The Blue Lagoon is a 1949 British coming-of-age romance and adventure film directed by Frank Launder, produced by Launder and Sidney Gilliat), and starring Jean Simmons and Donald Houston. The screenplay was adapted by John Baines, Michael Hogan, and Launder from the 1908 novel The Blue Lagoon by Henry De Vere Stacpoole. The original music score was composed by Clifton Parker. The cinematographer was Geoffrey Unsworth.
The film tells the story of two young children shipwrecked on a tropical island paradise in the South Pacific. Emotional feelings and physical changes arise as they grow to maturity and fall in love. The film has major thematic similarities to the Biblical account of Adam and Eve.
Plot In 1841, 9-year-old Emmeline Foster and 10-year-old Michael Reynolds, two British children, are the survivors of a shipwreck in the South Pacific. After days afloat, they are marooned on a lush tropical island in the company of kindly old sailor Paddy Button. Eventually, Paddy falls to his death during a drinking binge, leaving Emmeline and Michael alone. They survive solely on their resourcefulness and the bounty of their remote paradise.
Eight years later, in 1849, the now-adult couple live together in the island paradise, fish, and collect "beads" from the shellfish in the surrounding lagoon. One day, a ship arrives carrying Doctor Murdoch and James Carter, two British men, who are intimated to have fled as criminals from civilization. Surprised to find the couple on the island, Murdoch soon realises that Michael collects valuable pearls without knowing their true worth. While Murdoch attempts to trick Michael into getting him a bounty of pearls, Carter tries to kidnap Emmeline and escape. Murdoch and Carter kill each other on the boat, and Michael and Emmeline vow to never attempt to leave the island again. They marry, and during a tropical storm, a child, Paddy, is born.
In 1852, Emmeline is reminded of the outside world and wants to leave the island. She fears for their child if Michael and she should die. Michael gives in to her pleading, and they pack a small boat and leave the island. Becalmed in mid-ocean, they succumb to exposure. A British ship finds them, but the movie only shows that Paddy is still alive in the small boat, leaving their fate unclear.
Cast Jean Simmons as Emmeline Foster Donald Houston as Michael Reynolds Susan Stranks as Emmeline (younger) Peter Rudolph Jones as Michael (younger) Noel Purcell as Paddy Button James Hayter as Dr. Murdock Cyril Cusack as James Carter Nora Nicholson as Mrs. Stannard Maurice Denham as Ship's Captain Philip Stainton as Mr. Ansty Patrick Barr as Second Mate Lyn Evans as Trotter Russell Waters as Craggs John Boxer as Nick Corbett Bill Raymond as Marsden
Production history The film was an adaptation of a novel whose previous screen adaptation was completed for release in 1923, but it is the earliest surviving adaptation.
In 1928, Herbert Wilcox acquired the motion picture rights to the novel from I.W. Schlesinger to produce a remake. To eliminate competition with his film, Wilcox purchased all existing prints of the 1923 adaptation that weren't in circulation. A year later, he officially announced the inclusion of this project in his portfolio of motion pictures in production. He planned to film it in multiple-language versions in French and Spanish, in 2-strip Technicolor, and with a full libretto of native music. The project was abandoned due to the Great Depression and was not restarted until 1935, now with backing from the newly formed General Film Distributors (GFD). After development resumed, Wilcox planned to cast either Joel McCrea or Richard Cromwell as the male lead. It was going to be shot in 3-strip Technicolor in Honolulu.
After a spectacular fire at the British and Dominions Imperial Studios on 9 February 1936 destroyed the last surviving print of the 1923 film, Wilcox lost interest in the project, and the rights were assumed by GFD's new sister company Gainsborough Pictures at the recommendation of Frank Launder, who always admired the novel. Gainsborough announced the film in 1938 as part of a slate of 10 films. The stars were to be Michael Redgrave and Margaret Lockwood, who had just appeared in Gainsborough's The Lady Vanishes; Will Fyffe was to co-star. It was going to be shot on location in the East Indies for the exteriors and at the Islington Poole Street studio for the interiors. Carol Reed was going to direct. In 1939, Gainsborough went into a co-production with 20th Century Fox to secure funding, and Lockwood was going to co-star with Richard Greene, under contract to Fox. Plans to make the film were postponed due to World War II.
The project was reactivated after the war and announced in 1946, with Frank Launder attached to direct. Extensive location searches were undertaken before deciding to make the film in Fiji.
Plans to make the film were postponed due to Britain's currency difficulties, but eventually, plans were reactivated.
Censorship
In 1946, Joseph Breen told Universal Studios that they could turn the book into a movie if they made some changes to follow the Hays Code. Breen said the characters could not be related, the love should be between grown-ups, and there could not be any sex scenes or birth scenes. He also asked them to take out the parents' suicide. In 1948, Breen approved the script with further changes, like no nudity or suggestive content, and suggested they show the marriage passing incontinently. Indeed, though there were rules and restrictions, they still made and released the movie.
Casting Jean Simmons was attached to the project at an early stage due to her success in Great Expectations (1946).
Donald Houston was chosen as the male protagonist from a pool of more than 5,000 candidates, including Laurence Harvey and Roger Moore, 100 of whom had screen tests.
