Hero's Island

Here's an underappreciated gem from the early 60s. Apparently a labour of love for co-producers James Mason and Leslie Stevens (who also wrote and directed), Hero's Island details the scramble for survival in the newly settled colony of Carolina. It raises interesting issues of ownership and propriety without sacrificing an exciting and realistic story. The cast is simply outstanding, particularly Warren Oates and (Harry) Dean Stanton in one of his earliest roles. Neville Brand is second billed but actually has quite a small role; future Andy Sidaris 'star' Darby Hinton gets a bigger chunk of screen time as a settler's son. The Panavision photography is uniformly outstanding, and frequently ravishingly beautiful as lensed by Ted McCord (Sound of Music, East of Eden, and many others).

My primary comment on this movie has to do with the geography. It supposedly takes place in the "Crown Colony of the Carolinas". There is a scene early on where the husband points to the four points of the compass and declares: greenwood (west), ocean (east), Carolina (south), Cape Fear (north). They identify this place as Bull Island but by his description it is really Oak Island. I lived on Oak Island just south of the Cape Fear River and take my word for it - there ain't no rocks there. The terrain must be Hollywood's vision of what this part of the east coast looks like. It is in what is called the Coastal Plain. There are no cliffs, there are no boulders, there are no rocks. There are sand dunes, salt marshes, and swamps. What's more the beaches face south, not east. James Mason's character is identified as Major Bonnett. There was a local pirate named Stede Bonnett whose exploits are well documented in this area, but to my knowledge no one ever referred to him as "Major".

Apart from the geographic inaccuracies, the acting is really disappointing. Despite notable performances from James Mason and a promising cast, the amateur, high school performance of Kate Manx (Kate Who?) the female "star" puts a damper on whatever promise this movie might have had. She must have thanked her lucky stars she was married to the director.

A family of god fearing ex servants arrive at the island were bequeathed by their dying master. They are immediate attacked by a couple of local fishermen who do not recognised their right to the land and they kill Thomas, the father. However the wife, Devon, is stubborn as well as excessively religious and will not relinquish her property, despite continual threats to her and her children. Then a mysterious shipwrecked castaway, Jacob, (James Mason) washes up on the island.

A sort of darkish Swiss Family Robinson which is initially an attractive prospect due to the considerable presence of James Mason and three of the most popular / acclaimed American character actors in early roles - Rip Torn, Harry Dean Stanton and Warren Oates. However, whilst it has some potentially interesting ideas they never really coalesce, partly because the minuscule budget screams at you throughout (awful amateurish fight scenes), partly because of the mishmash of oddball characters that just don't fit the story and finally because the central female character Devon appears to be a cast iron idiot. It doesn't seem to know quite what it wants to be and overall it sadly does seem to be something of a waste of talent, but it's still has a few decent scenes mostly when the great James Mason takes centre stage.

Offbeat work which pits a pious family against a bench of violent weirdoes on an Island .The main problem for the virtuous ones is that they shall not kill or hurt anyone.In 1956,the Quakers in William Wyler's wonderful classic "Friendly persuasion " had the same problems.The best part is the first one,with the family's arrival,the father's death and the omnipresence of biblical references.But as soon as James Mason 's character shows himself a fierce pirate,but a big-hearted one,the plot peters out,and it's nothing but routine action movie.The mother is akin to Grace Kelly's character in Fred Zinneman's "high moon"(1952),and like her,she will have to do what she 's very loath to.The main characters have backgrounds that could have provided many other movies with a subject.All this does not hang together well and ,all in all, it remains a poor man's "friendly persuasion"

There really was a Stede Bonnet,and,yes,indeed,he was a retired British Army major.Infantry,I believe.

This was in the days when officers bought their commissions,and,the second son of a wealthy merchant could rise through the ranks easily and quickly.Consequently,one could achieve status with a minimal degree of competance,and,in his case,ability.

Bonnet was described as a short,plump,pudgy,and rather epicene man,Certainly,he was nobody's physical ideal of a pirate.He had retired at a rather early age,married a woman of vicious temper,and became a planter in the West Indies.

The marriage was unhappy,and,as divorce was almost impossible during that period,Bonnet decided to run away from home,piracy being the most logical option,given the location and the period.Unfortunatly,he had NO idea as to how to sail or navigate,knew nothing about commanding a gang of psychopaths,and went so far as to buy his own ship(the usual practice was to STEAL one),outfit it via the usual legal channels,and advertise for a crew,openl stating that they were going to be pirates.They then set sail.

Needing advice,he fell into league with Edward Teach,the notorious Blackbeard.Teach invited Bonnet aboard,ostensibly for a sociable drink and to impart some fatherly advice.No sooner was Bonnet on deck,however,when Blackbeard placed him under house arrest,had his own men take over Bonnet's ship,and sailed off for further adventures.

Needless to say,Bonnet was humiliated.However,he took advantage of this period,nad became proficient as a sailor and navigator.Blackbeard,eventually tiring of his joke,released the hapless Major.Bonnet started his own career as a pirate,and,while lacking Teach's ferocity,had his own streak of viciousness.Consequently,he became a noted crininal in his own right.It seems,by the way,that he was the only pirate who is reocorded as using the legendary from of execution "Walking the Plank."

In 1716,Bonnet,along with many of his cohorts,received a pardon,but,after returning to piracy,was eventually captured and hanged.