The Blue Lagoon

Plot

Two young relatives, Dick Lestrange, a 10-year-old boy, and his cousin Emmeline Lestrange, an 8-year-old girl, become stranded on an uninhabited island after their ship catches fire. Paddy Button, their elderly servant, joins them and becomes their sole carer in their desperate situation. Paddy's love and devotion provide solace, but tragedy strikes when he discovers a hidden stash of rum and dies from alcohol poisoning, leaving the children to fend for themselves.

Dick and Emmeline begin to explore the unfamiliar world of sexuality that surrounds them as time passes on the island. A chance encounter piques their interest, leading them to explore their desires and emotions. They gradually form an intense and profound bond, and their relationship is romantic. Their love eventually results in the birth of a child, cementing their unique bond on the island.

Arthur Lestrange, Emmeline's guardian and uncle and Dick's biological father, abruptly disrupts their secluded existence when he discovers them after an exhaustive search. The children's unconventional way of life on the island clashes with the external influences and societal norms introduced by Arthur's arrival. Dick, Emmeline, and their child must navigate the complexities of their relationship, reconciling their isolated past with the new challenges and expectations imposed by Arthur and the outside world.

Cast

Molly Adair as Emmeline Lestrange

Doreen Wonfer as younger Emmeline

Arthur Pusey as Dick Lestrange

Val Chard as younger Dick

Dick Cruikshanks as Paddy Button

Crew

W. Bowden - Director of Photography

Production history

Development

In January 1919, African Film Productions (AFP) secured the filming rights to Henry De Vere Stacpoole’s widely acclaimed novel The Blue Lagoon. AFP’s head, I.W. Schlesinger, had paid a substantial sum for the rights, as the book had been a commercial hit. Schlesinger had ambitious plans to make The Blue Lagoon AFP’s next blockbuster, following their earlier successes with King Solomon’s Mines (1918) and Allan Quatermain (1919), both based on novels by H. Rider Haggard. However, he knew careful preparation was crucial for the film’s success. AFP needed a qualified team, perfect filming locations, and resources to maintain production standards to represent the story's exotic and beautiful setting. The novel would require a meticulous screen adaptation that would preserve its essence and make appropriate adjustments to the medium.

Schlesinger took on the challenge of adapting The Blue Lagoon for the big screen, fully aware of the difficulties involved. However, he believed the effort would be worth it if done right. For a story of this kind, finding the right location, actors, and producer was crucial to its success on screen.

Conflicting rights issues between stage and cinema adaptations delayed AFP's production by almost three years. Basil Dean, who produced a successful stage version of The Blue Lagoon in England, had hoped to turn it into his debut film. However, he first presented the play at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London from October 1920 to February 1921, followed by a provincial tour to Edinburgh. These performances sparked interest in the Glasgow Evening Times, as they questioned how the experience of "two youngsters" growing up in isolation on a South Sea island could be portrayed on stage.

Basil Dean announced his intention to create a film adaptation of The Blue Lagoon in January 1920 and predicted it would be released in December of the same year. The casting of Madeline Robinson as the child Emmeline and Faith Celli as the adolescent Emmeline was announced in September, promising a high-quality film. In his autobiography, Dean stated that The Blue Lagoon was always more suited as a motion picture than as a stage play and that the play’s transfer to Broadway in 1921 was a failure. Consequently, the film's production was postponed following an exchange of messages with London. Stacpoole himself had doubts about the suitability of the stage for his story, arguing that motion pictures were better able to capture the natural world depicted in the novel and that the stage play lacked the emotional and comedic depth that was possible through expression and movement. The Motion Picture Studio reported in its 9 July 1921 issue that Gertrude McCoy was set to star as Emmeline.

Casting

The directors selected two young South African actors, Val Chard and Doreen Wonfor, for the roles of Dick and Emmeline as children. Initially, it seemed that Dick's character would dominate the narrative. However, as the plot unfolded, Emmeline's role became more central, mainly due to her longstanding love for Dick, which began at the age of eight. Her deep affection led to her pregnancy and the birth of a child, highlighting the challenges posed by her youth in portraying such a complex role.

