My Romance with Movies: From the 1970s: Islands in the Stream

1977 Drama

From Paramount Pictures

Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner

Starring

George C. Scott

David Hemmings

Gilbert Roland

Julius Harris

Susan Tyrell

Hart Bochner

Michael-James Wixted

Brad Savage

Richard Evans

Claire Bloom

I have always found this to be a charming little film although it didn't attract much attention from the moviegoing public-- and still hasn't-- and I've never understood why that is. If you understand why, perhaps you'll write and tell us.

It is based on a posthumous novel of Hemingway's but from my understanding it's really based on two of his works. Islands in the Stream was not the title of either. The work may or may not have been finished but if it were finished, it was very rough. Hemingway's widow, Mary, herself a writer, and his editor tidied up the work(s) for publication in 1970, nine years after Hemingway's death. More on this later.

The film is told in three parts and titled The Boys, The Woman and The Journey and that is also the order in which I preferred them. But before the first one begins, the film opens in 1940 on the Bahamian island of Bimini with the threat of war hanging over the beautiful surroundings. It is as beautiful a start as a film could want.

We meet Tom Hudson (Scott), an industrial sculptor who lives in a great beach house and spends far more time on his boat, fishing, walking the beach, drinking and hanging out with friends than he does working. We meet those friends... the primary ones being an alcoholic helpmate Eddy (Hemmings) and Joseph (Julius Harris) who co-captains the boat and works for Tom at home. The strength of friendship among these three is the heart of the film and these actors are the main stars.

We also meet Captain Ralph (Roland) who dangerously helps European refugees get to Cuba and ultimately the U.S. There is also Lil (Tyrell) a lady-friend of the tropical savannah night. These five people spend a lot of time together lazing away the island's two seasons.

The Boys

Tom has alerted them all of the impending visit of his three sons... Tommy (Bochner), the only child of Tom's first marriage to Audrey, and Davy (Wixted) and Andrew (Savage), from a second, most unpleasant marriage. Tom has not seen his sons in some time... everyone recognizes fatherhood is not one of his strong suits. They call him Papa. Tommy, in his late teens, is happy to see the old man again and Andrew, the youngest, who barely knows him, is doing his best to appear happy as well. Davy, however, is clearly angry and not speaking to Tom at all because the boy remembers all too well the physical and mental abuse Tom heaped on his mother.

From left... Wixted, Savage, Hemmings, Bochner, Scott, Harris

The boys have a good time exploring the island, becoming close to both Joseph and Eddy and having a great pillow fight with their father. We see that Tom is torn by the wasted years of not being around his children and knowing that despite it being better now, it is once again going to change.

Things greatly improve when Tom, Eddy and Joseph take the three boys out on the boat for some deep sea fishing. Davy is given the choice location at the back of the boat holding onto the rod as it sits in the holder. In moments he hooks a giant marlin which is more than a match for the young kid. But Tom encourages him to hang in there, giving him pointers all the way. It's quite a lengthy segment, full of excitement, fear and tension as the great fish fights the young boy all the way. Davy will not give up, despite his hands bleeding and also his feet which cut into the railing of the boat.

Ultimately the marlin wins but so do Davy and his papa. The experience made the boy feel like more of an equal to his father and the father is thrilled for such a moment of bonding. The marlin is gone and so is the boy's hatred for his father.

It was a loving visit for all. Even Eddy and Joseph treasured the young ones. Tommy says he is heading for Canada as soon as he can to join the Royal Air Force in time to take part in the Battle of Britain. Tom writes them all after their return home and the letter is read in a monologue by all of them... all done very well and quite touching.

The Woman

Tom returns to life as usual. Months later while holding court at his favorite hotel saloon he spies his first wife Audrey (Bloom) out on the sidewalk. She comes from New York and didn't let him know she was coming. Tom still carries a torch but is under no illusions about them ever getting back together.

Tom knows that Audrey still has feelings for him as well and he's wondering if she is still in love with him and perhaps wants to get back together. She candidly replies that she does still have a love for him and always will but she is soon to be married again. He's glad and still manages to look disappointed.

Scott and Bloom

Ok but still, why has she come? Why won't she say? Then comes one of those moments in a film that we never forget because we have reacted to it so emotionally. How magnificent must an actor be to convey all he wants you to know... and you're looking at his back? He is fixing her a drink. I don't remember what his body does... perhaps a shiver, twitching of some sort... but then he touches his neck as if touching the hairs that are standing up.

He's just figured it out and so have we. Are you hear to tell me that our son is dead? She says quietly yes I am. They embrace tenderly, sharing their mutual grief. Her stay is brief.

