Swiss Family Robinson (1940) User Reviews

Two decades before the famous Disney version of the story.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 20 February 2020]

The 1940 version of "Swiss Family Robinson" is very much like the original British version of "Gaslight". A major studio (in this case, Disney) bought up all the known prints of a film in order to prevent folks from comparing the newer version to the original. So, although the 1940 is NOT a Disney production, it is included (along with the 1960 Disney version) on the new Disney+ service.

When the story begins, you learn that William Robinson (Thomas Mitchell) is planning on uprooting his family from England and taking them to Australia. You soon see why....this Swiss family has a few budding young jerks in it. One of the Robinson sons is a 'sophisticated', useless twit who has ambitions to be a richer useless twit and another who loves war and longs to be a soldier. Lacking decent values, William is intent on making his children decent and industrious and wants to get them out of Europe during the Napoleonic era. Not surprisingly, the family hates this but it is 1813....and what dad says goes. Now it is VERY easy to hate two of the Robinson sons and sympathize with William...they truly were worthless individuals and in his place, I would have considered euthanasia...not just uprooting the family to Australia! But unfortunately for William, neither occurs...they get shipwrecked along the way and must fend for themselves on a deserted island. Will it bring the family closer or forever tear them apart?

A weak point of this film is that Mrs. Robinson whined and complained much more in the 1940 version...to the point where it was very tough to like or sympathize with her character. Additionally, much of the story is missing from the movie and it really seems abbreviated. And, the story itself looks like it took place over a few months at most--but the book had them there for over a decade. Compared to the 1960 Disney version, there is less action and excitement...and no pirates. On balance, the film is good and worth seeing...and quite different from the later film. My recommendation is to see them both, as they really are much like separate stories.

By the way, at one point in the film, young Ernest Robinson is bitten by a tarantula and soon passes out...and nearly dies. Well, this is silly as tarantula bits are hardly venomous at all and are much like a bee sting in severity. There has never, in fact, been a recorded death attributed to this arachnid's bite. Additionally, cutting ANY bite to 'suck out the poison' is ridiculous and pointless. So, this clearly is a case where you can say "Kids....don't try this at home".

Entertaining flick from 1940

[r96sk · 7/10 · 26 June 2020]

I thought I'd give this a watch before watching the Disney remake, given they are both on the latter's streaming service. I like 1940's 'Swiss Family Robinson', though there are many ways it could be improved upon which is what I hope the 1960 production does.

This one, made by RKO Pictures, is enjoyable. The action sequences look decent enough, the acting is solid while the premise is very intriguing. I rate the film almost from start-to-finish, the moments which make up that last part disappoints unfortunately - the ending doesn't really make sense.

Thomas Mitchell (William) and Freddie Bartholomew (Jack) are my standout characters, both of those two give good performances. Edna Best & Co. are all fine, though. It's with Best's character that makes the finale poor in my eyes. I won't spoil what happens, but it doesn't work in my opinion - especially in connection with what else occurs.

Those criticisms of mine stop me from placing this higher. However, it is still an entertaining flick from 1940.

Definitely a children's movie!

[cnevel · 6/10 · 8 January 2005]

I had never before seen any version of this film, nor have I read the book.

My mother tells me that she first saw this film when she was 10 (1946) and simply loved it. She hadn't seen it since.

In the 70's she wondered what had become of this film and wrote to Frazier Thomas, host of "Family Classics", in Chicago.

His response stated that Walt Disney purchased this film when his 1960 version came out and locked it away never to be seen again.

She recently mentioned it again so I looked it up, and to my surprise, found it.

Swiss family Robinson is a good 1940 children's film. But that is all!

Thomas Mitchells acting is as good as always, and the boys did a good job acting like wealthy brats reformed by their ordeal.

Did anybody notice that the youngest boy, Francis Robinson, played by Baby Bobbie Quillan, was a girl? I didn't.

