Stanbabe

In this second screen adaptation of the 1903 novel. "The Blue Lagoon"shows us all that young love can be beautiful and innocent without turning into cheap vulgarity.

The story opens on two kids and their guardian(played by William Daniels)heading for San Fransisco,following the death of the little girl's"Em's"mother.

Unfortunateley an onboard fire forces the crew and it's passengers to abandon ship and flee for the lifeboats. The two kids:"Emiline"and"Richard"to sail away with a gruff but loveable galley cook"Paddy Button"(played by the late Leo McKern) to a remote South Seas Isle.

Where the old codger shows the kids how to survive in the tropics and he also teaches them an old sea shanty. Sadly..the old man dies from drink and the kids are left to care for themselves. Within time..they move to another lsland ,create another home they notonly grow up..they also discover their sexual desires for each other and how much they really care for each other.

While"The Blue Lagoon"has a minimal plot..(and an equally minimal amount of costumes for the two young leads).It does have lushsettings to showcase and the relationships between Ms.Shields and Mr.Atkins is interesting.As they try to cope with the growing sexual awareness and their disagreements over whether or not they should stay on the isle?

Of course they do stay on the lsland and fall in love with each other.They also have a child and they care for Little"Paddy Button Jr" deeply.

The sex scenes between Ms.Sheilds And Mr.Atkins may be a little difficult for today's viewers to watch.But..somehow? Seeing these two teenage kids having sex doesn't seem as tawdry or as unacceptable as the teenage sex scenes that are now being showcased in the movies and on tv these days.

Maybe..we ought to rediscover the innocence and charm of "The Blue Lagoon"again?

In this quiet and simple story.

A difficult young student at a strict boy's boarding school in

1960's Australlia has trouble dealing with his abusive and unsympatic

headmaster and his patronizing instructor.

"Danny Embling"(played here with a quiet idea of tough rebellion

by Noah Taylor)hates being a student in this hideious place.

Until he meets a beautiful but tough young black girl named"Thahagwe"(played by Thannie Newton).Who becomes his friend and eventually his soul mate.

As they pair try to cope with the strict derigours of the Brittish school system and fall in love.Which bothers the classmates of the duo and which the cruel headmasters finally break up towards the end of the picture.

The atmosphere of the film is bleak and there is very little

interaction between the other actors and the two leads.Since they're

used for atmosphere and lend very little to the plot.

Despite these flaws..The rapport between Ms.Newton and Mr.Taylor make this film worth watching.

Also..Look for an appearance by Ms.Nichole Kidman(Then an unknown actress).Who plays a classmate of Ms.Newton's.

Laurel & Hardy Came to Fairyland in 1934.When they starred in Hal Roach's cinematic version of "Babes In Toyland!".From the start,the boys brought their comedic magic to the screen.As their approach to spoofing man's foilbels fit in with the musical/fantasy of The Victor Herbert and Glen McDonough comic opera.The story has Poor Old "Mother Peep"/"The Old Woman Who Lives In A Shoe"(Flo Roberts)trying to prevent the evil and lecherous mortage holder"Silas Barnaby"(Henry Kleinbach Brandon)trying to force "Mother Peep"to either pay off the mortage or allow her daughter "Little Bo Peep"(Charolette Henry)to marry him .As an alternitive to Eviction."Little Bo Peep"doesn't love "Barnaby",she loves "Tom Tom Piper"(Felix Knight).And she has trouble in preventing the villian from throwing out her family and "Mrs.Peep's"two struggleing boarders.The two Boarders"Stannie Dum & Ollie Dee"(Laurel & Hardy)are two unsuccessful asistant toymakers.Who try to get a loan from "The Toymaker"(Bill Burress)to help pay off the mortage.But when the boys inadvertedly make the wrong size for Santa Claus'(Ferdi Munier's)order of Toy Wooden Soldiers for Christmas. They also allow one of their creations to run amok in the toy factory.The boys are fired.And they have to find another way of preventing "Barnaby"From evicting them and bringing "Bo Peep"and "Tom Tom"Together.While the film doesn't maintain the entire score from the original stage production.It does have the best songs from the show's score(arranged and performed by The Hal Roach Studio orchastra and conducted by Harry Jackson and John Swallow)It also has a beautiful setting that maintains the flavor of the original stage production(Courtsey of William Cameron Menzies)and it has some ingenuius special visual effects courtsey of The Hal Roach Studios master FX Magicians:Art Lloyd And Roy Seawright and the fine direction of Gus Meins(Who worked with the kids)and Charley Rogers(Who worked with the comic/character actors and singers in this film.Mr.Rogers also had a small cameo in this film as"Simple Simon").and some chills..as L&H,their cannon of darts and their armies of Toy Wooden Soldiers foil "Barnaby"and his "Bogeymen"Monsters during the film's climatic ending.Most importantly..The film has the comedic brillance of Laurel & Hardy.Which makes this film a classic for adults and for the kids.Forget about The Walt Disney,NBC TV and MGM/UA Remakes? This Is the only real film version of"Babes In Toyland!".(Even If the film is still known under it's reissue title:"March Of The Wooden Soldiers!").