Incredible Castaways
| TAKE it that The Swiss Family Robinson is still read (although it’s years since I saw a copy), as someone makes another film from it every so often. But I’ve often wondered how modern youngsters would react to the unctuous Robinson Senior (surely the original Mr. Know-all), the. incredible number of devices the wreck yielded, the extraordinary flora and fauna oi the island, and the rest of the improbabilities of Wvss’s tale. The BBC versiou which 1ZB have
been giving us found a brilliant way out of the difficulty-by simply refusing to take the book seriously. The tart narrator made capital fun out of the implausibilities, punctured Father’s pomposity and interrupted his lectures, yet succeeded in making the priggish clan by no means unattractive. This effect was also partly due to Eric Portman, having a royal time as Rob- : . inson peére, and the
solemn recitation of the ‘stilted dialogue by the children. The adult point of view _ made the serial perhaps a little too "clever" for the average child. In fact my dear children this specimen belongs to an inde terminate — species hitherto unclassified
although I have myself made quite a close study of its habits.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19520208.2.21.6
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 26, Issue 657, 8 February 1952, Page 11
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198Incredible Castaways New Zealand Listener, Volume 26, Issue 657, 8 February 1952, Page 11
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Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
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