{"id":50966,"date":"2016-12-27T08:00:26","date_gmt":"2016-12-27T13:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/?p=50966"},"modified":"2022-02-05T23:20:09","modified_gmt":"2022-02-06T04:20:09","slug":"movie-review-search-castaways","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/movie-review-search-castaways\/","title":{"rendered":"Movie Review: In Search of the Castaways"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"InDVD Cover Copyright Disney<\/em><\/p>\n

Based on Jules Verne\u2019s 1867 novel of the same name, Disney\u2019s In Search of the Castaways <\/em>was theatrically released on December 21, 1962. The live action fantasy adventure film is ninety-eight minutes in length.<\/p>\n

Plot Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 1858 Glasgow, Scotland, three people, a young girl named Mary Grant (Hayley Mills), a young boy named Robert Grant (Keith Hamshere), and a geography professor from the University of Paris named Jacques Paganel (Maurice Chevalier), arrive unannounced at a yacht party hosted by the influential Lord Glenarvan (Wilfrid Hyde-White) in hopes that Glenarvan will help to save the children\u2019s father, Captain Grant (Jack Gwillim). Captain Grant\u2019s vessel, Britannia<\/em>, is known to have capsized, but Professor Paganel has located a desperate note inside a bottle that seems to have been written by Captain Grant, thus indicating that he may still be alive and held hostage by Indians.<\/p>\n

Facing hesitation on the part of Lord Glenarvan, who believes that he is being hoaxed, the rescue mission is approved when the Lord\u2019s son, John Glenarvan (Michael Anderson Jr.), complains that he wants to see more of the world than the Mediterranean. Indeed, Britannia<\/em> likely wrecked on the thirty-seventh south parallel, near South America, Australia, or New Zealand. John will definitely be experiencing more of the world, but great dangers are possible. Will the mission succeed?<\/p>\n

Special Effects and Production<\/strong><\/p>\n

Disney incorporated a variety of special effects to augment the numerous action scenes in In Search of the Castaways<\/em>. Along the way, an earthquake, an avalanche, a bobsled ride down the Andes Mountains, a massive flood, a scorching fire, a volcano, and a battle with Maori peoples are encountered. The effects are badly dated by modern standards, but they are nonetheless exciting to behold, and they were deemed impressive at the time of the film\u2019s release.<\/p>\n

Responding to a reader question about the production of In Search of the Castaways<\/em>, Dave Smith, chief archivist emeritus of the Walt Disney Archives, said: \u201cIn Search of the Castaways <\/em>(1962) contained some of the most elaborate special effects of any Disney film up to that time, with the set designers building a live volcano; part of the Andes Mountains; reproductions of the ports of Glasgow, Scotland, and Melbourne, Australia, from the 1870s; and a complete New Zealand Maori village. All of this was accomplished at Pinewood Studios in England. The special effects team was headed by Syd Pearson and Peter Ellenshaw.\u201d (1)<\/p>\n

Child Actors<\/strong><\/p>\n

Walt Disney discovered Hayley Mills in 1959 through a movie, Tiger Bay<\/em>, which starred her father, John Mills. Ironically, at the time of the Tiger Bay <\/em>viewing, the elder Mills was about to star in another live action castaway film for Disney, Swiss Family Robinson<\/em> (1960). (2)<\/p>\n

For his part, Keith Hamshere was discovered by Disney in London while playing the title role in the musical Oliver<\/em>. (3)<\/p>\n

Opportunity<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sometimes, a simple effort is worth making because there is no downside. Sending a pleading message in a bottle, for example, posed no risk to the castaways. The odds of the message being found were extremely slim, but there was a chance that it would be found and the castaways rescued.<\/p>\n

Even when there is a potential downside to a decision, new possibilities and results will undoubtedly emerge from the taking of the risk. The results may be positive or negative, but a preceding act must cause them. For example, as discussed by Mary and John in the film\u2019s final scene, if Professor Paganel had not found the seemingly-simple bottle, the protagonists would not have explored the vast extent of the Southern Hemisphere.<\/p>\n

Music<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Search of the Castaways <\/em>features several lyrical numbers written by the duo of Richard and Robert Sherman, who were named Disney Legends in 1990. The songs are largely superfluous\u2014the film would not be much inferior had they been eliminated\u2014but they are good efforts.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrimpons!,\u201d sung by the rescue team as it ascends the Andes Mountains, is especially fun, using consistent short beats to ingrain the song in one\u2019s head. The number is rendered classic Disney by virtue of its optimistic vibe. As Professor Paganel explains in the middle of the tune, \u201cGrimpons; that means \u2018let\u2019s climb.\u2019 It is the French recipe for \u2018the good life.\u2019 Whatever you want to do, don\u2019t be afraid to do it for fear of failure.\u201d That line is Walt Disney\u2019s life in a nutshell.<\/p>\n

Additionally, \u201cThe Castaways Theme,\u201d performed by Mary, evokes a similar theme in a more solemn manner. This song is beautiful and soothing, though not as memorable as \u201cGrimpons!\u201d<\/p>\n

