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The Earthling (1980)Patrick Foley has been on the move all his life. Tired of drifting, he wants to spend his last days in an isolated Australian valley where he grew up. On his difficult journey he meets ... See full summary » Director:Peter CollinsonWriter:Lanny Cotler |
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Title: The Earthling (1980)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| William Holden | ... | ||
| Ricky Schroder | ... | ||
| Jack Thompson | ... |
Ross Daley
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Olivia Hamnett | ... |
Bettina Daley
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Alwyn Kurts | ... |
Christian Neilson
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Pat Evison | ... |
Meg Neilson
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Redmond Phillips | ... |
Bobby Burns
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| Ray Barrett | ... |
Parnell
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Tony Barry | ... |
Red
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Allan Penney | ... |
Harlan
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Willie Fennell | ... |
R.C
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Walter Pym | ... |
Uncle
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Cul Cullen | ... |
Dawson
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Dawn Schroder | ... |
Dalton
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Maggie Blinco | ... |
Jessica
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
Patrick Foley has been on the move all his life. Tired of drifting, he wants to spend his last days in an isolated Australian valley where he grew up. On his difficult journey he meets Shawn, a little desperate city-boy whose parents were killed in an accident in this remote inhospitable territory. Being unable to accompany the boy back to the civilized world he reluctantly takes him with him on his trip to that valley and teaches him in a rugged way how to survive ... Written by Willy Vanhaelen <willy.vanhaelen@advalvas.be>
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Details
Language:
EnglishRelease Date:
24 July 1980 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
A völgylakó See more »Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
StereoColor:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
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Australian Customs Agent: Next please. Now what's the purpose of your visit?
Patrick Foley: Uh - passing through.
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Words and Music by Michael Lloyd, Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn
Sung by Michael Lloyd
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Did You Know?
Trivia
A number of Australian actors who appeared in this movie, including Jack Thompson, had their voices dubbed for the film's American release in the USA. See more »Goofs
When the camper smashes into the bottom of the ravine, it impacts on its side and the chassis is cleaved in two. In the next (close up) shot, where the boy has descended the cliff to sit by the rear bumper, the vehicle is simply pancaked upside down with an intact chassis. See more »Quotes
[first lines]Australian Customs Agent: Next please. Now what's the purpose of your visit?
Patrick Foley: Uh - passing through.
See more »
Soundtracks
"He'll Never Fill My Shoes"Words and Music by Michael Lloyd, Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn
Sung by Michael Lloyd
See more »
"Cute" he may have been, but Rick(y) Schroder -- before puberty -- was one of filmdom's most sensitive and skillful child performers. And William Holden, far from being one to "add to" a list of modern man-and-boy bonding stories, in this 1980 film virtually founded the category.
I've seen this excellent film three times -- always on late-nite TV. Leonard Maltin gives it two-and-a-half stars: "OK family drama." Yet, over half of its IMDB viewers rated it a 10. Why on earth hasn't it received wider public acclaim??!
At 62 (this was his next-to-last film), Holden looks like he really is terminally ill. The cockles of his heart never are warmed to the kid (that we can see, anyway).
He's bone-weary, making his painful way to the ruins of his long-deserted family home to die, But this squalling, spoiled, self-centered kid is stranded. The man would like to ignore him, but the boy's obvious vulnerability won't let him. And as his strength fails, he could use some help himself.
So they make their way, conjointly, to his dying-place. And on the way, he tries to teach the boy how to survive in the wilderness -- for the child will soon be utterly alone -- and reach civilization.
How and what he teaches him is fascinating -- both practical and subtle. He plunges the city-bred boy from pampered narcissism to basic verities and respect for life and Life. In turn, the child's unevadable need forces this bitter, used-up man to dredge up his humanity and, with his last energy, give it out; to do the right thing.
Both of them change and grow. And it's quietly beautiful. In a sense, this is a coming-of-age film with no age boundaries. Maybe it's a "coming-into-humanity" film. See it. And grasp again (or for the first time) the dignity and beauty that humanness can be.