This is the classic B&W British version of William Golding's book set during WWII about a group of schoolboys marooned on a small tropical island in the Pacific. There is much to be praised and much to be criticized: among the latter the distracting background music and the translation of Christian symbolism from implicit to explicit. However, the strongest impression remains the genuine expression of deep, often overwhelming emotions, portrayed so beautifully by the non-professional cast. It is noteworthy that, in interviews published in the New Yorker magazine thirty years later, the now-grown boys recalled the experience of making "Lord of the Flies" as a signal step in their maturation and development. Although I believe only one went on to further work in the performing arts, they all returned from Puerto Rico (the filming location) older in more than months. Many argue against Golding's essential tenet that "human nature" is inherently evil and that "civilisation" provides only a veneer of protection, but whatever one's opinion this film highlights the issue with inescapable intensity.
Review of Lord of the Flies
