Swiss Family Robinson (1940)

Review by All Movie Guide
Although long overshadowed by the famous 1960 Disney version, the 1940 Swiss Family Robinson is an exciting and very different take on the story, well worth watching -- if one can manage to track down a copy. (Walt Disney is rumored to have bought up all copies of the film and had them destroyed when his version came out, but there are some VHS transfers available -- usually of rather poor quality.) The biggest difference is the total absence of the crucial pirates-and-kidnapped-girl subplot that takes up the entire last half of the Disney version. In its place, this Family faces more dangerous forces of nature -- a series of damaging storms, a poisonous spider bite, etc. There's also much more attention to detail paid to exactly how the castaways survive in this uncivilized wilderness; instead of the treehouse just appearing before the audience's eyes, the viewer gets to see how it is created. There's also more backstory before the family arrives on the island, as well as an additional (infant) child. Equally important, there's more internal conflict than in the Disney version, with a wife who is not as enthralled with the new home and children who are concerned about how they can get off the island and get on with their lives. This gives Family a very different tone, adding new layers that give depth to the film and make it more than just an adventure story -- not that it stints on that score, however! While the special effects will seem dated to modern viewers, Family still has plenty of excitement to keep pulses racing. The fine cast is headed by Thomas Mitchell and Edna Best, with able support from Freddie Bartholomoew, Terry Kilburn and Tim Holt -- and, of course, the unmistakable voice of Orson Welles providing narration. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide