Castaway ** (1986, Oliver Reed, Amanda Donohoe, Georgina Hale) – Classic Movie Review 9074

Nicolas Roeg’s 1986 film Castaway stars Oliver Reed as middle-aged Englishman Gerald Kingsland, who puts an advert in a London magazine for a companion/ wife to take to a tropical desert island for a year – and sexy Lucy Irvine (Amanda Donohoe) replies. 

Director Nicolas Roeg’s 1986 British biographical adventure drama Castaway is based on the book by Lucy Irvine and stars Oliver Reed as middle-aged Englishman Gerald Kingsland, who puts an advert in a London magazine for a companion/ wife to take to an isolated tropical desert island for a year – and sexy Lucy Irvine (Amanda Donohoe) replies. But, when they get there, she answers no to his plans for lovemaking.

Where was Ken Russell when this material needed him? Instead as director we have got Nicolas Roeg, who is much too classy an act for these shenanigans. There is plenty of nature in the raw, but a nude Olly isn’t necessarily everyone’s cup of tea. It is however nicely shot in Fujicolor by Harvey Harrison on location in the Seychelles and in London.

Castaway is written by Allan Scott and based on the improbable but true tale of Lucy Irvine, who wrote a 1984 bestseller book about her experiences.

It runs 117 minutes but the cut version runs to 112 minutes.

Also in the cast are Georgina Hale, Frances Barber, Tony Rickards, Todd Rippon, John Sessions, Virginia Hey, Sorrell Johnson and Paul Reynolds.

Lucy Irvine’s book tells her story of staying for a year with writer Gerald Kingsland on the isolated and uninhabited island of Tuin, in the Torres Strait between New Guinea and Australia. She replied to his advert and, picked by him from more than 50 applicants, agreed to marry him for immigration restriction reasons, before going to Tuin and becoming self-imposed castaways for a year. She was 25 and he was 49.

Before filming, Roeg told Irvine that her story was perfect material for telling a relationship between an older man and a younger woman, but that his film was not intended to be exactly like her experience, as, if it was, she would be too personally involved. Irvine later said she was pleased with Donohoe, Reed and Roeg.

Castaway is directed by Nicolas Roeg, runs 117 minutes, is made by Cannon Screen Entertainment, United British Artists and Castaway Films, is released by Columbia-Cannon-Warner Distributors, is written by Allan Scott, based on the book by Lucy Irvine, is shot in Fujicolor by Harvey Harrison, is produced by Rick McCallum, is scored by Stanley Myers and Hans Zimmer, and is designed by Andrew Sanders.

Kate Bush was asked to star but she was put off by the sexual material, though she provided a song instead. The film opens with her song ‘Be Kind to My Mistakes’.

The film grossed more than $1 million worldwide, including £440,281 in the UK.

Donohoe recalled: ‘Naked on a desert island with Oliver Reed was a tabloid fantasy, wasn’t it? He was an alcoholic and his behaviour was erratic, but he was always a courteous and good actor. His personal life wasn’t working but he never crossed any lines professionally.’

The cast are Oliver Reed as Gerald Kingsland, Amanda Donohoe as Lucy Irvine, Georgina Hale as Sister Saint Margaret, Frances Barber as Sister Saint Winifred, Tony Rickards as Jason, Todd Rippon as Rod, Virginia Hey as Janice, John Sessions, Sorrell Johnson and Paul Reynolds.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9074

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