineers
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054357/?ref_=nv_sr_2
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