I think Edna Best could have done better as Elizabeth Robinson. Her acting was stiff and boring, though it may not have been entirely her fault, this is a 1940 film set in 1820.

The story is ridiculous, most children's stories are, and there's too much religion for me, but I can look past these points.

The special effects are dated but are reasonable for their day.

This film is obviously a low budget production. It needs a good disaster scene when the captain and crew are washed overboard and more adventure on the island.

If you are into nostalgia take a look.

True family fun!

[bh-mail · 14 March 2013]

Aside from the reviews I have read about this film, I am making the following statements because, I saw this film when it first came out in the theaters.

My most memorable (mental picture) of this movie is of a young boy, perhaps 12 years of age - riding an Ostrich. The family is on an island due to the ship they were on being wrecked, and they made it to shore, from that point on it is nothing but fun, the way they get organized, children being children, animals being animals, and the Mother and Father trying to cope with it all, they are a truly brave couple, and they fight the good fight together. Well acted, and directed, it left me with plenty of good memories, it is a true SHAME if it is no longer available to be seen.

Thanks to all who made this movie, so that I could enjoy it many years past.

Oscar-nominated special effects and a good cast...

[eburkesi · 7/10 · 6 December 2020]

One of fourteen films from 1940 nominated for a best special effects Academy Award, Swiss Family Robinson captures the great moment from the Wyss novel were the family escapes a crippled ship, rowing a makeshift raft to a nearby island, while cows, pigs and other livestock swim along side them.

For its time, this is a successful mix of multiple effects techniques: a miniature raft (with stick-figure people) in a studio tank ocean; in the background a miniature ship lodged against rocks; puppet animals bobbing in the water, heading to a matte painting tropical island. The rear-screen work and cross-cutting to a live-action section of ship make for an exciting scene.

Later in the film, as huge trees topple in a thunderstorm, one recalls how effective these b&w FX scenes can be - - even though to modern eyes the illusions are obvious.

The film has heart and captures the spirit of the book but cannot compare with the entertainment and fun of Disney's version of 1960. The sparse thrills include Kilburn's ride on an ostrich and his encounter with cave spiders.

Thomas Mitchell as the father acts with conviction, and the brothers are well-cast.

For years, this film was as lost as the Robinsons...kudos to Disney Plus for allowing a modern generation to discover its charms.

Pretty dull compared to Disney

[adamsandel · 6/10 · 20 January 2021]

If you've been spoiled by the 1960 Disney version (and its many liberties with the book), this is pretty weak tea. Despite a few action scenes, it feels old-fashioned even for 1940. The fully grown Freddie Bartholomew is a standout, but without strong direction or script, even the wonderful Thomas Mitchell seems adrift.

As the mother, Edna Best is primarily a drag, spending most of the film complaining or fretting, while Disney's Dorothy McGuire was heaving coconut bombs at pirates.

Interesting...but not good

[atleverton · 6/10 · 8 November 2023]

Apparently the 1960 Disney version of Swiss Family Robinson is much more famous, although I haven't watched it yet. It's more famous because Disney bought the rights to this film and most of the copies of it and tried to have it destroyed so that people would remember their version better. It's not the darkest thing that Disney has ever done in its illustrious history, but it's up there. This film is much more of a morality play than we are used to in our modern films. A man, despairs at the future for his children, decides to immigrate to a safer place and in the process gets his family shipwrecked. He's quite happy about this because this is the life he wanted to lead, but his wife is less than enthusiastic. Upon researching the book for this review, discovered that there are multiple versions of the book and the book that is an English is quite different from the original German text. But this movie does something even different with the plot of the story - versions of the story it's a complete accident that they are shipwrecked and even worse they are shipwrecked because the crew abandons them, and they are just on their way to a new colony. The text version is definitely darker, but this film version the father decides that all of them are going to immigrate to a new country and none of them have a choice or right to decline. Even though the oldest son is about to join the military. So it adds this idea that all the troubles and tribulations that they go through are directly the result of their father's choices, conversely are a form of punishment from God. The acting is entertaining but decidedly theatrical. There's a scene where the mother sees a ship in the distance and there is a close up of her face as she shows big theatrical emotions. It's certainly an interesting movie to watch.