Humor<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although In Search of the Castaways <\/em>is not a comedy, Professor Paganel\u2019s antics provide a surprising number of laughs throughout. Paganel exudes an eccentricity reminiscent of the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland<\/em> (1951). Among other things, Paganel drops a heap of food to dogs\u2026err, children hiding under a table; claims, albeit sincerely, to Lord Glenarvan that he located the bottle inside a 225-pound shark; accidentally presents a sandwich rather than his university credentials to Lord Glenarvan; yodels while bobsledding down the Andes; attempts to communicate in a primitive dialect with an Indian who only speaks English; and awkwardly interacts with one of Captain Grant\u2019s even-more eccentric crewmates, Bill Gaye (Wilfrid Brambell).<\/p>\n

Lord Glenarvan may have initially taken the children\u2019s bottle story more seriously had twenty-two people not previously told a similar story in hopes of receiving a monetary reward.<\/p>\n

John Glenarvan extols the merits of the rescue voyage to his father with the same logic that he had just refuted when voiced to him by Mary.<\/p>\n

Relationship to Other Disney Films<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Search of the Castaways <\/em>marked Hayley Mills\u2019s third Disney film in as many years, after Pollyanna <\/em>(1960) and The Parent Trap <\/em>(1961). Mills subsequently starred in Summer Magic <\/em>(1963), The Moon-Spinners <\/em>(1964), and That Darn Cat <\/em>(1965) for Disney.<\/p>\n

In Search of the Castaways <\/em>was the first of Maurice Chevalier\u2019s two on-screen appearances in Disney films, the other coming in Monkeys, Go Home! <\/em>(1968). Chevalier also sang the Sherman Brothers\u2019 title song, \u201cThe Aristocats,\u201d for The Aristocats <\/em>(1970). (4)<\/p>\n

Reminiscing on Chevalier\u2019s role in The Aristocats<\/em> during a 2012 interview, Richard Sherman said: \u201cWe\u2019re very particularly proud of that song because we got him to come out of retirement to do it. It was quite a job to get him to do it. We had done a number of songs for Chevalier, and our dad who was a songwriter wrote songs for Chevalier back in the \u201930s and so it was like a family thing. He was very sweet, and we\u2019d done songs [sung by Chevalier] for In Search of the Castaways<\/em> and Monkeys Go Home<\/em>, and then when The Aristocats<\/em> came up, they said, \u2018Who\u2019s the perfect guy for the title song to set the style and feel?\u2019 There was only one Maurice Chevalier, and unfortunately he was retired. So that\u2019s when Woolie [Wolfgang] Reitherman, the director of The Aristocats, said, \u201cSherman, you can do a demo, but make it sound like Chevalier, and we\u2019ll send it to him.\u2019 And so I made a demo where I made my voice sound like Chevalier\u2019s. He came out of retirement, which was marvelous.\u201d (5)<\/p>\n

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea <\/em>(1954) was also based on a Jules Verne novel of the same name and also featured a volcano.<\/p>\n

Mountain scenes are also prominently featured in Third Man on the Mountain <\/em>(1959) and Frozen <\/em>(2013).<\/p>\n

Towards the end of the film, Paganel mentions the East Australian Current, which is emphasized during the Crush the sea turtle scenes in Pixar\u2019s Finding Nemo <\/em>(2003) and Finding Dory <\/em>(2016).<\/p>\n

A seemingly absent-minded professor was also a protagonist in The Absent-Minded Professor <\/em>(1961); that film\u2019s sequel, Son of Flubber <\/em>(1963); and a remake of The Absent-Minded Professor<\/em>, Flubber <\/em>(1997).<\/p>\n

In the Parks<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Andes bobsled scene may remind Disney fans of Disneyland Park\u2019s \u201cMatterhorn Bobsleds.\u201d Professor Paganel even mentions the Alps during the segment.<\/p>\n

\"in-search-of-the-castaways-matterhorn-pinterest\"<\/p>\n

Guests at Epcot can view a volcano by dining at the San Angel Inn restaurant in World Showcase\u2019s Mexico Pavilion.<\/p>\n

Overall<\/strong><\/p>\n

Outdated special effects notwithstanding, In Search of the Castaways <\/em>is an entertaining, well-paced adventure with much excitement and some good songs.<\/p>\n

Notes<\/strong><\/p>\n

1) Smith, D. (2012). Live-Action Films. In Disney Trivia from the Vault: Secrets Revealed and Questions Answered <\/em>(p. 141). New York: Disney Editions.<\/p>\n

2) Knickerbocker, P. (1959, August 30). OUT WEST WITH NEW ENGLAND’S ‘POLLYANNA.’ New York Times<\/em>, p. X7. Retrieved September 28, 2015, from http:\/\/0-search.proquest.com.alpha1.suffolk.lib.ny.us\/docview\/114682485?accountid=35174<\/a><\/p>\n

3) Smith, p. 127.<\/p>\n

4) Link to \u201cThe Aristocats\u201d song on Youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4yqh2sgnfZQ<\/a><\/p>\n

5) Rome, E. (2012, August 21). ‘The Aristocats’ on Blu-ray: Songwriter Richard Sherman reflects on the Disney classic and working with Walt. Retrieved December 9, 2016, from http:\/\/www.ew.com\/article\/2012\/08\/21\/the-aristocats-richard-sherman-music<\/p>\n

What do you think of In Search of the Castaways? Let me know in the comments!<\/em><\/p>\n

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