Island Escape

Original title: No Man Is an Island

1962
A
1h 54m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Jeffrey Hunter and Barbara Perez in Island Escape (1962)

During the early Pacific war years, American seaman George Tweed is the only U.S. serviceman on Guam not captured by the Japanese forces.During the early Pacific war years, American seaman George Tweed is the only U.S. serviceman on Guam not captured by the Japanese forces.During the early Pacific war years, American seaman George Tweed is the only U.S. serviceman on Guam not captured by the Japanese forces.

Directors
- Richard Goldstone
- John Monks Jr.
Writers
- Richard Goldstone
- John Monks Jr.
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

614

YOUR RATING

Directors
- Richard Goldstone
- John Monks Jr.
Writers
- Richard Goldstone
- John Monks Jr.
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

User reviews13

Featured review

10/10

One man's spiritual odyssey

No Man is an Island is best seen not as a war film but as one man's spiritual odyssey. I fully agree with rsoonsa's comments that the film suffers from shoddy production values and a serious lack of logic. But get through the first half of the film and you have a tremendously moving experience.

Why should one man's life be spared when all of his comrades are killed? This is the question that the main character struggles with, and it's mainly through the local priest that he learns to accept the sacrifice of the people of Guam.

Jeffrey Hunter understands that his role doesn't call for the tough, gritty approach that he essayed so brilliantly in Hell to Eternity. Rather, he calls upon his unique qualities of masculinity and sensitivity to suggest his character's growing spiritual awareness. Some of Hunter's closeups are of heartrending beauty, bringing a spiritual quality that no actor today could touch.

There's a reason why No Man is an Island has been released on DVD - albeit in a misguided widescreen transfer that crops crucial information from the top and bottom of the frame. It speaks to a lot of people and transcends its various flaws through the sheer inspiration of its message.

reelguy2
May 27, 2004
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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The story is based on true events. The real George Tweed died in 1989.

Goofs
After Mr. Shimoda dies (1:23:29), thieves open his buried coffin and steal his body. This wouldn't have been possible since Mr.Shimoda, like most Japanese Buddhists, would have been cremated the day after the wake. After the cremation, his mourners would have picked his bones out of the ashes with chopsticks, and the ashes would have been transferred to a large funeral urn.