Paradise Lagoon (1957)
"The Admirable Crichton" (original title)

Lord Loam has modern ideas about his household; he believes in treating his servants as his equals - at least sometimes. His butler, Crichton, still believes that members of the serving ... See full summary »

Director:

Lewis Gilbert

Writers:

Vernon Harris (screenplay), J.M. Barrie (play),

Stars:

Kenneth More, Diane Cilento, Cecil Parker

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kenneth More	...	Bill Crichton
Diane Cilento	...	Eliza - Tweeny
Cecil Parker	...	Lord Henry Loam
Sally Ann Howes	...	Lady Mary
Martita Hunt	...	Lady Emily Brocklehurst
Jack Watling	...	John Treherne
Peter Graves	...	George Brocklehurst
Gerald Harper	...	Ernest Woolley
Mercy Haystead	...	Catherine
Miranda Connell	...	Agatha
Miles Malleson	...	Vicar
Eddie Byrne	...	Captain
Joan Young	...	Mrs. Perkins
Brenda Hogan	...	Fisher
Peter Welch	...	Rolleston

Storyline

Lord Loam has modern ideas about his household; he believes in treating his servants as his equals - at least sometimes. His butler, Crichton, still believes that members of the serving class should know their place and be happy there. But when the Loam family are shipwrecked on a desert island with the self-reliant Crichton and lady's maid Tweeny, the class system is put to the test.

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Plot Keywords:

ship wreck | remake | based on play

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Taglines:

It's a howl from A to TEA!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 December 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

Paradise Lagoon

Filming Locations:

Bermuda

Company Credits

Production Co:

Modern Screen Play

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.96 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original Broadway production of "The Admirable Crichton" by J.M. Barrie opened at the Lyceum Theater on November 17, 1903, ran for 144 performances with William Gillette {famous for his Sherlock Holmes plays and portrayal} in the title role. The play was revived on Broadway in 1931.

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Goofs

When land is first sighted, Tweeny has only one arm on the oar when the binoculars are passed to Crichton. In the next shot, when Crichton is looking through the binoculars, she has both arms on the oar.

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Quotes

Bill Crichton: One can't recapture a dream. Don't spoil it by trying to.

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Connections

Version of We're Not Dressing (1934)

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Soundtracks

"I Wouldn't Leave My Little Wooden Hut For You"
(uncredited)
Written by Charles Collins and Tom Mellor

User Reviews

Perfect segue from stage to screen

The stand out performance in the Admirable Crichton has to be Cecil Parker. His comic twitches and compromised authority are hilarious. This take on the British class system never has a dull moment: a perfect segue from stage to screen.

Just to see Kenneth More morph into Parker's role on the island is a delight. And More does make a fine egalitarian 'gov'!

Australia's own Diane Cilento and Sally Anne Howes are very well cast. Sally Anne has a wonderful chaste reserve and to see her come out on the island as self sufficient and loving under the tutelage of More is priceless.

But tracking down a copy of this film was very difficult. I found an excellent DVD in America which was the English version, not Paradise Lagoon.