Swiss Family Robinson (1940) on Netflix
William Robinson sells his London business and takes his wife and four sons to Australia. A storm washes the captain and crew overboard, and the family is wrecked on a deserted island.
- Watch on NetflixThis title is not on Netflix right now. Please check back later for updates.
- Watch on NordVPN
- Netflix3.1/5
- IMDb6.2/10979 votes
- Rotten TomatoesNot available
Trailer
Plot summary
In London in 1813, William Robinson wants to remove his family from what he sees as the city's shallow influence. His eldest son Fritz admires Napoleon, Jack cares about fashion and money, and Ernest is absorbed in reading and writing. William sells his business and his house and sets out with his wife Elizabeth and their four sons on a brig bound for Australia. After a long voyage, a storm washes the captain and the crew overboard. The brig is wrecked and the family reaches a remote deserted island. There they work together to build a home in the jungle, learning to use the plants and animals around them for what they need.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Swiss Family Robinson (1940)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Orson Welles made his first feature-film performance in Swiss Family Robinson, going uncredited as the story's narrator. The 1940 RKO film was the first feature-length film to feature him.
- Walt Disney is said to have bought the rights to the 1940 RKO film in order to suppress its re-release and avoid comparisons with his own 1960 version.
- Disney chose to remake the story after producer Bill Anderson and Walt Disney viewed the 1940 version, and director Ken Annakin used it as "an example of what not to do", avoiding its soundstage reproductions in favour of location shooting.
