Moviecut—Island of Desire

Saturday Island

What a stinkeroo this turned out to be!!! At one time, much earlier in her career, Linda Darnell was one of my favorites - no great shakes as an Actress, but very beautiful and pleasant (particularly in films like "The Mark of Zorro" and "Blood and Sand") but when I saw this monstrosity, the memories of her golden days faded quickly. The story is unbelievable and farcical, the acting second-rate, the supporting cast insufferable. I cannot think of a more immature performance by anyone when compared to Tab Hunter, and Donald Gray had to be the most boring leading man they could have picked. Added to this, was the terrible photography (and I am not just referring to the color!) Everyone associated with this, must have shuddered whenever it was shown.

This is a sort of Admirable Crichton but with the lack of any of its class.The acting of Tab Hunter is substandard.Donald Gray is as stiff as a board.Darrell is pretty but is obviously on her way down in the pecking order.One of the many contract actors left adrift by the end of her studio contract.The story,which has been recounted by other reviewers,is so silly it is unintentionally funny.The arrival of Donald Gray on the hour mark sets the film on a downward course from which it never recovers

I remembered this films ads. I must have been 10 or 12. It was Linda Darnell & Tab Hunter (a new Hollywood discovery) standing near naked on an island. Well I wanted to see it. I didn't. Years later I finally acquired a VCR tape. It was enjoyable. Great acting. Hardly. The script was all but ridiculous, and no actor could make it into a Shakespearean TEMPEST. They don't try.It does look as tho the actors were having a good time though. This was the movie that made Tab Hunter a star. Linda Darnel was a beauty. And for 1952, this was a hot rendition of look but barely touch. Wonder what the Legion of Decency thought of this film back then?

Underrated little obscurity that's almost a minor gem. Sure, dramatically it's a bit naive, and the pro-British ending in which the Brit gets the girl - not the American (after all, the movie is British) - is rather "off". The American kid is supposedly much too young for the gal (who's around 30 only) but the one-armed slimy British character who's already 38 steals the gal! This is a happy ending only for other British one-armed, slimy guys. To makes things even more absurd, this gal was frigid to begin with: she barely had interest in men before she got stranded, but suddenly she falls in love with a slimy British officer who isn't half as good-looking as the blond American kid. However, the location is terrific, and the movie was filmed in (more-or-less) early colour which gives it a very special sort of feel. It's very much worth seeing alone for its visuals.