VIRGIN ISLAND

UK, 1958, 94 minutes, Colour.
John Cassavetes, Virginia Maskell, Sidney Poitier, Colin Gordon.
Directed by Pat Jackson.

Virgin Island is a very leisurely and pleasant romantic film. John Cassavetes, with his American intensity, is matched by the charming English Virginia Maskell. Sidney Poitier is there, mugging somewhat, as a west Indian, broad accent and all.

The film is attractively photographed in the Caribbean and shows a couple moving out of the rat race and trying to build a quiet and productive kind of life on a small island. There are some obvious themes about freedom, civilization, self-reliance.

1. Entertaining film? For what audience?

2. The love story, the romantic atmosphere, themes of freedom and achievement? Title and overtones?

3. Colour photography, Caribbean setting and beauty, the seasons and nature?

4. Tina and her background? Work, career, pressures from her mother? The holiday and her attitude? The reaction scenes against her mother? The encounter with Evan? The day’s sailing? Love, importance of her decision? Diving overboard? The wedding?

5. Evan and his personality and background, American, studious, writing and research? Work and career? Love for Tina? Decisions? The buying of the island, the house? His going out to the ship? The help from friends?

6. The credibility of the story and the motivation? Credible love story, decisions, the first night on the island, the rain and the water, the building of the house? How important the various incidents e.g. the wedding march, the details of the building of the house, the donkey, etc.?

7. Marcus and his friends? Sidney Poitier and his style for Marcus? The easygoing world of the Caribbean, the contrast with officialdom and its attitudes? Marcus helping with the work?

8. Tina as mother, her ominous presence, the clash with Evan, the giving away of the smuggling secrets to the official? Reconciliation?

9. The atmosphere of work, Evan and his writing, the refrigerator, the smuggling incident? Preparations for the baby?

10. The importance of the pregnancy sequences, the sailing and getting Tina to the hospital? The help of Marcus and his wife?

11. The importance of the theme of independence? Realistic? Referring the matter to England and official reactions? The happy ending and
reconciliation?

12. How a pleasant and leisurely and entertainment? Basic human values?