My grandmother took me to the cinema to see this when it first came out, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I didn't see it again until I was an adult and it came up on TV, at which point I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Then I looked out the book and read it - I had enjoyed Robinson Crusoe and The Coral Island in my youth, so I would clearly enjoy the third classic tropic island castaway book, wouldn't I? Oh dear.
The book Swiss Family Robinson is preachy and dreary and (if my English translation was accurate) appallingly badly written. It was only after reading it that I realised how well Disney had done in taking the idea, dropping the unappetising preachiness, injecting a healthy dose of fun into what remained, and producing a cheerful, exciting, exotic, eye-popping family romp.
As ever, Kevin Corcoran is on hand to provide an unwelcome note of whining irritation, but that is the single sour note in a film which provides two hours of good clean fun for families.
I didn't see it again until I was an adult and it came up on TV, at which point I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Then I looked out the book and read it - I had enjoyed Robinson Crusoe and The Coral Island in my youth, so I would clearly enjoy the third classic tropic island castaway book, wouldn't I? Oh dear.
The book Swiss Family Robinson is preachy and dreary and (if my English translation was accurate) appallingly badly written. It was only after reading it that I realised how well Disney had done in taking the idea, dropping the unappetising preachiness, injecting a healthy dose of fun into what remained, and producing a cheerful, exciting, exotic, eye-popping family romp.
As ever, Kevin Corcoran is on hand to provide an unwelcome note of whining irritation, but that is the single sour note in a film which provides two hours of good clean fun for families.