The Journey

My only criticism of the film comes here. And yet I cannot deny that this segment is the action part of the film (not counting that big fish) and it is done well, too. It's just that it seems like it belongs in another film. Either of the other parts could have been extended and made up not only an entire film but a good one, an intelligent one. For me the first two parts had me in a mood, a quiet reverie, relaxed and wanting to know more. But all of a sudden it's turned into The African Queen meets To Have and Have Not. All of a sudden I'm sitting up straight, my neurons are bumping into my protons, my hands are sweating and I need to lower the volume.

In his grief, Tom has decided to sell up and move on. He's no longer interested in the lazy, hazy, crazy, boozy, woozy days of an island summer. War news brings out his concern for helping refugees and he rounds up the usual crowd... Eddy, Joseph, another friend concerned with helping the fleeing, Willy (Evans), and off they go on Tom's boat which is outfitted for danger.

And it comes quickly. They pick up a family as they head for Cuba. Suddenly they and the Cuban Coast Guard spot one another, bullets penetrate each boat and Joseph steers into the waters of an inland river, thick with brush, but the battle escalates. While this adventuresome segment ends in some triumph, it also ends in some sadness.

Obviously this feels like Hemingway around every turn. All the Hemingway heroes were Hemingway and the events, locations and people are from his life. But like all good fiction writers... and he was certainly that... there has to be some fiction. So he dolled this one up, Mary Hemingway worked her magic as did that editor and then screenwriter Denne Bart Petitclerc added the finishing touches and it resulted in a film I like and admire.

Oh yes, I said the source for the film may be more than Hemingway's work, which, by the way, was not called Islands in the Stream (that came from Mary) but was a sea trilogy much like the three stories seen here. Hemingway had another unpublished story called Sea Chase and that is the other story (or parts of) that Mary and the editor added and published as Islands in the Stream.

Hemingway apparently wrote the story in the first place to assuage the pain of the bad press he'd received for Across the River and Into the Trees. Mary wasn't sure if he intended to publish this story or not but both she and the editor thought it was well worth it.

Schaffner grew up in live television and I think that most directors from that period were special people. He was most innovative in how he saw the films he directed, the changes he made in them, the people he wanted to work with him, both actors and crew. He had a keen eye for cinematography and often hired the best. Here he worked again with Fred Koenekamp, whom he first worked with on Patton (1970). Koenekamp's photography for Islands was nominated for an Oscar... deservedly so... stunning work.

Schaffner's first choice to play Tom Hudson was Steve McQueen whom he'd just worked with on Papillon but McQueen was temporarily retired to see America on a motorcycle. He was considering a couple of others before settling on Scott. Both Scott and McQueen were famously difficult actors to work with... McQueen because he was always mad at the world for his troubled childhood and Scott because of his alcohol addiction and volcanic anger. Some directors didn't want to work with them a second time. Schaffner generally felt he could weather the troubled waters.

Scott, of course, was difficult on this set but that was expected. If people wanted to work with him, it wasn't because he was fun to be around but because his talent was immense. Tom Hudson won't be the role for which he'll be most remembered or even close. But let there be no doubt that he's the best thing in the film and it's a surprisingly loving and lowkey role for him... no anger, bellowing, violence.

I've always like Hemmings and this is one of my favorite roles for him as well. Tom gets infuriated with Eddy at one point and calls him a rummy and tells him he never wants to see him again. Tom is tired of the drinking and fighting and mishandling things. The hurt that Eddy shows is heart-breaking. Quite the accomplished actor himself, his scenes with Scott sparkle.

Harris was also one who touched me with his compassion and his honest acting. He is the conscience of the film... watching out for the weaker people and being a loving companion to all. Bloom is fine in her few scenes.

Bochner and Scott

Of course I like all the boys. I've always loved kid actors... perhaps because I am dazzled that youngsters can memorize lines and portray emotions so well. Wixted had the most emoting to do and Savage was certainly given a lot of lines for a kid of five. Bochner, in his movie debut, was also good, very earnest as the oldest son. I will never understand why he didn't have more of a career.

Other than my strong liking for Hemingway material, whether book or film, my enchantment with this piece has to do with young sons visiting their father in his island paradise. For several years I was a divorced father living on Maui and I experienced great joy when my early-teen son visited me during the summer months. This film always reminds me of those glorious times.

I am further reminded of them because the entire movie was filmed in Hawaii, on the island of Kuaui. Scott, apparently, did not want to film in the Bahamas.

I wonder what Hemingway would have thought of this fine little film with so much heart. He rarely liked films based on his works but perhaps he would have felt otherwise about this one.

Here's the trailer...