The Blue Lagoon *** (1949, Jean Simmons, Donald Houston, Susan Stranks, Peter Rudolph Jones, Noel Purcell, Cyril Cusack, Maurice Denham, James Hayter) – Classic Movie Review 7422

Following a 1923 silent, director Frank Launder’s 1949 The Blue Lagoon is the original Forties film version of Henry De Vere Stacpoole’s novel about a boy and girl, marooned on a desert island, who grow up together and discover the virtues of self-sufficiency and sex, and fall in love. Jean Simmons and Donald Houston star as Emmeline Foster and Michael Reynolds, while Susan Stranks and Peter Rudolph Jones (in his only film) play Emmeline and Michael as children.

More famous now for the 1980 Brooke Shields-Christopher Atkins remake, Frank Launder’s 1949 The Blue Lagoon has the same two virtues. It is striking to watch (thanks to the lovely 20-year-old Jean Simmons and Geoffrey Unsworth’s equally lovely Technicolor cinematography on location in Fiji) and it is made in a workmanlike fashion (by writer-director Frank Launder). And it is just as daft and entertaining too.

Also in the cast are Noel Purcell, Cyril Cusack, Maurice Denham, James Hayter, Philip Stainton, Patrick Barr, Nora Nicholson, Lyn Evans, Russell Waters, Stuart Lindsell and Dorothy Batley.

The Blue Lagoon is directed by Frank Launder, runs 102 minutes, is made by Individual Pictures, is released by General Film Distributors, is written by Frank Launder, Michael Hogan and John Baines, based on Henry De Vere Stacpoole’s novel, is shot by Geoffrey Unsworth, is produced by Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat and is designed by Clifton Parker.

It is followed by the 1980 Brooke Shields-Christopher Atkins remake The Blue Lagoon. Then the 1991 sequel Return to the Blue Lagoon picks up where The Blue Lagoon leaves off and stars Milla Jovovich and Brian Krause. More recently the TV movie contemporary-set remake Blue Lagoon: The Awakening premiered on the cable TV network Lifetime on 16 June 2012. Brenton Thwaites and Indiana Evans star and Christopher Atkins makes a cameo appearance.

Simmons was fresh from her Oscar-nominated performance in Hamlet (1948) and she was also later Oscar nominated for The Happy Ending (1969).

Houston beat out Roger Moore and Laurence Harvey, who both auditioned for Michael, with Claire Bloom as Emmeline. Supposedly Marilyn Monroe auditioned as Emmeline. Launder broke his arm filming on location. A wedding scene was added to appease US censors.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7422

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