Il signor Robinson Crosuè

Douglas Fairbanks (as Steve Drexel) longs for the adventurous life of Robinson Crusoe, so he jumps from his yacht and swims to a remote South Seas island with his dog Rooney. Mr. Fairbanks leaves yachting partners William Farnum and Earle Browne behind, to (presumably) continue their planned tiger hunting jaunt. "Mr. Robinson Crusoe" proves to be amazingly resourceful - the island provides him with a sexy girl "Saturday" (Maria Alba) and, of course, dangerous head-hunting natives!

Fairbanks is incredibly athletic, as usual; but, he over-performs and talks too much. Ms. Alba is very sensual, especially when she first beds down in Fairbanks' "penthouse"; and watch as she is being prepped for her native wedding - she appears to be nude, as photographed through a reflective pool of water. This appears to have been a lighthearted "vanity" production for superstar Fairbanks, which hasn't aged well.

*** Mr. Robinson Crusoe (8/19/32) A. Edward Sutherland ~ Douglas Fairbanks, Maria Alba, William Farnum

This often-overlooked adventure comedy is really quite fun.The plot,which was evidently written by the star under a different name,has Douglas Fairbanks,on a yachting trip to the south seas with wealthy friends suddenly challenged on a wager to spend a year on a tropical island with nothing to aid him but a hunting knife.That is the plot.Simple and yet enough to launch Fairbanks on a "Robinson Crusoe-like" adventure as he cleverly and in acrobatic fashion hews out a comfortable existence for himself.Does he find a loyal companion?Yes and it is native girl Maria Alba whom he names Saturday.As their romance develops there are typical dangers to be faced; storms,hostile natives etc.Ably directed by longtime silent veteran Edward Sutherland this picture is a delight for Fairbanks fans and adventure buffs.

For Douglas Fairbanks's next to last film, he certainly chose an ambitious project, a modern version of the Robinson Crusoe story. At times though it seems like a bit of personal vanity from an aging star.

A good case could be made for Douglas Fairbanks being the movies first action/adventure star. Stunts and athletic ability were always emphasized in Fairbanks films than acting was, though if the occasion called for it, Fairbanks could give a good performance. At the time this film was made Fairbanks was 49 years old, looking fit mind you, but still looking 49.

Like MGM did with Trader Horn, filming it on location in Africa. Most of Mr. Robinson Crusoe was shot in the South Seas, in Fiji, and in Tahiti. There's not much of a cast to Mr. Robinson Crusoe, just William Farnum and Earle Browne who Fairbanks makes a bet on a whim that he couldn't survive on this tropical paradise as did Robinson Crusoe, and of course Maria Alba who plays the native girl Fairbanks takes up with and names Saturday.

There is a man Friday in the story and unfortunately it's part of one of the most racist aspects I've ever seen in a film. The ironic thing is that I don't think Fairbanks who wrote the script appreciated how it looked. Since he decides to imitate the fictional Crusoe, there must be a man Friday in the story. But in Daniel Defoe's novel, Friday is rescued by Crusoe and becomes devoted to him. Here Fairbanks comes upon some head hunters and tries to kidnap him for the purpose of essentially making him a slave. I'm not sure what else you could call it. The whole sequence is done for laughs with Fairbanks using all kinds of wrestling moves on the poor native, doubtless to show off his athletic ability which his fans paid to see. Still for today's audience, I find it shocking.

It's why sad to say, I can't give the film any higher a rating. Fairbanks and the cast are fine and the location cinematography in the South Seas would not be seen for another 20 years until I believe Gary Cooper's Return to Paradise was shot in some of the same area.

Sad to say I think a lot of people will be offended by watching Mr. Robinson Crusoe.

MR. ROBINSON CRUSOE (United Artists, 1932), directed by A. Edward Sutherland, from a story by Elton Thomas (alias Douglas Fairbanks), is an odd production that parodies author Daniel Defoe's literary tale of "Robinson Crusoe" by having its central character relive the adventures of his fictional hero in an attempt by making a myth into a reality. Before the story immediately gets underway, it opens with these words: "From the time of Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, man has vainly sought to find solace, comfort and earth pleasures in an artificial world of his own creation. Down through the ages has come that eternal heritage, the urge to every man to turn his back on so-called civilization to get back to nature and reveal in the glories of freedom of a primitive paradise."