Molly Adair was only 17 years old when she was cast as Emmeline as an adult, which was a significant accomplishment for her, demonstrating her outstanding acting skills at such a young age. Her remarkable talent facilitated her securing this coveted role. Although she was still only a teenager, Adair's precociousness and flexibility as an actress were already apparent in her seven previous film appearances. She starred in Stella (1921), a cinematic adaptation of H. Rider Haggard's novel Stella Fregelius, co-starred with Clive Brook in Married to a Mormon (1922) and played the lead role in the film adaptation of Compton Mackenzie's Sinister Street (1922). Adair was highly admired for her poise and graceful demeanour, which made her highly sought-after. She possessed what many believed to be the most critical attributes of a successful actress: a beautiful face, a resilient character, and a readiness to embark on adventurous journeys at any given moment.

The role of Dick as an adult was given to Arthur Pusey, a seasoned actor who worked with Sibyl Thorndyke in London's West End and also made appearances in several films such as The Bachelor's Club (1921), The Barton Mystery (1920), The Lonely Lady of Grosvenor Square (1922), and Stable Companions (1922).

Filming

It was reported that Molly Adair and Arthur Pusey had departed for Johannesburg on the S.S. Kinfauns Castle on 12 May 1922. According to contemporary reports, the primary locations for the film's shooting would most likely be in a tropical area close to South or West Africa, potentially the coral-reefed coast of Mauritius or the Seychelles. In July 1922, it was reported that a small group of around fifteen people were working hard on the East African Coast near Pemba, a place with many Arabic legends. Later, it was confirmed that a whole colony of workers had camped on a desert island off the coast of Portuguese East Africa near Porto Amélia (Pemba) for four months with the producer and his team. The company had chartered the "tiny island", which was part of the Quirimbas Islands chain off the northern coast of Mozambique.

Dick Cruikshanks was in charge of managing the actors, while Bowden's responsibility was overseeing the camera and crew. However, Cruikshanks encountered challenges persuading the child actors to focus on their work and not spend all their time playing around the island, as they needed to work with the sun and cameras.

In Johannesburg, a colossal statue of a man was constructed for the movie. It was made of stone, stood at a height of 50 feet, and had a frightening face with massive stone hands. The statue was meant to symbolise a brutal and aggressive deity. However, the South African Review criticised the statue, arguing that this small-scale depiction of savagery was insignificant compared to the millions of people who were sacrificed to the "Money Gods" of "Civilisation" during World War I.

In late November 1922, it was reported that The Blue Lagoon was nearing completion. Promotional photographs showcasing the movie were dispatched to England, creating anticipation among the audience. After filming for The Blue Lagoon, the production quickly moved to The Reef of Stars, a motion picture based on another story by Stacpoole. Notably, this film also featured Molly Adair in a prominent role.

In its issue dated 1 February 1923, The Bioscope announced that the International Variety and Theatrical Agency (IVTA) had just received the film negative of The Blue Lagoon from African Film Productions. It was stated that work was underway for trade shows. The film was lauded as a new and captivating form of screen entertainment, particularly the sections featuring the tropical island and lagoon. The film’s popularity was expected to attract audiences at all screenings. It was noted that no studio-built settings were used, maintaining authenticity, as all outdoor scenes were filmed on a small equatorial islet.

Release

The Blue Lagoon was released at the Bijou cinema in Johannesburg on 5 February 1923. It was planned to be shown for only three days; however, due to its immense popularity, the Bijou extended the screening to six days. This decision attracted giant crowds and generated a lot of excitement among viewers.

On 27 February 1923, the London trade show took place. Schlesinger was present at the event and observed that nobody left during the film screening, proving its high entertainment value. Stacpoole praised the film’s acting, scenery, and management of native crowds during a post-show luncheon. He enjoyed the romantic scenes but declined the idea of a sequel that would bring Emmeline and Dick back to civilisation. Stacpoole believed that leaving them on the tropical island was the right choice. F.W. Kilner, who had exclusive distribution rights in the Midlands, criticised the film's modest promotion but praised it as an outstanding British production.

