L'isola dell'amore

Yes Charmian Clift and her husband George Johnston (of My Brother Jack fame) and her children did live on Hydra for about ten years. They do appear in this movie as paid extras. Charmian is best seen in the wedding scene as they are coming out of the church. Charmian is directly behind the groom and the man with her is Gordon Merrick, a Broadway actor, and best-selling author of gay-themed novels who also lived on Hydra. Their children Martin Johnston(in black-rimmed glasses with his sister Shane Johnston are clearly seen in their own full-frame shot walking along the port and in the next shot Jason Johnston with a local girl. (You will find this vision on YouTube.) Charmian and her children did appear in various movies made on the island especially since the Johnstons became good friends with the director Michael Cacoyannis when he made "The Girl In Black" on Hydra in 1957. Hydra's golden era.

My interest in this film is based upon some expatriate Australians living on Hydra at the time this film was made in 1962. Writer George Johnston, his wife, writer Charmain Clift, and their children Martin, Shane and Jason, spent c.10 years living on the Greek island of Hydra as writers. (Johnston began his novel "My Brother Jack" not long after this time). In fact, the children were paid extras in one scene filmed on Hydra. According to Nadia Wheatley's biography, "The Life and Myth of Charmain Clift" (Flamingo, Sydney 2001, pp.420 & note), "a glimpse is sometimes to be had of a stylish woman in a large-brimmed hat, sitting at a harbour cafe. She is Charmain, acting herself" (pp.699). "In the 'Island of Love' film, Shane and Martin can be seen running down a cobbled lane, followed by Jason and his little friend Ellenitza" (p.699). Much to my misfortune, I have never seen this film, and it appears it is no longer available on video or dvd or in any format! Argh! As I said, my main interest in the film as a whole is a very minor one, yet I'd still love to see where these people lives during a critical time in their lives.

Maljam - Australia; June 2003.

Hot on the heels of "The Music Man" Robert Preston plays another con man, this time in a scam peddling off-the-shelf Greek antiquities as the real deal, and in an attempt to turn a small Greek-related island into a new Monte Carlo. Very racy for the time.

But he's caught between mobsters whom he scammed in a too-long opening sequence (where the only funny thing is an ice-cream cone) and the local Greek authorities who want to slam him in the slammer (and they should). At one point the authorities forbid him to leave while, coincidentally, the big mobster after his blood is on his way. What is he to do?

Unfortunately Preston, who is very good, is stuck with Tony Randall giving a listless performance, and the overacting Michael Constantine, apparently trying to compensate for Randall's not being there. When I was younger I coined a phrase for Tony's dialed-in non-performances as his being Tony Ran-doll. I suppose he was so good as Felix Unger because better actors had done the role first, showing him how. Let's just say: Randall's been better.

And there's Walter Matthau who, for reasons known only to God, has adopted a lisp. It doesn't help his delivery and it's uneven.

Rather than a comedy in the modern, post-AIRPLANE! Sense, it's really more of a light idyll that once had lovely scenery, but the colors have faded on the unrestored prints available. It has some good notions but it's too timid to fully exploit them. After all, they want Preston as a loveable con man. He's good but he's not close to having the edge as he did with Harold Hill. This time, he doesn't want to collect his bonus and skip town; no, he wants to marry the girl. But she has doubts. As well she should.

"Island of Love" is pleasant diversion that must be seen in wide screen, but nothing to build an evening around. You can watch it while ironing or cooking or doing the dishes. Don't expect many laughs, but it's mostly harmless.

Great cast but the story is just stupid. Robert Preston is too old for his role and Tony Randall is wasted. Walter Matthau's accent is all over the place and he seems uncomfortable playing some idiot gangster. The movie is interesting as it is filmed on location in Greece before it was spoilt by mass tourism.

My tivo recently found this movie, so I gave it a watch. It wasn't awful, but it was pretty disappointing. It seems like they spent all the budget on the cast and location setting and had none left to hire any decent writers. The story is clunky and forced, the laughs tepid and infrequent. Robert Preston and Tony Randall gamely do what they can with the script, but it's really not enough to save the picture. Randall in particular just seems wasted. And Walter Matthau gives the worst performance I've ever seen from him; he not only doesn't help save the picture, he helps sink it. He just sounds so weird, wrong, and fake with that preposterous accent he's using.

I gave it 5 stars because I'll confess I did laugh out loud a couple times. But just a couple. Watch this movie as a curiosity, should the occasion arise, but don't go into it with any great expectations.