Review of Robinson Crusoe

I remember reading Daniel Defoe's classic novel, 'Robison Crusoe'. I remember it because I vividly recall finding it very tedious and repetitive, and I spent a lot of time questioning its "classic" status. Around six months later I watched Luis Buñuel's 1954 adaptation, starring Dan O'Herlihy in the title role, and this has redeemed 'Robinson Crusoe' for me. The parts of the novel that I didn't enjoy largely sat in the middle, where Crusoe is in the process of upgrading his settlement, practising animal husbandry and performing other chores. Buñuel mercifully condenses such elements, and the result is a more coherent (and therefore enjoyable) narrative. Like in the novel, some of the best scenes in this film occur after Crusoe has met Friday, and I'd say that the second half is somewhat stronger than the first. However, I never grew bored of this adaptation; given its constraints, I believe that a 90-minute runtime is perfect for the story. The handful of actors comprising the cast for this film are also fairly good, and a perceptive viewer will see O'Herlihy's performance improve as the film progresses. Whilst Luis Buñuel's 'Robinson Crusoe' isn't exactly a great film, it remains commendably loyal to Defoe's original work whilst making it more palatable for the present day.