Swiss Family Robinson (1960 film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Swiss Family Robinson |
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Original theatrical poster
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| Directed by | John McKimson Ken Annakin |
| Produced by | Bill Anderson Basil Keys Walt Disney |
| Written by | Lowell S. Hawley |
| Starring | John Mills Dorothy McGuire James MacArthur Janet Munro Sessue Hayakawa Tommy Kirk Kevin Corcoran Cecil Parker |
| Music by | Paul J. Smith (composer) Joseph S. Dubin (orchestration) |
| Cinematography | Harry Waxman |
| Editing by | Peter Boita |
| Studio | Walt Disney Productions |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Distribution |
| Release date(s) | December 21, 1960 |
| Running time | 126 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $4 million |
| Money made | $40,000,000 |
Swiss Family Robinson is an exciting adventure film from 1960. It tells the story of a family who gets shipwrecked on a faraway island. The movie stars John Mills, Dorothy McGuire, James MacArthur, Janet Munro, Tommy Kirk, and Kevin Corcoran.
This film is based on a famous book called The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss, written in 1812. It was directed by Ken Annakin and filmed in Tobago and at Pinewood Studios in England. When it came out, it was the highest-earning movie of 1960!
Contents
The Island Adventure Begins
A family from Switzerland is moving to a new colony in New Guinea. They are trying to escape the Napoleonic Wars. But their ship is attacked by pirates and then caught in a big storm.
The ship's crew leaves the family behind. The ship crashes onto rocks near an island that no one lives on. The family, along with two large Great Dane dogs, makes it safely to shore.
Building a New Home
Father and his two oldest sons, Fritz and Ernst, work hard. They save many supplies and animals from the wrecked ship. These include tools, food, and even some livestock.
The pirates find the ship again. But Father cleverly puts up a special flag that means there is sickness on board. This scares the pirates away.
The family soon finds that the island has many different animals. Some are dangerous, like a tiger. To stay safe and comfortable, Father, Fritz, and Ernst build an amazing tree house. It even has a water wheel!
The youngest son, Francis, loves collecting animals. He finds a young Asian elephant, a monkey, and an ostrich. Ernst, who loves books, thinks the island might have once been connected to Asia by a land bridge.
Searching for Others
As the family settles in, Father feels they have everything they need. But Mother worries that her sons will never find partners if they stay on the island forever. She agrees to let Fritz and Ernst explore.
They build a small outrigger boat to sail around the island. Their goal is to map it and look for other people or settlements.
Meeting New Friends and Foes
During their trip, Fritz and Ernst find the pirates again. The pirates have captured another ship and taken its captain and a young cabin boy hostage.
The brothers manage to rescue the cabin boy. But the captain has to stay behind. As they escape through the jungle, they discover a secret. The "cabin boy" is actually a girl named Roberta! Her grandfather, the captain, dressed her as a boy to hide her from the pirates.
They face dangers, like an attack by an anaconda. They get lost, and the brothers argue about what to do. Fritz wants to keep going, while Ernst is unsure.
They rescue a zebra from other animals. They use the zebra to ride back to their tree house. They arrive just in time for Christmas!
Preparing for Battle
The family knows the pirates will come looking for Roberta. So, they sink their wrecked ship to hide their location. They also build a strong fort on a rocky cliff. They create many defenses and booby traps.
Fritz and Ernst both like Roberta, and they become rivals. Roberta wants to go back to London because she believes her grandfather will come for her. Ernst is interested in going to school in London. Fritz, however, wants to go to New Guinea to build his own home.
Despite their different plans, Fritz and Roberta start to fall in love. This causes the brothers to fight. To ease the tension, Father announces a holiday. That night, Francis cleverly traps the tiger in one of the pits they dug.
The Pirate Attack
The holiday begins with a fun race. The boys and Roberta ride on various animals. Nearby, the pirates hear the sound of the starting pistol. They come ashore, ready to attack.
The family quickly retreats to their fort. The pirates fall into the traps and defenses the family built. The pirate captain demands that they hand over Roberta. Meanwhile, his men try to sneak up the cliff from behind.
Just as the family is about to be overwhelmed, a ship appears! It is captained by Roberta's grandfather. He uses cannons to destroy the pirates and their ship.
New Beginnings
Roberta's grandfather offers to help Ernst get into a university in London. He also offers to take the rest of the family back to Europe or on to New Guinea.
However, Father and Mother decide they want to stay on the island. They want Francis to stay with them for a few more years. The captain thinks the island might become a new colony, and Father could be its governor.
Fritz and Roberta, who have fallen in love, also decide to stay on the island together.
Cast
- John Mills as Father
- Dorothy McGuire as Mother
- James MacArthur as Fritz
- Janet Munro as Roberta
- Sessue Hayakawa as Kuala, the pirate captain
- Tommy Kirk as Ernst
- Kevin Corcoran as Francis
- Cecil Parker as Roberta's grandfather
Additional pirates were played by Milton Reid, Larry Taylor, and Andy Ho.
See also
In Spanish: Swiss Family Robinson para niños
