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MR. ROBINSON CRUSOE (United Artists, 1932), directed by A. Edward Sutherland, from a story by Elton Thomas (alias Douglas Fairbanks), is an odd production that parodies author Daniel Defoe's literary tale of "Robinson Crusoe" by having its central character relive the adventures of his fictional hero in an attempt by making a myth into a reality. Before the story immediately gets underway, it opens with these words: "From the time of Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, man has vainly sought to find solace, comfort and earth pleasures in an artificial world of his own creation. Down through the ages has come that eternal heritage, the urge to every man to turn his back on so-called civilization to get back to nature and reveal in the glories of freedom of a primitive paradise."

Plot summary: Millionaires William Belmont (William Farnum), Professor Carmichale (Earle Browne), and adventurer Steve Drexel (Douglas Fairbanks) are sailing together on a yacht along the South Seas bound for Sumatra to hunt tigers. As they pass an uncharted island, Drexel makes a $1,000 bet with Belmont that he could live in seclusion on the island for two months with nothing but a toothbrush (which he soon discards, along with his watch and shoes) in the manner of storybook character "Robinson Crusoe." While Steve feels he'll be found living "the life of Riley," Belmont believes he'll find him tied to the stake by hungry natives. Diving off the yacht and leaving his friends to go on ahead with their plans, Steve swims ashore with his dog "Rooney." He makes good with his wager by surviving on coconuts, pineapple and bananas, constructing a giant tree-house, making wooded street signs reading Park Avenue and 52nd Street, befriending wildlife that includes Googy, a monkey; Sooky, a talking parrot whose only reply is "Okay"; a turtle that helps pump water; and a goat for the use of its milk. Although Steve isn't quite so lucky having a Robinson Crusoe's companion, "Friday," being that of a very nervous native (dubbed "Friday the 13th") he finds and loses, Steve goes one better by acquiring a beautiful native girl he names "Saturday" (Maria Alba), who had earlier escaped a forced marriage ceremony from another island. Aside from finding solitude with Steve, who finds time teaching her the English language, she learns her the method of kissing by rubbing his nose against hers. As his two months comes to a close, it appears that Steve, now slightly bearded, might win his bet after all until his friends, having returned from their hunting trip, arrive on the island with methods of their own to win the bet.

While far from being Fairbanks' best, it's the kind of entertainment expected of him, an adventure comedy highlighted by his familiar acrobatics, amusing scenes revolving around his animal friends, slight romance climaxed by threatening dangers of a cannibal attack in the best Tarzan tradition. With its small cast and location footage filmed entirely in Tahiti, Fiji, Samoa and the Marquee islands, this is very much a one man show for Fairbanks in a near solo performance with occasional cuts revolving around Belmont and Saturday in separate cases. Aside from his methods of survival, having accomplished a lot in such a short time with his man-made contraptions and ingenious inventions, thanks to his boy scout training and Dan Bear's Handy Book, it's acceptable to believe Steve could make rope out of bark and setting up fishing nets, but how is it possible for him putting together his own radio (after acquiring radio tubes from a native's neck) that miraculously picks up broadcasts from San Francisco and listening to Harry Richman vocalizing "Singing a Vagabond Song" from his 1930 motion picture musical, PUTTIN ON THE RITZ? Regardless of situations not being true to life, it's goal of vintage fun is evident throughout its 70 minutes.

Having all the ingredients of an innocently made 1920s silent film, it so happens that MR. ROBINSON CRUSOE was also distributed in the silent film tradition, with musical score, inter-titles, sound effects and the constant reply of "Okay" by the parrot and barking by Rooney. Alfred Newman's memorable underscoring of "The Moon of Manakoora" heard throughout proved so popular that it was used again for other South Seas stories, notably Samuel Goldwyn's classic, THE HURRICANE (1937) featuring Jon Hall.

Virtually unknown until the 1980s when distributed on video cassette in both silent (Video Yesteryear) and sound (Kartes Video Communications) versions, and airing on some local public broadcasting stations, at present, television revivals of MR. ROBINSON CRUSOE are rare, with known broadcasts on the Christian Broadcast Network prior to 1990, and a silent print as part of Nostalgia Channel's Saturday night presentation of "When Silents Was Golden" in 1994. Throughout those years, MR. ROBINSON CRUSOE has had the misfortune of circulating with inferior prints, thus, making this one of many films such as this in need of restoration.

