Send Help is a new thriller about two people stranded on an island. Since it opened after this article was written, I haven’t seen it — though I suspect it’s too bloody for some of our “family-friendly” readers.
(After all, director Sam Raimi — whose resume includes several Spider-Man movies and the sadly neglected Simple Plan [1998] — got his start with the gory Evil Dead.)
So “send help” also works for this week’s headline — as your Webb critic suggests 10 other worthy books and movies about islands.
Preliminary notes: Summer 2024 saw two lengthy Webb articles about island tales — Cast Away, Treasure Island, Robinson Crusoe, etc.; so this list is more under-the-radar — and mostly books (movies are accompanied by a year).
Abel’s Island (William Steig) – Perhaps best known for the original Shrek, the prolific children’s writer Steig here offers the touching saga of a resolute mouse who is swept away to — and lengthily stranded on — a mid-river island. Made into a short animated film in 1988.
Anne’s House of Dreams (L. M. Montgomery) – Set largely on Canada’s Prince Edward Island, any of Montgomery’s enchanting “Green Gables” books would qualify for this list; but House of Dreams, with Anne settling down as wife and mother — plus a dandy late-book twist — is my favorite.
Eye of the Needle (Ken Follett; movie, 1981) – The book that jump-started Follett’s boffo career — especially after the strong film version starring Kate Nelligan and Donald Sutherland; but trust me, the book is better: thrilling and beautifully written, with an awe-inspiring heroine.
‘Lights’: The Odyssey of C. H. Lightoller (Patrick Stenson) – Though it’s tough to find and has just two isle-related sections, I just had to include this bio of the intrepid Lightoller; he survived no less that four shipwrecks — including the Titanic. And then, at age 66, he used his own craft to evacuate 127 men from Dunkirk — on a boat designed for 21 people!
No One Goes Alone (Erik Larson) – Larson is best known for gripping and carefully researched nonfiction bestsellers — like Isaac’s Storm and Devil in the White City. Available only on Audible, this adventure is Larson’s first foray into fiction — the story of researchers (led by the real-life William James) looking into mysterious disappearances on a North Atlantic island in 1905.
A Perfect Getaway (2009) – Tragically underseen thriller involving three couples hiking on a Hawaiian island — one of which has surely committed a series of recent murders. Twisty, thoughtful and well acted — with gorgeous tropical scenery — the film stars Steve Zahn, Mila Jovovich and Timothy Olyphant, with an early role for Chris Hemsworth.
Pincher Martin (William Golding) – Golding is most famous for his seminal island tale Lord of the Flies — featured in my earlier article for Webb. This swift, existential story features a single naval officer stranded on a desolate North Atlantic isle — essentially just large a piece of rock. Watch out for that ending!
Shutter Island (Dennis Lehane; movie, 2010) – I haven’t read Lehane’s well-loved book, but … can someone please explain how Scorsese’s dazzling 2010 adaption failed to score a single Oscar nomination? What a cast! DiCaprio, Ruffalo, Kingsley, von Sydow, Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson … plus peerless period production design (1954), a terrific plot and music marshalled by Robbie Robertson. If you haven’t seen Shutter — it’s not too late for a trip to this spooky Boston Harbor island.
Stingers (Randy Wayne White) – Currently my favorite author, White writes furiously suspenseful Florida-based crime thrillers (try Everglades, Ten Thousand Islands or Black Widow) — but they’re definitely for grown-ups. In recent years he’s worked up a set of young-adult novels featuring a trio of tweens. This island-based winner, with a fast-moving, densely layered plot, is second in the popular “Sharks Inc.” series.
Virgin Island (1958) – Loosely based on Robb White’s terrific memoir Our Virgin Island, this enchanting rom-com recounts the adventures of a young couple (John Cassavetes and the radiant Virginia Maskell) struggling to establish a tiny homestead on a tiny Virgin Island. Co-starring Sidney Poitier — with gorgeous location filming by the legendary Freddie Francis. Currently available free on YouTube.
