The Blue Lagoon (1980)

Two children are shipwrecked on a tropical island in the South Pacific. With no adults to guide them, the two make a simple life together, unaware that sexual maturity will eventually intervene.

Director:

Randal Kleiser

Writers:

Henry De Vere Stacpoole (novel), Douglas Day Stewart

Stars:

Brooke Shields, Christopher Atkins, Leo McKern

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Brooke Shields	...	Emmeline
Christopher Atkins	...	Richard
Leo McKern	...	Paddy Button
William Daniels	...	Arthur Lestrange
Elva Josephson	...	Young Emmeline
Glenn Kohan	...	Young Richard
Alan Hopgood	...	Captain
Gus Mercurio	...	Officer
Jeffrey Kleiser	...	Lookout (as Jeffrey Means)
Bradley Pryce	...	Little Paddy
Chad Timmerman	...	Infant Paddy (as Chad Timmermans)
Gert Jacoby	...	Sailor
Alex Hamilton	...	Sailor
Richard Evanson	...	Sailor

Storyline

On a journey to San Francisco, Richard, his father and cousin Emmeline find themselves on a ship about to explode. Rushed to a lifeboat with Paddy Button, the two children escape while their father (and uncle) are on another lifeboat. In the chaos following, the lifeboats are separated. Paddy, Richard and Emmeline find themselves with no food and no water stuck in the middle of nowhere. After some time, the three come across an uncharted paradise, where Paddy quickly teaches the children fishing, hunting and building. After maybe a month or two, Paddy gets very drunk off a barrel of rum found on the island when they first arrive, and drowns in the middle of the night. Emmeline and Richard, now alone and very scared, move location and rebuild their island home. Many years later, the two young teenagers have developed a very real home, but hormones and feelings between the two strain their friendship, until Richard, who is still very determined to reach San Francisco, is let down by ...

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Plot Keywords:

island | lifeboat | tropical island | nature | ship | 

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Taglines:

A story of natural love.

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 July 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

La laguna azul

Filming Locations:

Nanuya Levu Island, Fiji

Box Office

Budget:

$4,500,000 (estimated)

Gross:

SEK 2,450,217 (Sweden)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Debra Winger turned down the role of Emmeline, in order to play Sissy in Urban Cowboy.

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Goofs

When Emmeline is teaching the baby how to swim, she calls Richard down to watch. When Em is holding the baby, you can hear a child laughing that doesn't match any of the actors. Later, you hear the toddler Paddy laugh and it sounds identical to the laugh heard before.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Young Emmeline: Richard, don't go out too far.
Young Richard: Em's a fraidy cat!
Arthur Lestrange: Richard! Emmeline! Come back here! This minute! And be careful!

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Connections

Version of The Blue Lagoon (1949)

User Reviews

Great, pure, truly inspiring

I happened to be flipping through the channels when I stopped on TBS. It was a little boy, a little girl and a man playing in a natural pool of water. The movie looked like an old one that would not be promising. However, I was wrong. The Captain dies,, which I didn't see,, and then the little boy is rowing his boat to the other side of the island. It was very comical, because she was just sitting their looking like a lady while he was doing all the work. Through time, they began to annoy each other. In my opinion it was hilarious. At one point she imitates his fishing technique and they began to chase each other while squealing in delight. They began to develop an uncorrupted natural love which is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. They knew nothing of deceit, hate, and sin. Therefore, they became into something that so many wish for. Pure. Their love and lives were so pure that they created a baby. This movie really touched me and I believe it shows us how all people could be without all the terrible things in this world.