Had MR. ROBINSON CRUSOE been remade in the 1940s when South Sea stories were in vogue, it would have been an interesting part of the "Road" series ("Road to Tahihi" perhaps) starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. As it now stands, this good-natured adventure tale, being more Fairbanks than DeFoe, simply displays how excellent Fairbanks can be in a role written especially for him, and what he's capable of doing when material matches his talent. (***)

From the time Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden , man has vainly sought to find solace , comfort and earthly pleasure in an artificial world of his own creation . Down through the ages has come that eternal heritage - the urge in every man to turn his back on so - called civilization , to get back to nature and revel in the glories and freedom of a primitive paradise . Three friends ( a kind Douglas Fairbanks, William Farnum, and Earl Brown ) aboard a boat are going to chase tigers at Sumatra . They do a bet that nice Fairbanks can live on a desert island for a year and will have good life without being left any refinements of civilization . While his friends stake he will be tied on a pole and eaten by cannibals . Lucky for him , a native ( Maria Alba) arrives and saves him . Meantime friendly Fairbans puts on a tree ¨arrived on island June first ¨ and his friends at Sumatra get firearms permit . This will allow the gentlemen firearms into the Dutch East Indies to hunt tigers . At the ending the native girl dances in the Ziegfeld Follies show .

The players with Mr. Douglas Fairbanks include Mr William Farnum , Mr Earl Brown , Miss Maria Alba and native chiefs, tribes men and native girls in Tahiti , Fiji , Samoa , and the Marquesas islands . Charming Douglas Fairbanks steals the show as he bounds and leaps , flies and run ; in addition he is the screenwriter of this rollicking adventure based on a story by Elton Thomas . The movie contains brief nudism scenes , pre-Hays code , reflected on water in charge of Maria Alba and amusing scenes about antics between a sympathetic monkey, dog and a goat . Atmospheric and evocative musical score by the classic Alfred Newman . The picture is professionally directed by A. Edward Sutherland . He is an expert on all kind of genres as suspense as ¨The invisible woman (1940)¨ , and his specialty is the comedy with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy vehicles as ¨Flying deuces ¨ and the Bud Abbot and Lou Costello's debut titled ¨ One night in the Tropics (40) ¨ and directed a Christmas classic movie titled ¨ Beyond Christmas (40) ¨ . Rating : 5,5 . Acceptable and passable .

An enjoyably offbeat story and a fun role for Douglas Fairbanks make "Mr. Robinson Crusoe" an entertaining light feature. The story is kept as simple as possible, because the highlights are Fairbanks' athleticism, his character's wide variety of gadgets and animal companions, and Maria Alba as the very endearing Saturday.

The story is never intended to be taken seriously, but it certainly works as entertainment. It starts with Fairbanks's character accepting a bet that he and his dog can survive on an isolated desert island. A long stretch of the movie is devoted simply to showing his numerous inventions and tricks for surviving in the wild, while at the same time he makes several animal friends. This part works surprisingly well, and plenty of imagination went into all the devices and such. Of the animals, the monkey is particularly entertaining, and is rather talented itself.

Fairbanks does quite well carrying the load during the parts in which he has no human to talk to. Once the more action-oriented part begins, he is of course in familiar territory, and at least in this one feature he looks just about as energetic and youthful as ever.

The most action-oriented sequences are interspersed with the tenderer scenes with Alba's character, which makes for an interesting contrast during that part of the movie. This is the kind of movie that is very enjoyable if you are in the mood for something a little different, and/or for anyone who has fond memories of Fairbanks's fine silent-era classics.

Douglas Fairbanks and his friends are yachting near a remote tropical island. On a lark, Fairbanks bets his friends that without any supplies, he can make a ideal life for himself. They agree to return later for him to check on his progress and so Fairbanks and his dog jump overboard--swimming to their new home.