Regular...

[RosanaBotafogo · 7/10 · 18 April 2021]

Unfortunately he was not faithful to the work, which seems to be beautiful, based on the part of Christianity's goodness, here they are all evil, useless children, according to the father nor the baby is saved from futility, the mother then frivolous and unnecessary, in the book she kitchen with mastery, love and expert in exotic foods, the best thing here was the baby's performance, in the scene of the rescue of the brother bitten by the snake he completely steals the scene, passionate, but the film is quite out of the book, despite being a good one production...

Bland

[dbborroughs · 5/10 · 5 June 2010]

SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON in the pre-Disney edition starred Thomas Mitchell as the father who ships off his family in the hopes of making his children men. Its an often good looking film that is much too slow to really be of much interest. Frankly part of the problem is that the film takes 20 minutes to get to the point where the family ends up on the island. and by then you just want then to get on with it. The rest of them film is them building and rebuilding their shelters as storms come. The high point of the film is a spider bite late in the game. I can kind of see why my mom loved this film but I also know why its fallen by the wayside. 5 out of 10

Unjustly forgotten, and in need of a remastered DVD

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 30 April 2016]

While there is a slight personal preference for the 1960 Disney film, which is much more familiar to me, this 1940 film adaptation of 'Swiss Family Robinson' should be better known and unfortunately can only really be found on a too darkly lit and blurry VHS. It is a film worthy of a DVD, and a remastered one at that.

As an adaptation of the book (which is a very fun, suspenseful and thought-provoking read), this is the more faithful adaptation with more of the book's events intact, better performances from the kids generally and a darker tone. For me though, the later Disney film is better made, has the better played Elizabeth, has a more fitting music score especially in the opening storm sequence (not knocking the music here though) and who cannot resist that treehouse?

Judging it as a standalone and moving on from the VHS issues, the only problems this reviewer found with the film were some draggy pacing in parts and Edna Best's stiff and overacted Elizabeth. Although the VHS does the production values no justice, the settings and costumes are very nicely mounted and it's nicely photographed. The Oscar-nominated special effects in the storm sequences impress and the storm sequences themselves though a touch overlong are spectacularly authentic with a real sense of danger.

'Swiss Family Robinson' is rousingly and lusciously scored, securely directed and intelligently scripted. There is more of the book's story here, and scenes like the salvage trips to the reef-bound brig, the lessons in candle-making and ostrich-taking, the recipe for Elizabeth's fish stew are portrayed in an amusing and exciting manner, same with the spider bite which does have a good deal of suspense. The characters have lost none of their charm and appeal, while the animals are sweet and well trained.

Best aside, the acting is good with a perfectly cast Thomas Mitchell and a delightful Freddie Bartholomew coming out on top. An uncredited Orson Welles brings his distinctive booming voice to the narration, which doesn't make the mistake of being over-used or over-explanatory.

In conclusion, very well done and unfortunately unjustly forgotten. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Now available on Disney+...I'll take the 1960 version anyday

[germainesf · 1/10 · 30 November 2019]

Made the mistake of watching this after watching the 1960 version. I do not understand what the other reviews liked about it (not that the 1960 version is perfect). The movie is very 1940s (a la 1800s) religious, "the man rules his family" norms and VERY heavy handed. There also is no way that these people would have had the kind of hands-on-knowledge that you see in the movie. They would have perished.

I made myself watch the entire movie: just save yourself the time.

Best of them all.

[lousvr · 10/10 · 22 May 1999]

Saw this "Thomas Mitchell" Swiss FR years, decades ago broadcasted on TV. In fact during the 50's and 60's this wonderful movie would be shown often. It was just a great kids adventure movie, and is simply the best of them all. Would be great to see it now, but...