Filming Before embarking on their journey to the island, Launder, Noel Purcell, and Jean convened with Prince Thakombow of Fiji, who was studying in London at the time. They treated the prince to a tour of Pinewood, followed by a relaxed discussion regarding the film's production intricacies, including the imminent expedition to the islands, which the prince enthusiastically supported. Before departure, Jean had the privilege of visiting Henry de Vere Stacpoole, the author of The Blue Lagoon, who resided on the Isle of Wight. During this visit, the 84-year-old gifted Jean a green coral charm he had acquired from Fiji four decades earlier while gathering material for his renowned novel.
On 27 November 1947, Jean Simmons embarked on a journey from Poole aboard a BOAC seaplane bound for Sydney, Australia. Arranged by the Rank Organisation in coordination with her voyage to Fiji, a comprehensive tour of Australia was on her itinerary. The extensive flight included layovers in Cairo, Calcutta, and Singapore. Her departure garnered significant press coverage, with film footage capturing the moment featured in various newsreels. The farewell at the airport was emotionally charged, particularly for Winifred, Jean's mother, who accompanied her daughter. This marked not only Jean's maiden flight but also her inaugural trip abroad, evoking tears as mother and daughter bid each other farewell. After three days, Jean encountered a delay in her flight bound for Sydney when the immigration service in Darwin detained her and twelve other passengers for three hours. Their vaccination documents against cholera were deemed insufficient, causing concern as they had arrived from Cairo, where the virus was rampant, prompting scrutiny from the Australian Department of Health. Fortunately, the situation was resolved the following day.
Jean's journey encountered complications when the Brisbane airport closure due to inclement weather halted the resumption of her travels. After a prolonged wait, the plane, which had paused for refueling, eventually landed in Sydney on 2 December amidst the enthusiastic welcome of 50 fans. Her first act upon arrival, as recounted in local media, was to send a food parcel to her mother. On 5 December, she graced the gala premiere of Launder's latest film, Captain Boycott, featuring Stewart Granger, who later married Simmons. Jean's explorations across Australia, spanning from Sydney to Adelaide to Melbourne and back, were meticulously documented in national newspapers. Engagements such as press interviews, radio appearances, visits to various institutions including hospitals, schools, botanical gardens, and zoos, as well as attendance at film premieres, ballet performances, formal dinners, and other public events, filled her schedule until 21 December, when she finally departed for the Fiji Islands. There was uncertainty regarding her entry into Fiji due to her age of 18. The colonial government of Fiji was discussing the possibility of prohibiting individuals under 19 from entering the country as a preventative measure against the introduction of polio. On 22 December, a light plane carrying Leslie Gilliat, the producer and brother of Sidney Gilliat, crashed into a river near Suva. Both Gilliat and the pilot escaped unharmed. On New Year's Eve, Houston and Simmons were almost injured in Fiji when their car was overturned.
The crew initially filmed scenes around Suva's capital, lodging at the Grand Pacific Hotel on the southeastern shore of Viti Levu. Filming on coral reefs in rough seas resulted in injuries for almost every member. After a stop in Lautoka, they traveled to the Yasawa Islands via motorboats from Australia. Jean and her dresser Irene Williams had a cabin to themselves but later shared it with four other crew members. Despite the challenges, the director praised Jean's cooperative attitude in a lengthy article about their experience. During the production, challenges arose in the form of mosquitos, sandflies, snakes, and sharks, which posed threats to the crew's well-being. While Jean managed to escape unscathed, Donald Houston found himself hospitalized after sustaining a severe injury while swimming through a rock-bound water chute. Similarly, Launder suffered a broken wrist towards the end of the shooting, requiring him to wear a sling. These incidents underscored the hazards encountered during the filming process.
Due to bad weather conditions, the filming process was prolonged for three months. By mid-March 1948, the production unit achieved 90% of its objective in Fiji, accomplishing 222 camera set-ups, equivalent to around 37 minutes of screen time, or roughly one-third of the completed film. Following three months spent on location, Jean prepared to return to London where filming was set to resume at Pinewood Studios in April. Demonstrating astute planning, Rank arranged her journey back, incorporating stops in Hollywood and New York. This strategic decision was made to promote Jean, who remained relatively unknown in the United States, through local publicity efforts. Arriving in San Francisco on 17 March with a bandaged foot after cutting it on a piece of coral on the last day of shooting in Fiji, Jean was warmly welcomed by her long-separated sister Edna. A horde of reporters awaited her at the Mark Hopkins Hotel and again at Union Station in Los Angeles, where she proceeded after a day. Collecting clothes sent from England and meeting bigwigs Walter Wanger and Howard Hughes marked her first day at the Beverly Hills Hotel, followed by a star-studded cocktail party in her honour. Hollywood offered her a lead role soon, however, she sought advice from her mentor J. Arthur Rank before taking a decision. Her most remarkable moment was attending the 20th Academy Awards as an official receiver and collecting the award for Best Cinematography on behalf of Jack Cardiff, among several others. The prestigious night ended at the Mocambo nightclub socialising with celebrated winners.