Once on the island, Fairbanks seems excited by the prospect of creating his own home and civilizing the place. Soon, he has all the comforts of home and is quite happy--having rigged up all kinds of conveniences and really cool labor-saving devices. However, out of the blue arrives a man (who he of course christens 'Friday') and a young lady who has run away from an arranged marriage on her own island. Suddenly, his tropical getaway has become a rather crowded place! Overall, it's an amazingly interesting film considering that mostly it consists of Fairbanks doing a monologue. The gadgets helped but the script was well-written and interesting. Not a bad film at all, as it's unique and a nice variation on the old Daniel Defoe novel.

As you watch the movie, you may be a bit surprised by the nudity. While the film certainly isn't chock full of it, the film illustrates that in the days before the adoption of a strengthened Production Code in 1934, films were a lot more liberal in their sensibilities than we'd usually assume--much more so than even most films of the 1960s. The 1930s certainly was NOT a time of prudishness and repression--at least not the first part of the decade.

By the way, I have seen many silent Fairbanks films. However, with this sound film you can hear why he perhaps didn't make more talking pictures, as his voice is rather thin and high-pitched--certainly not the voice you'd expect from a matinée idol--as he was in the 1920s. But, despite this limitation, he was an amazingly spry man of nearly 50--moving about like a much younger man--almost like he did in the old days of THE THIEF OF BAGDAD and THE MARK OF ZORRO. This, by the way, turned out to be his second to last film.

Douglas Fairbanks (as Steve Drexel) longs for the adventurous life of Robinson Crusoe, so he jumps from his yacht and swims to a remote South Seas island with his dog Rooney. Mr. Fairbanks leaves yachting partners William Farnum and Earle Browne behind, to (presumably) continue their planned tiger hunting jaunt. "Mr. Robinson Crusoe" proves to be amazingly resourceful - the island provides him with a sexy girl "Saturday" (Maria Alba) and, of course, dangerous head-hunting natives!

Fairbanks is incredibly athletic, as usual; but, he over-performs and talks too much. Ms. Alba is very sensual, especially when she first beds down in Fairbanks' "penthouse"; and watch as she is being prepped for her native wedding - she appears to be nude, as photographed through a reflective pool of water. This appears to have been a lighthearted "vanity" production for superstar Fairbanks, which hasn't aged well.

*** Mr. Robinson Crusoe (8/19/32) A. Edward Sutherland ~ Douglas Fairbanks, Maria Alba, William Farnum

Watching this film, I was struck at the small similarities to Shakespeare's Tempest. A western figure of intelligence is cast into a distant land, and makes the spirits (here it is animals) his servants, constructing his own order. And just as the issue of race was present then, so it is here. The islanders are presented in a simplistic and racist manner, and the film's conception of gender is rather chauvinist. Witness how naturally the beautiful, nubile and innocent island girl, fleeing an arranged marriage to a boorish muscle-bound youth, takes to doing our Westerner's dishes! However, this fellow, portrayed ebulliently by an aging Douglas Fairbanks Sr., brings now books. Indeed, there is very little in his head apart from his principal goal. The single-mindedness and vapid goals of the film make the whole exercise into a chore. The cinematography is competent at best, but entirely dull most of the time. The humor is weak. A film for Fairbanks completists only. Turns out his voice, at least as shown here, was disappointingly squeaky. He didn't stand a chance, the poor soul.

For Douglas Fairbanks's next to last film, he certainly chose an ambitious project, a modern version of the Robinson Crusoe story. At times though it seems like a bit of personal vanity from an aging star.

A good case could be made for Douglas Fairbanks being the movies first action/adventure star. Stunts and athletic ability were always emphasized in Fairbanks films than acting was, though if the occasion called for it, Fairbanks could give a good performance. At the time this film was made Fairbanks was 49 years old, looking fit mind you, but still looking 49.

Like MGM did with Trader Horn, filming it on location in Africa. Most of Mr. Robinson Crusoe was shot in the South Seas, in Fiji, and in Tahiti. There's not much of a cast to Mr. Robinson Crusoe, just William Farnum and Earle Browne who Fairbanks makes a bet on a whim that he couldn't survive on this tropical paradise as did Robinson Crusoe, and of course Maria Alba who plays the native girl Fairbanks takes up with and names Saturday.

