Man Friday (1975)

Englishman Robinson Crusoe, stranded alone on an island for years, is overjoyed to find a fellow man, a black islander whom he names Friday. But Crusoe cannot overcome the shackles of his ... See full summary »

Director:

Jack Gold

Writers:

Daniel Defoe (novel), Adrian Mitchell (play),

Stars:

Peter O'Toole, Richard Roundtree, Peter Cellier

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Peter O'Toole	...	Robinson Crusoe
Richard Roundtree	...	Friday
Peter Cellier	...	Carey
Christopher Cabot	...	McBain
Joel Fluellen	...	Doctor
Sam Seabrook	...	Young Girl
Stanley Bennett Clay	...	Young Boy (as Stanley Clay)

Storyline

Englishman Robinson Crusoe, stranded alone on an island for years, is overjoyed to find a fellow man, a black islander whom he names Friday. But Crusoe cannot overcome the shackles of his own heritage and upbringing and is incapable of seeing Friday as anything other than a savage who needs Crusoe's brand of cultural and religious enlightenment. Friday attempts to share his own more generous and unashamed culture, but ultimately realizes that Crusoe can never see him as anything but an inferior being. With that awareness, Friday sets out to turn the tables on Crusoe.

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Plot Keywords:

robinson crusoe | island | ship wreck | culture clash | based on novel | 

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Taglines:

Master's law was one of order. Friday's law was one of life. Each tried to overcome the other!

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Genres:

Drama | Adventure

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 June 1976 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Covek zvani Petak

Company Credits

Production Co:

ABC Entertainment, Incorporated Television Company (ITC), Keep Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Version of Robinson Crusoe (1925)

User Reviews

Excellent examination of human nature

I wasn't expecting much when I decided to take a look at this underrated film, one of Peter O'Toole's forgotten works. Well, I think it's great. The ideological consistency of this reinterpretation is definitely more welcome than a "classic" adaptation of Defoe's novel.

What strikes me is the movie's relevance after all these years. It's amazing how little has changed from those days, when racism and slavery were widely accepted as "normality". I mean, the laws have changed of course, manners have improved - we live in the era of "political correctness" and all - but in terms of how we FEEL about the Other, nothing has changed, unfortunately. Robinson Crusoe is in fact the typical Englishman. This deep rooted idea of superiority still exists today, even if it doesn't manifest itself in the same ways."Man Friday" makes a powerful statement about human nature, about man's failure to communicate, to understand and respect others.

Various themes are explored, like religion, sexuality, freedom, xenophobia, capitalism, multiculturalism, moral relativism and so on. The movie succeeds in making some good points, sometimes with a great sense of humor, and sometimes with a tragic feel. Crusoe's relationship with Friday, its development and psychological implications are very interesting.

Peter O'Toole is splendid as the nasty and arrogant Englishman, while being sympathetic to some extent due to his human frailty. Not even those funny-looking furry boots and outfits can diminish his aristocratic elegance, and it's a pleasure to listen to his beautifully spoken phrase. O'Toole's Crusoe has the tragic aura of a Shakespearean hero, and this superb performance is the movie's highlight. Roundtree also does a very good job.

The absence of a remastered DVD transfer must be the only reason why "Man Friday" remains basically unknown, and that's a shame.