Review of Lt. Robin Crusoe U.S.N. (1966) by Adam R — 19 Mar 2016
Light but quite enjoyable Disney fare. Dick Van Dyke plays Lt. Robin Crusoe and with a name like that, he is destined to be marooned on a desert island. Van Dyke is along for only a short time before he encounters island girl Nancy Kwan, who has been banished by her father from their tribe.
Van Dyke is his usual likable self and there are some hints at romance between him and the beautiful Kwan. However, SPOILER ALERT!, once Van Dyke has a chance to live in the islands and marry Kwan, he chooses to get rescued and leave the island behind in stead for his unseen girls back home.
I was pretty stunned the film didn't end with Van Dyke and Kwan together, either on the island or him taking her back to "civilization" but struck me later that this ending was a product of racist views at the time which could never see all-American Van Dyke marrying anyone who's skin color isn't the same as Mary Tyler Moore.
Outside of that unexpected bit of old fashioned Hollywood racism (along with the expected condescension towards native people that was was already expecting and got), it's a pretty enjoyable film.
This review of Lt. Robin Crusoe U.S.N. (1966) was written by Adam R on 19 Mar 2016.
Lt. Robin Crusoe U.S.N. has generally received mixed reviews.
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