Lost Lagoon(1958) Review

You know when you watch a movie and you don't know any of the actors and the movie isn't too familiar to you? Well this is one movie, I didn't know much about. The only thing I knew was that Jeffrey Lynn was in it and that he was co-writer for the movie. The movie was released in February 1958 and stars Jeffrey Lynn, Leila Barry, and Peter Donat. The film was directed by John Rawlins, who also co-wrote the film.


The film is about a middle aged man Charlie Walker, who is under appreciated and in a loveless marriage and also in a bit of a financial crunch, when he asks his brother-in-law if he can borrow some money. His brother-in-law is reluctant about handing over money to his sister's husband. The two aren't exactly friends but he invites him onto his boat in hopes of talking him out of the money, and just to enjoy the fishing aspect of his trip.


As the two fish, Charlie tries to bring up the money issue but his brother-in-law keeps pushing it aside, as if it didn't matter to him. While in the middle of fishing, a storm hits, knocking everyone on the boat around. As the storm worsens, Charlie's brother-in-law and another man get off the boat with ease, while Charlie gets knocked out and is left on the boat alone.





The next scene you see, Charlie discovers he's no longer on the boat and is now on an island. Weak and ill from the voyage, Charlie tries to walk on his own but is unable to because of his health.

While at her father's grave site, Elizabeth(she's probably 20 years younger than he) spots Charlie and helps him up and takes him to her home in order for him to rest. After several days of sleep, Charlie awakes feeling better than ever and thanks Elizabeth for her help.



After a couple of days on the island, Charlie returns back home, only to find out that his wife and his brother-in-law are hoping to swindle some money out of his "death". Feeling distressed and trapped, Charlie leaves and returns back to the island and to Elizabeth.


Going with the assumption of being dead, Charlie starts his life all over again. This whole time, Elizabeth is falling head over heels in love with him but Charlie tries to hold back his desire to have her.


As the days go by, though they do fall in love with each other. Charlie and Elizabeth are in complete happiness with their lives but things soon change for both and not in a good way.


Two things are getting in the way of them being truly happy- Elizabeth's ex-fiance and a mysterious man who keeps questioning everyone about Charlie. Turns out that the man, found out about Charlie and is going to report him. With Charlie being alive, he feels it is necessary that he return to his family as soon as possible. Charlie is reluctant and wishes to stay hidden away from his family but things are not meant to go his way.


Elizabeth's ex-fiance David wants her back after he broke her heart and stole some money of hers. Elizabeth wants nothing to do with him but old feelings seem to come back to her and wishes that she and David were back together.



Charlie still hasn't left the island, which prompts his wife(who looks old enough to be his mother!) and brother-in-law to come and take him home. Unwillingly Charlie must say goodbye to Elizabeth and return to a life, that was filled with unhappiness and loneliness.


Now that you have the basic idea of what went on in the movie, let me tell you what I liked and disliked about this movie.


LIKES-

Charlie Walker(played by Jeffrey Lynn) - He was the best part about this movie. Even though, I'm a huge fan of him, he really did shine the brightest in this movie.


The Location- Absolutely beautiful, the location was breathtaking to look at!


The Storyline- I liked the storyline of a man finding happiness and love, where he actually feels he belongs to.


Millard Cauley(played by Roger Clark)- Roger played the brother-in-law and he did the role amazingly. I couldn't stand him one bit and that's why I liked him, because that's what the character should be. You should hate this character and that's exactly how you felt.





DISLIKES-

Elizabeth Moore(played by Leila Barry)- The thing I disliked about her was that it seemed like she was lip-syncing. It didn't seem that her voice fit at all with the way, she was speaking. I found it to be very odd.


Bernadine Walker(played by Jane Hartley)- First off, I thought she looked way too old to be his wife. By accident completely, I kept calling her his mother. Not only was she too old for the part, but she couldn't act at all!! She was absolutely awful, she reacted the same way for everything. It was quite annoying.



"Lost Lagoon" was on a couple of months ago on TCM and I'm happy that I did record it and watch it. Overall I thought that the movie was better than expected but it had quite a few flaws in the film. If the movie ever comes on again, I would recommend you see it. I'm glad that I got to watch it, not only to add another Jeffrey Lynn movie to my list of his films that I've seen, but that I was able to watch Jeffrey as a completely different character from what he usually played.


Before I finish this post, I thought I would share a review of "Lost Lagoon", that someone wrote on imdb.com. I really enjoyed reading their opinion on the film and whether or not they liked it. Enjoy!



It's Better in the Bahamas
Author: boblipton

Charlie Walker is a hard-working guy with a lot of responsibilities. But when he is washed overboard in a storm and washes up in the Bahamas, he realizes he hates his old life and disappears to a new life as a hotel manager with with pretty young Liz Moore. As they fall in love and the hotel becomes successful, life seems idyllic until the past intrudes.

The script is well done, the visuals are fine -- although there are a few too many obvious set shots than I would like, and most of the performances are a little too one-note. Leila Barry as Liz Moore is monotonous in her line readings, Peter Donat is overwrought as her ex-fiancé, Janes Harley plays the wife in a hair-do and manner reminiscent of the Bride of Frankenstein and whichever fellow plays the insurance investigator gives an over-the-top performance of Shatnerian proportions. Mr. Lynn, however, gives such a fine performance, full of melancholy gravity, that he makes this a better-than-average effort.

The script is credited to Mr. Lynn and director John Rawlins, the latter of whom apparently is a better screenwriter than director. Still, it looks like it paid for a nice working vacation for the crew.



Information is available on here -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051880/



Thanks for reading!