Now available on Disney +!

[jryder-17641 · 8/10 · 2 December 2019]

Just watched this film on Disney +. Wanted to find out more about it so I looked in IMDB and read reviews. Many really liked the film and complained that it wasn't readily available and what you could get were very poor quality. The quality on Disney + is very good and we really enjoyed the film although I still prefer the Disney version. I believe Disney + still has a 7 day free trial so if you just wanted to watch this movie you could do the free trial and cancel.

Siss Family Robinson

[pb616567 · 10/10 · 8 April 2007]

I also remember this movie from my childhood. I thought that all copies were destroyed. I would love to see it again. If there is a copy out there I would love to know where. This movie may be a little outdated, but for kids it would be great. If the story and the cast remained with me for 50+ years, it might also remain with the kids of today. Thomas Mitchell was a great actor, but I agree that the wife in this movie left a little to be desired. There are also a lot of animals for the little kids to enjoy. It's a basic, clean adventure where you don't have to worry what you child is watching, which is something rare in these days. I recommend highly.

All ashore who's going ashore!

[mark.waltz · 8/10 · 14 December 2016]

...and that includes dogs, cows, horses, pigs on a barrel and those of the human variety. The birds can fly, joining the exotic variety which has probably never seen a duck in its life. Thomas Mitchell, the pop from "Gone With the Wind", takes on the role of another literary patriarch, a successful businessman who immigrated from Switzerland to England, and now wants to find a new home with the Napoleonic wars approaching. And what a home they find, but in this case, it is not Disney style.

This version of the Johann David Wyss novel is in glorious black and white, and is all the better for it. While the Disney version is worthy of its classic status, this version has been wrongfully overlooked, with a lesson pre-war of survival and growing up, and what living on this earth is all about. Mitchell and his wife (Edna Best) have strived to raise their children with dignity and ideals, but they have ended up being too worldly and materialistic. It's obvious that life in God's country will make men out of them, and only hard work will bring them survival in their challenging new home.

Tim Holt, Freddie Bartholomew and terry Kilburn are the three post adolescent children, with Baby Quillan as the cute newest addition to the family that brings ooh's and aah's for his cuteness. A giant sea turtle and ostrich are among the new creatures of God who help show the family the truth of their new paradise. And if course, there's the famous tree house, not quite as grand as Disney's, but no bird's nest, either. All in all, a fine version of a classic tale that I'd long wanted to see and was not disappointed in the least. My only issue is the obvious passage of time that does not seem to age the youngest child as the two older sons obviously arrive at adulthood.

In its own way, just as good as Disney's version.

[kfo9494 · 8/10 · 26 August 2019]

I was lucky enough to borrow a copy of this movie from a friend in Europe. Even though the film was on 'PAL standard ' signal, my friend was able , with help, to convert the format to DVD. With the increase lighting and RKO distribution credits, this copy was so much better than others I have seen. But even with this better condition film, at times you can tell that it was copied directly from some kind of projector film since you can detect film cracks and slippage during watching.

About the film- This 1940 early version may not have all the bells and whistles as the 1960 version, but it holds its own with nice acting and an interesting script. Thomas Mitchell does a great job, as the viewer is placed right in the middle of the course that the Father has planned for the family. You end up rooting for the man (Mr Robinson) as he wants what is best for his sons even though his wife is not always on board with his agenda.

This film does a great job of making each son a totally different character from the other sibling with each having their own identity which helps the interest. The viewer can find a little bit of themselves in at least one of the boys on the island

Even though the production staff went rather economical on casting actors (there is only nine credited actors, one a baby, and that involves living in England and boarding a ship for days) the film does go all-out on special effects. Even though they are rough by today's standards, the lightning storm is just as powerful as anything in modern films.