There is a man Friday in the story and unfortunately it's part of one of the most racist aspects I've ever seen in a film. The ironic thing is that I don't think Fairbanks who wrote the script appreciated how it looked. Since he decides to imitate the fictional Crusoe, there must be a man Friday in the story. But in Daniel Defoe's novel, Friday is rescued by Crusoe and becomes devoted to him. Here Fairbanks comes upon some head hunters and tries to kidnap him for the purpose of essentially making him a slave. I'm not sure what else you could call it. The whole sequence is done for laughs with Fairbanks using all kinds of wrestling moves on the poor native, doubtless to show off his athletic ability which his fans paid to see. Still for today's audience, I find it shocking.

It's why sad to say, I can't give the film any higher a rating. Fairbanks and the cast are fine and the location cinematography in the South Seas would not be seen for another 20 years until I believe Gary Cooper's Return to Paradise was shot in some of the same area.

Sad to say I think a lot of people will be offended by watching Mr. Robinson Crusoe.

Fairbanks' next-to-last film has aged rather badly. It's thoroughly dated in its technique and feels much longer than it really is. Good music score.

A wealthy American bets his buddies he can act like MR. ROBINSON CRUSOE and stay quite happily all alone for several months on a deserted South Seas Island.

The Silent Era's greatest adventure star, Douglas Fairbanks, makes a brief return to his glory days in this lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek film which has become unfortunately obscure. With an original story by Elton Thomas (Doug's pseudonym) this was one of only four talkie films which would star Fairbanks; he also acted as producer. Released in some venues as a silent film - which explains the long sections without direct dialogue - the movie would give Doug one last bite at that particular apple.

Ever the affable good fellow, 49-year-old Doug is still agile as a cat and his innocent flirtation with lovely Maria Alba, his 22-year-old Spanish co-star , isn't too mawkish even though he's easily old enough to be her father. Miss Alba's first scene, however, quickly reminds the viewer of the movie's pre-Code standing.

Location filming in Fiji, Samoa & Tahiti are certainly big benefits to the story. Doug made sure the plot gave him the sort of scenes he loved to play: fanciful (all the wonderful contrivances & contraptions which make his tree house more comfortable) and exciting (Fairbanks gets to match wits against an entire tribe of headhunters).

Although sometimes rather intrusive, Alfred Newman's score is still richly evocative of the South Seas. He would later rework some of the melodies for even greater effect in THE HURRICANE (1937).

This often-overlooked adventure comedy is really quite fun.The plot,which was evidently written by the star under a different name,has Douglas Fairbanks,on a yachting trip to the south seas with wealthy friends suddenly challenged on a wager to spend a year on a tropical island with nothing to aid him but a hunting knife.That is the plot.Simple and yet enough to launch Fairbanks on a "Robinson Crusoe-like" adventure as he cleverly and in acrobatic fashion hews out a comfortable existence for himself.Does he find a loyal companion?Yes and it is native girl Maria Alba whom he names Saturday.As their romance develops there are typical dangers to be faced; storms,hostile natives etc.Ably directed by longtime silent veteran Edward Sutherland this picture is a delight for Fairbanks fans and adventure buffs.

Douglas Fairbanks strands himself on a lush tropical island for a bet, and finds himself hosting a maiden from the neighbouring island who is fleeing the prospect of a forced marriage. This lightweight comedy borrows only Crusoe's name, and is largely plotless for much of its running time, but it's fun to see the Heath Robinson-ish contraptions Fairbanks invents to make his life easier on the island. Sadly, his character's expertise at everything he turns his hand to grows a little irritating after a while.

The quality of the film is typical of the era of production -poor-due to technique and degradation. The acting was over-the-top and the movements were exagerated. However, this wasone of the first talking films of these actors and the characters were played as they would have been in a silent film. Recording techiques were still being developed. Taking these things into acount it was a good movie. Thank you.

