Stometer Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Glimmerubro It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

JohnHowardReid Copyright 19 November 1951 by British Lion Film Corp. A London Film Production, presented by Sir Alexander Korda. U.S. release through United Artists: 11 July 1953. New York opening simultaneously at the Astor and the Fine Arts: 15 May 1952. U.K. release through British Lion: 25 February 1952. Australian release through London Films/Universal-International: 21 August 1952. 9,225 feet. 102 minutes. Censored to 8,981 feet (less than 100 minutes) including Censorship Certificate — "Not Suitable for Children" — in Australia. Cut to 93 minutes in the U.S.A.SYNOPSIS: An unprincipled English swindler's consuming passion for a native girl leads him to betray his friends. Setting: An island in the Far East. — Copyright summary.COMMENT: A lavish historical spectacle. Unfortunately, the conclusion is unsatisfactory and the picture could stand some trimming. It's a shame that the pace and the exotically heady atmosphere of the film's best scenes was not maintained. It's when the characters try to use some of Conrad's original dialogue that the film falls down. Wisely, however, Reed decided to eliminate all Kerima's speech in the editing stage. We never hear her voice. This adds rather than detracts from her mysterious appeal, and allows her beautifully expressive, sultry face to convey her emotions unhindered.Trevor Howard seems convincing and the support cast is strong (Wilfrid Hyde-White treats us to another incisive portrait), but Sir Ralph Richardson delivers his lines in his usual throwaway style — which is not always appropriate.For all its minor defects, "An Outcast of the Islands" will bowl any audience over with its stunning visual delights. The superlative camera-work is often abetted by marvelous film editing. Did you notice that Howard and the river-boy never appear on-screen together? I didn't.OTHER VIEWS: Working on the same plan as he did throughout production of "The Third Man" with two complete technical crews, Carol Reed successfully directed "Outcast of the Islands". This plan is a simple one — for the crews. One camera unit lines up a shot, lights the set and Carol Reed steps in to direct the scene. Meanwhile, the second camera unit on another stage is lining up and lighting for a different scene. Reed hurries from one to another. Production experts estimate that a total of over four weeks' studio shooting time is saved by this method thus saving overheads to a considerable amount. When Reed is concentrating on a lengthy scene with one unit, the other crew busy themselves with inserts and traveling Matte shots. Apart from the physical energy consumed during a day lasting from 8.30am to 7.15pm in the studio, Carol Reed's mental activity is superlative. He appears to switch from scene to scene quite readily; can adapt his mind to completely different technical and emotional problems connected with his script.The director spends his whole lunch break viewing the previous day's work in the studio theater and when floor work is over for the day hurries off to the cutting rooms to consult with editor, Bert Bates, about the work on the film to date. — Studio Publicity.

Leofwine_draca I had no idea before watching that OUTCAST OF THE ISLANDS was based on a novel by Joseph Conrad; I might have avoided watching it had I known. I'm not a fan of Conrad after I struggled to read HEART OF DARKNESS, which I found pretentiously written and a chore to struggle through. OUTCAST OF THE ISLANDS explores a tale that sees the author on familiar ground, telling of an ordinary man driven out of his mind by the wild passions of the exotic Far East.The film is set in and around some trading ports in an unnamed Eastern country, probably Malaya or the like. Trevor Howard plays a roguish character who begins the film by being sacked and then takes up a new position in another location, where he quickly falls for the charms of a native woman. Robert Morley has a splendid role as a stuffy ex-pat who crosses swords with Howard and the 'hammock' scene is by far the most memorable of the film.Sadly, the rest of it is a bit of a bore. The ending is dramatic but it takes a long time to get there and it doesn't help that the writers give you nobody to root for. Ralph Richardson appears in the production so infrequently that he might as well be in a cameo. As ever, watching a bunch of British actors "browned up" to play natives dates this quite considerably. I like Howard when I've seen him in the likes of THE CLOUDED YELLOW but his hateful character here is too off-putting. I know Carol Reed made some well-remembered films but this certainly isn't one of them.

Jonathon Dabell Based on a novel by Joseph Conrad, directed by the great British director Carol Reed, and featuring a cast of considerable distinction (Ralph Richardson, Trevor Howard, Robert Morley and Wendy Hiller), one comes to Outcast Of The Islands with high hopes indeed. Unfortunately, the film doesn't really deliver on its promise – it's an interesting, well-acted and perfectly watchable film, but by no means a masterpiece. More of a curiosity than anything, in all fairness.Caddish Peter Willems (Trevor Howard) was rescued from a life of poverty and obscurity as a boy by noble seafarer Captain Lingard (Ralph Richardson). Since then, their lives have taken different paths – Lingard has remained a staunch and reliable sea captain, travelling the seas and making his fortune through peaceful trade, while Willems has become a manipulative, opportunistic bully despised by all. When his business interests go belly-up, Willems is forced to flee from Singapore. The only person willing to help him is his old friend Lingard who, against all reason and wisdom, still sees some good in the young protégé. He smuggles Willems to a remote coastal community and suggests that he spend some time there, laying low until the storm surrounding his business controversies has blown over. He leaves Willems under the watchful eye of his daughter (Wendy Hiller) and jealous son-in-law Elmer (Robert Morley). Alas, Willems' self-destructive nature quickly leads him into trouble. He offends his hosts, falls in love with a dangerous wild-woman (Kerima), plays tribes-people off against each other, and gives away precious information about the secret sea route to the community. Ultimately, his cruel nature catches up him with and he must pay a terrible price for his mistakes.Howard is excellent, cast against type as a monstrous man with few redeeming qualities; Richardson holds his own too as the foolishly loyal father-figure trying to give him one last chance in life that he probably doesn't deserve. The Far Eastern location shooting gives the film an authentic feel, though the film doesn't quite manage to get a clear hold on what it really wants to be. A Malayan adventure? A sun- soaked tragedy? A dark comedy? A morality play? It veers amongst all of these without ever quite cutting it as one or the other. Flashes of individual power remain (Richardson bellowing "you are my shame!" – as he finally realises how much his faith in Howard has been misplaced and abused – being one of the most memorable moments), but the film as a whole is neither here nor there. It's just a very strange film – a peculiar choice for big screen treatment, sometimes fascinating but just as often flat, and ultimately a rather bitter and negative film. Worth a look in spite of all this.

eigaeye This film falls well below Carol Reed's best work. Despite a strong cast and the benefits of location shooting, the action is dissipated by poor editing (the frenzied intercutting of shots). The idea of the worthless white man left to wash up on an alien shore (condemned to the too-fleshy arms of his 'half-caste' woman) seems terribly hackneyed from today's viewpoint. Reed's artistry, unfortunately, is not sufficient to overcome these weaknesses. The one memorable thing is the presence of the actress, Kerima, whose character does not utter even one line of dialogue. That the film's assistant director, Guy Hamilton, should have married her soon after will came as no surprise to anyone. As much as I admire Trevor Howard, Wendy Hiller and Ralph Richardson as performers, this is not a worthy vehicle for their talents. What is it about Conrad that even film-makers as good as Carol Reed struggle to put his stories to film? For what it's worth, I think Hitchcock's 'Sabotage' is a better film, albeit a loose adaptation of Conrad's 'The Secret Agent', than this more faithful adaptation of 'The Outcast of the Islands'.