When a film ends and you wish there was more- then everyone associated with the production has done their job. It was an exciting, interesting tale that I wish could have continued with later information about the family. But it was naught to be. Anyway, a film that is just as good as any copy of the story.

A little bit of alright

[wsureck · 12 January 2004]

Family (dad, mom, four boys) heading for Australia from England during the early part of the 19th century are shipwrecked on an island in the south Pacific and do their best to survive. Concentrate on Thomas Mitchell's usual fine performance and less on the 1940 vintage special effects, and very poor print quality (typically available) and there is some entertainment to be had of here. The lush "island" surroundings would have been enhanced by filming in color...but I have a suspicion this was not a very big budget picture and it would have been more obvious how many of the scenes were filmed on a sound stage in front of a rear projection screen. Even the island looks like a matte painting. Don't look for bedraggled, miserable Robinson Crusoes either, for generally, the Swiss Family have most of the comforts of an Andy Hardy home...so much for hokey 1930's family film realism.

Wow. Vastly better than 1960 version

[buystuffrnh · 9/10 · 2 August 2020]

What a pleasant surprise. A real adaptation of a novel without having been "Disneyiced". Flight not being filmed on location and using 1940 special effects it is a much better story. The acting is excellent, they filming writing and direction are all good.

Life on an island after shipwreck

[jdev3611 · 8/10 · 14 April 2013]

Purchased a VHS copy of this film from AMAZON years ago. The quality is the worst I have ever seen. I should have returned it. Almost unwatchable. My memories of this film go back to grammar school and watching it in the auditorium of my catholic school in West Philadelphia. I remember the scary giant spider scene! Disney should restore the film and release it to the public. Disney has historical interesting films like this and Song of the South which they refuse to release in the United States for silly reasons . The actors in this film did an excellent job of giving the viewer the feel of being on an island and the thought of never returning to civilized life

Unjust low rating

[koofasa · 9/10 · 6 June 2021]

I read the reviews before I watched this version of the movie. Everyone seems to prefer the Disney version. I also enjoyed the Disney version but this movie is both more faithful to the book and more realistic. During a shipwreck in the early 19th century who would be the most distraught and unhappy? A woman who once had everything she ever wanted perhaps? The reason for the family's move is also explained well in this movie. The father wanted to toughen up his sons and escape Napoleon's rampage across Europe. He probably would have lost his sons to war if he'd stayed home. I also saw complaints about too much religion in the movie. There's one reference to Jesus being a good man and then the family thanks god when they reach the shore after their ship founders and then they thank god for having food to eat. If that's too much religion then I must be a religious fanatic. I actually prefer this version of the film over Disney's. The only complaint I have is that the movie was filmed on a set in Hollywood so you don't get the island scenery the way Disney did but that's a minor detail compared to the script difference.

Here's The Book I Read, Brought To The Screen

[boblipton · 8/10 · 16 February 2023]

Thomas Mitchell announces to wife Edna Best and his four sons (Tim Holt, Freddy Bartholomew, Terry Kilburn and toddler Bobbie Quillan) that London has spoiled all of them and they are moving to one of the colonies. On the way there is a shipwreck and only the five of them survive to dwell on an island with an assorted fauna.

The book was one of my favorites growing up, and despite some changes to the text -- they're named Robinson, even though the title might have been better as "Swiss Family a la Robinson; there are frequent references to the evils of Napoleon, standing in for Hitler -- it's a very well made version of the book, with moments of real terror, like when they are making their way from the ship to the island, and some fine acting. Mitchell was one of the great character actors of the era, and so rarely got to be a lead when he didn't have to act up a storm. Here, he's just doing what he does best, making a character real. In fact, all of the performers are excellent, the set design of the tree house they live in is fascinating, and the perils are weather and the web-weaving tarantulas that infest a cave, rather than pirates. Orson Welles, in his first credit in Hollywood speaks the narration at the beginning. It's topnotch family fare, which is why Disney bought the rights and suppressed the prints for forty years.