This is my entry in the Jean Simmons Blogathon hosted by The Wonderful World of Cinema and Phyllis Loves Classic Movies
The Blue Lagoon started out life as a novel by H. deVere Stacpoole. It has been filmed three times (with a fourth somewhat loosely based version that was made-for-TV). The most famous one is the 1980 version featuring Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins. But a silent film version from 1923 featuring Molly Adair and Dick Cruickshanks predated it, as did a 1949 version featuring Jean Simmons and Donald Houston. This post is about the second film.
The Blue Lagoon (1949):
On a ship in the middle of the ocean, a boy's father is laid to rest in the sea. The boy, Michael (Peter Rudolph Jones), is put into the care of one of the sailors, Paddy Button (Noel Purcell). Meanwhile, Emmaline (Susan Stranks) is a passenger on the ship. When the ship catches fire, the plan to abandon ship ensues. But both Michael and Emmaline, along with Paddy, end up being left behind.
The three end up stranded in the ocean, unaware of where they are, or where the rest of the ship's passengers and crew have gone. They float endlessly for a few days until they find an island. On the island they find an abandoned hut, of which all that remains of the previous resident is a cask of rum.
Paddy takes charge of his two new wards and tries to establish a temporary home, always counting on someone coming to look for them. When a ship appears on the horizon the try to light a signal fie, but an unexpected rain dashes their hopes. Distraught, Paddy returns to the hut and gets smashed on the rum and eventually ends up dying. Now the two children are all alone.
They survive by their wits and grow into young adults. What was initially a relationship as brother and sister (although they aren't related, I should note), eventually develops into a love.At one point they consummate their love and Emmaline becomes pregnant. But they are still stranded on the island and really don't have any idea how to be husband and wife, much less parents.
eventually they are found. But the rescue is not what they expected. The "rescuers" are some pirates who force Michael to work for them, diving for pearls. Fortunately for the pair, the greed gets the better of the pirates, however.
The question of whether they will ever get off the island comes to Emmaline finally convincing Michael they need to build a boat. She is concerned for the well-being of their baby and what will happen to it after they get even older. What happens at the end is left for you to discover.
Time to head home folks. Drive safely.
Quiggy
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