A different way of telling a story

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

In Search of the Castaways is a live action Disney feature film that stars Hayley Mills, Maurice Chevalier, Wilfrid Hyde-White, George Sanders, Keith Hamshere & Michael Anderson Jr. It's directed by Robert Stevenson and adapted for the screen by Lowell S. Hawley from Jules Verne's novel Captain Grant's Children. Plot sees Mills and Hamshere as the Grant siblings who along with Professor Paganel (Chevalier), Lord Glenarvan (White) & his son John (Anderson Jr), set off on a Worldwide search for their shipwrecked father.Standard Disney live action formula that is as fun as it is simple. The adventure sees the intrepid group have to deal with a number of Mother Earth's creatures and natural disasters. The roll call contains a condor, jaguar, crocodiles, avalanche, earthquake, lightning, volcano and a giant waterspout! While peril of the human kind comes courtesy of a hungry tribe of Maori's and a band of braggarts led by debonair dastardly George Sanders. Hyde-White is just terrific, as too is Wilfrin Bramble who shows up late in proceedings as a loony old prisoner of the Maori's.It's daft with a natural tongue in cheek vibe to it, but to expect anything less at the outset would be pure folly. 7/10

In Search of The Castaway's is probably my favorite adventure film. It contains a lot of very unique items and fun. Some of the movie is not very realistic, ex. a huge wave of water suddenly floods a desert, making it into a big lake. Some things in it don't even exist in real life, ex. a giant flying bird, so big that it can carry a person. But elements like these really do add to it and help make it more exciting. Many of the special effects in the movie are in my opinion, very impressive for their time, even though they sometimes seem a little inaccurate. Another thing I like about the movie is that it gives a great sense of teamwork and fearlessness, people going out of their way and doing whatever it takes to try to save others. And though there are some disagreements and rudeness between the main characters, but unlike some adventure films like Swiss Family Robinson, there really aren't any major conflicts between them, which makes it a lot more pleasant.

First of all let me say that any film with Maurice Chevalier will automatically get a look from me. Even though Hayley Mills was Walt Disney's number one star at the time, Chevalier's international status as a performer guaranteed him top billing. The younger cast members had a lot to do in keeping up with him.Robert Gwillim who is a sea captain and father to Hayley Mills and Keith Hamshere has been lost at sea for many years now and who knows where in this wide world with 5/6 of it covered by ocean. But a swallowed bottle with a note that was found in the belly of a shark by scientist Maurice Chevalier sends the three of them in search of Gwillim's employer Wilfrid Hyde-White to finance an expedition to search. Said note leads them first to South America and then to Australia because Maurice misreads the clues. He did that a lot in this film, an occupational hazard with eccentric scientists. This was the Magic Kingdom's second dealing with a Jules Verne story, the first being the classic 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. Sad to say while In Search Of The Castaways has some interesting moments and in spots looks more like an Indiana Jones film, it does not make it above the juvenile level. Watching it today, I expected to see Harrison Ford ride in with bullwhip cracking to save the whole kit and kaboodle of them from villain George Sanders.Maurice's first mistake took them 10,000 miles out of their way. It's not often one gets a second chance there.

How wonderful to see a movie the entire family can watch. Fine acting and plenty of music and laughter along with suspense, drama and human kindness. Not to be scared if a child will curse or anything to upset the audience. Maurice Chaviar and entire cast is superb. What a wonderful movie to just sit and relax and know you will be entertained. I never get bored watching this movie. When I was stationed in the US Army at Russelsheim, Germany,I got to see this movie in the German language. Again, it is a pleasure to have another entertaining motion picture to view over and over with family and friends. Thank You Walt Disney and his staff.