Swiss Family Robinson

Swiss Family Robinson released in 1960 was a large film release from the studio. Walt Disney hand-picked this film that was among many to expand the live-action studio. Up to this point most the live-action films from Disney focused on an average American family with some type of supernatural affecting them (Shaggy Dog, Absent-Minded Professor). This film broke the norms as it wasn’t necessarily about the effects or some gimmick, it was a modern take on a classic book. 

Disney was taking a gamble on adapting this classic book about a family from Switzerland banding together. The stranded island concept had not done on such a scale before in a film and Disney spared no expense. The film was shot on a remote island Tobago. The shoot was said to have been difficult by cast and crew including many crew having difficulties with the heat, environment and construction of the tree and animal enclosures. 

Not only did the crew have to film a family adventure on an island in an elaborate tree house, many exotic animals were transported to Tobago for shooting. At the time due to all the logistical issues many executives at Disney were wanting to shoot in a studio or perhaps multiple smaller locations stateside. The ambition of shooting the film on the island of Tobago created some unprecedented locations and filming opportunities not previously available. 

Screewriter Lowell S Hawley made some creative liberties to increase the stakes in the film and create a more rousing finale. The original novel didn’t have a romantic side plot as seen in the film and the pirates present add an ongoing threat throughout the film. The pirates give another thing to bring the family together. The coupling of the pirates along with the girl Berta fill in some spots that the book didn’t previously have and provided a bit of a modern injection into the story without tampering the themes. The story is still about embracing family and adversity in times of trouble.
The family comes together from the first frames of the film as the entire crew of their ship dies on their way to New Guinea (another change from the book). The family learns what each other’s strengths are in this new environment and adapt. Each member has their own strengths and weaknesses but the family learns to embrace all these strengths to survive.

Some of the scenes are standouts throughout including the animal race about two thirds through the film as well as the demonstration of the tree house and its inner workings. The largest standout is the final scene in the film showing the final battle between the family Robinson and the pirates.
The battle shows everything the family has been working for through the film and culminates in an impressive battle with the pirates full of many special effect shots that had not been tried in a real-world location previously. The battle shows the family victorious and then rescue comes with the thought in the viewers mind of how do you adapt to real society after living on a stranded island for years. The parents even decide that staying is in their best interest. 

The movie isn’t without its flaws there are definitely some plot holes that come up. All the animals living together without eating each other, killing the family, or dying of starvation seems highly unlikely. The island is show to be of a decent size but does seem to have a limitless amount of food. The pirates also seem to be almost limitless in number in the final battle and the makeup choices are questionable in retrospect. 

One of the centerpoints of the last battle is a bunker in the mountainside made of rocks that provides a perfect defense point. It makes for a fun scene but would most likely not naturely occur on an island. 

At this point we’re going to discuss how this particular piece of media fits into the Disney lexicon. Does it uphold the brand, does it have a legacy and did it influence other things for Disney.
The film came at a time when all the Disney films were focused on family and always was an American family. This changes things a little bit but by providing some familiar faces for the time like Tommy Kirk we get a feeling this is still part of Disney and furthers those same values for the time.

Indirectly this film gave some ideas of what a family adventure film could look like as well as how to make pirates look in a live-action color film. Previously there were pirates in Treasure Island but that was ten years prior in black and white. This would go on to influence culture to create a love of pirates that would go on to influence Pirates of the Caribbean. The movie also indirectly lead to John Mills daughter, Hayley Mills becoming a major player for the studio as she was discovered on set.

The movie was the highest grossing of 1960 out-grossing big classics like Spartacus and Psycho and lead to an attraction at Disneyland shortly after. The Swiss Family Robinson treehouse stood in California for decades and gave kids a way to experience the treehouse and would be included in other Disney Parks throughout the coming decades.

Today this film isn’t as known as some of the other live-action Disney films and has never been remade or had a sequel. In 2004 talks had begun to create a modern remake entitled Brooklyn Family Robinson the last information about the film was in 2014 indicating that Steve Carrell would be the lead for the film but there has been no news since.

For those completely unfamiliar with the film this is a standout live-action film for the time and one of the five best for the studio for the decade of release.