Steve Drexel is sailing to Sumatra with his friends & dog Rooney when their yacht reaches a deserted island. Making a bet that he couldn't survive on the island, Drexel & his dog jump ship. Spending a month on the island they prove to be formidable survivalists. When a native girl who doesn't want to get married arrives on the island, Drexel finds himself drawn to her. But her jilted groom & an army of natives descend on the island.

An amusing skit satirising the Defoe classic, Mr. Robinson Crusoe manages to turn a classic piece of survivalist literature into a cheap comedy flick. Unless you're a trained engineer with experience in building a settlement with native materials, there is no way you could possibly make the mini city that Douglas Fairbanks does here. That is not to say that Mr. Robinson Crusoe is not a watchable film – it does have its moments. The film has its amusements but ultimately is just a lightweight comedy of which the 1930s saw a whole flood of. I was kind of surprised to see incidental nudity in the film – Maria Alba's naked body is seen reflected off the river she is bathing in – which is very unusual for the early 1930s.

I certainly don't agree that this film is over-long. I found it hugely enjoyable from beginning to end. Of course it is a load of nonsense, but I don't think it was intended to be "Hamlet".

An American leaps off his luxury yacht with nothing, except his trusty dog, to learn to survive on a deserted tropical island. And he does so magnificently - creating his own world with an ingenuity that would put Gilligan and co. to shame. The art direction is truly outstanding. And the dog is great, but tends to be up-staged by a superbly talented monkey - that can even milk a goat! When other humans arrive things become a bit dodgy politically - this is definitely both racist and sexist.

But through it all runs Fairbanks' wondrous energy. Nice location photography, unusual for its day. This evidently caused problems for the sound-recording. I suspect all the location footage was shot silent and the sound dubbed on afterwards - the lip-synching is sometimes poor. Good use of music, by Alfred Newman, again quite advanced for an early talkie. This film is tremendous fun!

When the world was much simpler, at least in the movies, Doug showed the world a man not afraid to take on an insurmountable challenge. Doug, as usual, is the man's Man and he displays his athletic skills to the utmost. The plot is simple but the characters are not. It speaks to us today of the role of men & women in society and the desperate need of each and everyone of us to know love and respect. Doug's ingenuity in creating a home on a tropical island filled with many of the luxuries we, today, take for granted, shows that where there's a will there's a way. Absurd at times? Of course...but it IS a movie! Ultimately the movie reveals the kindness of humanity, despite all odds, and has plenty of laughs and thrills. It is a tale set in another time and another place. How nice it would be to return to the innocence and bravado of years gone by.

If someone is looking for a deep movie, Mr. Robinson Caruso is not it. If however you are looking for pure escapism and fun look no further then Mr. Robinson Caruso. It is about Steve ( Douglas Fairbanks Senior), who on a bet goes to live with his dog on an uninhabited island in the South Pacific. In order to win $2,000 ( a lot of money during the Great Depression). Of course, he has one major problem: Hesd hunters on a neighboring Island. On that Island, there is a girl played by Maria Alba who is supposed to marry one of the head hunters because a custom is to knock the bride's teeth out which she does not want to happen. So what does she do? Steals a canoe and goes to the Island where Steve is and gets caught in an animal trap he set up. After freeing her, he names her Saturday. One interesting scene is where he puts her on a bed he made, and sleeps on the floor, and she goes over an sleeps mext him ( a sure sign this is a Pre-Code movie). Spoilers ahead He ends up teaching her English and are happy together, but the cannibals come to the Island and capture them. They are going to literally roast him alive, except a monkey turns on a radio he invented which scares them and she frees Steve. Fortunately the ship comes back that dropped Steve off and he escapes by swinging on vines like Tarzan and Spider-Man and uses a catapult he made to get into the ocean. What he did not know is Saturday is also on board so he is stuck with her. He ends up putting her in the Zigfield Follies ( a popular vaudeville show at the time) and everyone loves her dancing. In the final scene they rub each other's noses ( her on stage and him in the audience), which is her native equivalent of kissing. One poster here said I wish he would have married her. It is almost certain that he did and on the boat ( since Sea Captains can legally marry couples). Why do I think that? Because it is the only legal way to get her in the US, not to mention signing a contract to get her in the Zigfield Follies. Anyway a fun movie and I give it 8:10 stars.