Plot summary: Millionaires William Belmont (William Farnum), Professor Carmichale (Earle Browne), and adventurer Steve Drexel (Douglas Fairbanks) are sailing together on a yacht along the South Seas bound for Sumatra to hunt tigers. As they pass an uncharted island, Drexel makes a $1,000 bet with Belmont that he could live in seclusion on the island for two months with nothing but a toothbrush (which he soon discards, along with his watch and shoes) in the manner of storybook character "Robinson Crusoe." While Steve feels he'll be found living "the life of Riley," Belmont believes he'll find him tied to the stake by hungry natives. Diving off the yacht and leaving his friends to go on ahead with their plans, Steve swims ashore with his dog "Rooney." He makes good with his wager by surviving on coconuts, pineapple and bananas, constructing a giant tree-house, making wooded street signs reading Park Avenue and 52nd Street, befriending wildlife that includes Googy, a monkey; Sooky, a talking parrot whose only reply is "Okay"; a turtle that helps pump water; and a goat for the use of its milk. Although Steve isn't quite so lucky having a Robinson Crusoe's companion, "Friday," being that of a very nervous native (dubbed "Friday the 13th") he finds and loses, Steve goes one better by acquiring a beautiful native girl he names "Saturday" (Maria Alba), who had earlier escaped a forced marriage ceremony from another island. Aside from finding solitude with Steve, who finds time teaching her the English language, she learns her the method of kissing by rubbing his nose against hers. As his two months comes to a close, it appears that Steve, now slightly bearded, might win his bet after all until his friends, having returned from their hunting trip, arrive on the island with methods of their own to win the bet.

While far from being Fairbanks' best, it's the kind of entertainment expected of him, an adventure comedy highlighted by his familiar acrobatics, amusing scenes revolving around his animal friends, slight romance climaxed by threatening dangers of a cannibal attack in the best Tarzan tradition. With its small cast and location footage filmed entirely in Tahiti, Fiji, Samoa and the Marquee islands, this is very much a one man show for Fairbanks in a near solo performance with occasional cuts revolving around Belmont and Saturday in separate cases. Aside from his methods of survival, having accomplished a lot in such a short time with his man-made contraptions and ingenious inventions, thanks to his boy scout training and Dan Bear's Handy Book, it's acceptable to believe Steve could make rope out of bark and setting up fishing nets, but how is it possible for him putting together his own radio (after acquiring radio tubes from a native's neck) that miraculously picks up broadcasts from San Francisco and listening to Harry Richman vocalizing "Singing a Vagabond Song" from his 1930 motion picture musical, PUTTIN ON THE RITZ? Regardless of situations not being true to life, it's goal of vintage fun is evident throughout its 70 minutes.

Having all the ingredients of an innocently made 1920s silent film, it so happens that MR. ROBINSON CRUSOE was also distributed in the silent film tradition, with musical score, inter-titles, sound effects and the constant reply of "Okay" by the parrot and barking by Rooney. Alfred Newman's memorable underscoring of "The Moon of Manakoora" heard throughout proved so popular that it was used again for other South Seas stories, notably Samuel Goldwyn's classic, THE HURRICANE (1937) featuring Jon Hall.

Virtually unknown until the 1980s when distributed on video cassette in both silent (Video Yesteryear) and sound (Kartes Video Communications) versions, and airing on some local public broadcasting stations, at present, television revivals of MR. ROBINSON CRUSOE are rare, with known broadcasts on the Christian Broadcast Network prior to 1990, and a silent print as part of Nostalgia Channel's Saturday night presentation of "When Silents Was Golden" in 1994. Throughout those years, MR. ROBINSON CRUSOE has had the misfortune of circulating with inferior prints, thus, making this one of many films such as this in need of restoration.

Had MR. ROBINSON CRUSOE been remade in the 1940s when South Sea stories were in vogue, it would have been an interesting part of the "Road" series ("Road to Tahihi" perhaps) starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. As it now stands, this good-natured adventure tale, being more Fairbanks than DeFoe, simply displays how excellent Fairbanks can be in a role written especially for him, and what he's capable of doing when material matches his talent. (***)

A wealthy American bets his buddies he can act like MR. ROBINSON CRUSOE and stay quite happily all alone for several months on a deserted South Seas Island.

The Silent Era's greatest adventure star, Douglas Fairbanks, makes a brief return to his glory days in this lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek film which has become unfortunately obscure. With an original story by Elton Thomas (Doug's pseudonym) this was one of only four talkie films which would star Fairbanks; he also acted as producer. Released in some venues as a silent film - which explains the long sections without direct dialogue - the movie would give Doug one last bite at that particular apple.

Ever the affable good fellow, 49-year-old Doug is still agile as a cat and his innocent flirtation with lovely Maria Alba, his 22-year-old Spanish co-star , isn't too mawkish even though he's easily old enough to be her father. Miss Alba's first scene, however, quickly reminds the viewer of the movie's pre-Code standing.

Location filming in Fiji, Samoa & Tahiti are certainly big benefits to the story. Doug made sure the plot gave him the sort of scenes he loved to play: fanciful (all the wonderful contrivances & contraptions which make his tree house more comfortable) and exciting (Fairbanks gets to match wits against an entire tribe of headhunters).

Although sometimes rather intrusive, Alfred Newman's score is still richly evocative of the South Seas. He would later rework some of the melodies for even greater effect in THE HURRICANE (1937).