The Earthling (1981) Filmways/Drama-Adventure RT: 97 minutes Rated PG (language, a horrific accident, mature themes) Director: Peter Collinson Screenplay: Lanny Cotler Music: Bruce Smeaton Cinematography: Donald McAlpine Release date: April 10, 1981 (US) Cast: William Holden, Ricky Schroder, Jack Thompson, Olivia Hamnett, Alwyn Kurts, Pat Evison, Redmond Phillips, Ray Barrett, Tony Barry. Box Office: N/A
Rating: *** ½
I went to see The Earthling all by myself on a Thursday afternoon during Easter Break from school. It was choice between it and Hardly Working. I knew I made the right choice even before I saw the wretched Jerry Lewis “comedy” about a week later. I might have been only 13, but I knew the difference between quality and crap. The Earthling is obviously a case of the former and here’s why. It doesn’t pander to the children in the audience. On the contrary, it’s surprisingly mature for a family film. It deals with themes normally reserved for more adult-oriented films- i.e. terminal illness and death. Don’t get me wrong, it’s NOT unsuitable for youngsters; it merely gives them more credit than they usually get from the likes of Going Ape.
William Holden, in his next-to-last role, stars as Patrick Foley, an older man dying of cancer who wants to return to his childhood home in the Australian Outback to live out his last days. He says his goodbyes to old friends, chucks his medication and heads off into the wilderness alone. At the same time, 10YO Shawn Daley (Schroeder, The Champ) is traveling across Australia with his parents. He watches in horror as their RV rolls off a cliff killing both his parents. Foley, who witnesses the accident, faces an ethical dilemma. Should he continue on his way or help the boy? He decides to let Shawn accompany him to his final destination provided he carries his own weight. They develop a bond as he teaches the boy how to survive in the wild.
Directed by Peter Collison (The Italian Job), The Earthling operates on two levels. First, it’s a neat adventure with a cute kid, grouchy old codger and native wildlife in their natural habitat. The two unlikely companions must learn to rely on each other as they encounter different situations, some of them dangerous. You get to see kangaroos, koala bears and wombats. You even see an Aboriginal. This is the part kids will love. Second, it’s a touching drama about two lonely souls finding each other, a recently orphaned city boy and an old man coming to terms with his mortality. It’s about a child dealing with the sudden loss of his caretakers, his parents. It’s the worst trauma a child can experience. It’s about an old man learning it’s never too late to change, especially for the better. Shawn makes his last days more meaningful. This part will appeal more to the adults. The movie is equally effective on both levels.
Holden, who died in September of that year, gives one of the best performances of the latter part of his long and distinguished career in The Earthling. He’s completely believable as a crusty codger who comes to care about his young companion. He’s the son he never had. Holden proves beyond a doubt that age is NOT a factor when it comes to natural talent. Schroeder, as a child actor, had a tendency to get on my nerves. He’s pretty annoying in The Earthling too, but you come to accept it as a weak point of an otherwise strong movie.
The Earthling is almost National Geographic documentary-like in showing the untamed wilderness of the Outback. The cinematography by Donald McAlpine is magnificent. What makes this movie truly special is that it introduces kids to another part of the world and its indigenous critters. It came during the Australian New Wave film movement, a period when American audiences were starting to take notice of films from the land down under. Films like 1971’s Walkabout which similarly deals with city kids surviving in the Outback. The Earthling was my first time seeing the Outback in all of its natural awe and splendor. It took my breath away.
I’ve never forgotten the scene in The Earthling where Shawn loses his parents. He watches helplessly as they fall to their deaths. In the blink of an eye, his life is changed forever. Of course, he has a difficult time processing it. At 10, he’s left to face the sometimes cruel world all alone. This is the stuff children’s nightmares are made of. It hits almost as hard as Bambi’s mother being killed by hunters or Dumbo’s mother being locked way in a cage, separated from her son. Collison depicts it in a realistic way, one that really gets at the emotions. Schroeder perfectly captures the shock and confusion of a child in such a situation.
Emotional gravitas aside, The Earthling makes me nostalgic for the family movies of back in the day. They weren’t all about CGI, rude humor, product placements and recycled ideas. It used to be movies about adventures involving children, animals and parents or parental figures. I can recall watching The Wilderness Family, Grizzly Adams, Across the Great Divide and The Sea Gypsies. Now we get The Emoji Movie. The Earthling played a lot on HBO in the early 80s; it was a staple of their afternoon and weekend programming. I never hear it mentioned anymore. I think it’s time for a new generation to discover this little gem. It’s available on DVD; order a copy and watch it with the family. You won’t be sorry.
