The Beachcomber (1954)

Mr. Gray is the new Resident in Charge of the Welcome Islands in the Indian Ocean. The Islands are full of life, but the only other Europeans are the "sanctimonious, psalm-singing" ... See full summary »

Director:

Muriel Box

Writers:

Sydney Box, W. Somerset Maugham (story)

Stars:

Glynis Johns, Robert Newton, Donald Sinden

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Glynis Johns	...	Martha Jones
Robert Newton	...	Edward 'Honorable Ted' Wilson
Donald Sinden	...	Ewart Gray
Paul Rogers	...	Rev. Owen Jones
Donald Pleasence	...	Tromp
Walter Crisham	...	Vederala
Michael Hordern	...	The Headman
Auric Lorand	...	Alfred, Major Domo
Tony Quinn	...	Ship Captain
Ah Chong Choy	...	Wang the Barkeep
Ronald Lewis	...	Headman's Son
Jean Rollins	...	Amao
Lizabeth Rollins	...	Girl at Maputiti
Michael Mellinger	...	Medical Orderly

Storyline

Mr. Gray is the new Resident in Charge of the Welcome Islands in the Indian Ocean. The Islands are full of life, but the only other Europeans are the "sanctimonious, psalm-singing" brother-sister missionary team of Martha and Owen Jordans, and the Honourable Ted - a hard-drinking, womanizing social outcast whose English family pays him to stay away. Martha and Ted become an unlikely team when cholera threatens the islands and they must do their best to stop its spread.

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Plot Keywords:

island | title directed by female | remake

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Taglines:

W. Somerset Maugham's Trouble-Making Love-Making Tramp of the Tropics

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 August 1954 (UK)

Also Known As:

Le vagabond des îles

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

London Independent Producers

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Remake of The Beachcomber (1938)

User Reviews

Newton and Glynis Johns

Ah, unlikely romance. The perky Glynis Johns plays the sister of a rather sanctimonious missionary in the islands while the Honourable Ted, Newton, is the beachcomber. He gets drunk and destructive and is sent off to a penal island and teams up with Glynis Johns to fight a cholera outbreak. Romance blooms and the perky albeit up-tight missionary links up with the good-hearted beachcomber with a great happy ending. The team of cute, pert and perky Glynis Johns (memorable from her roles in No Highway in the Sky, The Sundowners and others) and Newton (Long John Silver), the compleat epitome of piratedom is great. Sadly, no video available but catch it as I did, on the late show. You won't regret it.