L'isola dell'amore

Yes Charmian Clift and her husband George Johnston (of My Brother Jack fame) and her children did live on Hydra for about ten years. They do appear in this movie as paid extras. Charmian is best seen in the wedding scene as they are coming out of the church. Charmian is directly behind the groom and the man with her is Gordon Merrick, a Broadway actor, and best-selling author of gay-themed novels who also lived on Hydra. Their children Martin Johnston(in black-rimmed glasses with his sister Shane Johnston are clearly seen in their own full-frame shot walking along the port and in the next shot Jason Johnston with a local girl. (You will find this vision on YouTube.) Charmian and her children did appear in various movies made on the island especially since the Johnstons became good friends with the director Michael Cacoyannis when he made "The Girl In Black" on Hydra in 1957. Hydra's golden era.

Island Of Love gives Robert Preston a chance to do a variation on his most famous role of Professor Harold Hill. He's not quite as lovable as he was in The Music Man as he seeks to exploit an island that he was on in World War II as the Greek Island Of Love. This brainstorm of an idea comes from reading an archaeological book on said island while on an ocean voyage with his partner Tony Randall.

Preston and Randall aren't on a sea cruise by choice. They're looking to get away from Walter Matthau and his goons for blowing a couple of million dollars of Matthau's money in a vain attempt to make Matthau's bimbo of a girl friend a star. She's played by Betty Bruce and she's really the best one in the film, she reminds one of Jean Hagen in Singing In The Rain only this Lina Lamont is not about to ascend to the firmament.

Matthau was given a lisp here and I'm not sure why. It really does sound like he's making fun of people with a speech impediment.

It all ends well for all although God knows there's no reason it should have. The Greek scenic location photography looks wonderful and it's the main reason you should see this film. I'm sure the cast was grateful for the paid vacation here.

It was on Channel 9 HD channel in Australia late night on Tue 2 June '08. Obviously a very rare screening of an odd little film. It's the worst performance I've ever seen from Tony Randall & Walter Matthau and that's saying something. Robert Preston is completely miscast. Michael Considine the father from 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding has a small part as a barman. They shot it on the island of Hydra and it's great to see the islands in the early 60's before the onset of commercial tourism. It's worth seeing the film just for that. Apart from the great Australian novelist George Johnston,another famous artist who lived on this island at around the same time was Leonard Cohen. His song 'Bird on a wire' was written on Hydra. This film is well worth a look for film buffs as it was also director Morton DaCosta's last film as he returned to the Broadway stage after this picture flopped. Only a year earlier he has been nominated for an Oscar for best film for being the director/producer of 'The Music Man'.

My interest in this film is based upon some expatriate Australians living on Hydra at the time this film was made in 1962. Writer George Johnston, his wife, writer Charmain Clift, and their children Martin, Shane and Jason, spent c.10 years living on the Greek island of Hydra as writers. (Johnston began his novel "My Brother Jack" not long after this time). In fact, the children were paid extras in one scene filmed on Hydra. According to Nadia Wheatley's biography, "The Life and Myth of Charmain Clift" (Flamingo, Sydney 2001, pp.420 & note), "a glimpse is sometimes to be had of a stylish woman in a large-brimmed hat, sitting at a harbour cafe. She is Charmain, acting herself" (pp.699). "In the 'Island of Love' film, Shane and Martin can be seen running down a cobbled lane, followed by Jason and his little friend Ellenitza" (p.699). Much to my misfortune, I have never seen this film, and it appears it is no longer available on video or dvd or in any format! Argh! As I said, my main interest in the film as a whole is a very minor one, yet I'd still love to see where these people lives during a critical time in their lives.

Maljam - Australia; June 2003.

My tivo recently found this movie, so I gave it a watch. It wasn't awful, but it was pretty disappointing. It seems like they spent all the budget on the cast and location setting and had none left to hire any decent writers. The story is clunky and forced, the laughs tepid and infrequent. Robert Preston and Tony Randall gamely do what they can with the script, but it's really not enough to save the picture. Randall in particular just seems wasted. And Walter Matthau gives the worst performance I've ever seen from him; he not only doesn't help save the picture, he helps sink it. He just sounds so weird, wrong, and fake with that preposterous accent he's using.

I gave it 5 stars because I'll confess I did laugh out loud a couple times. But just a couple. Watch this movie as a curiosity, should the occasion arise, but don't go into it with any great expectations.