The regional trade shows of The Blue Lagoon commenced on 6 March 1923, taking place at Manchester's Theatre Royal and proceeding to various English cities, including Cardiff and Glasgow. The series of shows concluded on 11 April at Dublin's La Scala Theatre. Subsequently, on 8 October 1923, The Blue Lagoon was released in eight cinemas across London.

Although precise box office data are unavailable for evaluating the movie's financial performance, it is apparent that the movie failed to generate adequate income to persuade AFP to produce other feature films. Thelma Gutsche wrote:The Blue Lagoon marked the swansong of local fiction film production. Released in the [South African] Union in February 1923, the film (most of which had been filmed on the Natal and Portuguese East African coast) was very favourably received. It was also successful on the overseas market; but, despite the contemporary odium of American films and attempts to sponsor British and Commonwealth production, it was obvious that South Africa’s best efforts were not assured of a payable return. Thereafter fiction film production had perforce to be abandoned.

Reception

Critics gave the movie generally positive reviews. Kinematograph Weekly praised the film for its ability to rekindle a feeling of magic as the story progressed, even if the ageing of the child actors caused the initial appeal to drop, and commended the accuracy with which it caught the mesmerising atmosphere of the original book. The careful selection of child actors, whose extraordinary skills added to the movie's authenticity, was one of its best aspects. The leading child actor, Val Chard, was praised for his authentic and compelling performance. The magazine also praised how the movie portrayed sexual awakening, pointing out that it added to the story's complexity and captivated the viewers.

The Rand Daily Mail reviewed it as an improvement over the novel and stage production due to the actual tropical scenes captured on the screen. The Johannesburg Sunday Times appreciated the natural acting, particularly in scenes with the two children and Paddy Button on the coral island, and the attention given to the casting of minor roles, such as the whaler's captain and crew, who looked like actual seamen.

The South African Pictorial reviewer spoke highly of the production quality, story narration, and particularly the acting, with directors William Weston Bowden and Dick Cruikshanks receiving special praise. Casting decisions were also applauded, with the younger versions of the lead characters closely resembling their older counterparts. The review did point out a subtitle that seemed to invite misplaced humour and acknowledged the original story's implausibilities but concluded that these did not detract from the film's overall quality.

The Bioscope lauded lead actors Molly Adair and Arthur Pusey for their exceptional ability to avoid theatricality in their performances. Their authentic expression of emotions and behaviour was particularly striking in the captivating island scenes. The film's young actors also earned praise for their natural and impromptu actions, contributing to its genuine feel. Additionally, the extras who played the primitive characters were commended for their skilful acting, notably during the moving dance sequence around the ancient idol that heightened the scene's mysterious atmosphere. Although the finale was deemed artificial, The Bioscope still celebrated the film's mysterious setting on an isolated island.

Ernest W. Fredman, editor of the Film Renter and Moving Picture News, commended the film for its enthralling performances and the remarkable success it garnered, surpassing the original novel and its stage adaptation. He especially praised the cast, including Arthur Pusey, Molly Adair, Dick Cruikshanks, and two genuine child actors, noting that each scene was brimming with interest and emotion. Fredman celebrated the meticulous attention to detail in the production, the poignant scenes, and the picturesque setting, all of which contributed to the film's allure, simplicity, and expected popularity. He highlighted the scene of Emmeline giving birth as exceptionally tasteful and significant. Fredman extolled the film for its poignant story of two shipwrecked children who fall in love on a deserted island, applauding its adept depiction.

Preservation status

Due to the absence of any surviving copies, The Blue Lagoon is widely regarded as a lost film. The only surviving print, which Herbert Wilcox purchased in 1929 to remake it, was destroyed in a fire at the British and Dominions Imperial Studios on 9 February 1936.