Book

I read the book a LONG time ago. One thing I do remember is that they had 4 sons, not 3 like in the movie.

I too read it quite a while back, but (from memory) while the plot's pretty much the same, the prose style was outstandingly "preachy" and old-fashioned. The Swiss of the time depicted (and long before) were either strict Catholics, or Calvinists... the "Robinsons" were Calvinists, with all that entails (i.e. they'd have been horrified by the "ungodliness" of a Southern Baptist minister) They prayed a lot... I've nothing against prayer... but it's not exactly riveting viewing. Ken Annaking did well to excise the heavy religious overtones, and to keep the otherwise exciting plot rolling along. And to get the whole thing into 126 minutes, he had to lose some minor details. (The original book chronicals everything that happened. Kind of a diary)

Could be worse. Have you ever read the original book on which the many "Phantom of the Opera" movies (and spin-offs) were based? More camp than a row of tents. Reads like it was written by a gossipy old woman.

Anyone read the book?

In the book they live in a treehouse until rainy season makes it unbearable, then they decide to build a home in an underground cavern to be more comfortable. That's what surprised me the most, because I always assumed Swiss Family Robinson = Treehouse!!!

I read the book and found it very enjoyable. However, it is relentlessly cheerful and optimistic, regardless of the dire circumstances of a shipwreck and marooning. Everyone gets along perfectly at all times. A bit of gloom or conflict here and there would have improved the story.

It was one of my favourite novels when I was a kid. It’s long and episodic and the film changes quite a lot - there are no pirates in the book as I recall, for one thing.