This is one of those films with an intriguing concept that is ruined by poor execution. "Man Friday" is a revisionist take on the classic novel "Robinson Crusoe" told from the point of view of the castaway Englishman Crusoe's (Peter O'Toole) native companion/servant Friday (Richard Roundtree). Adapted from a stage play, this is basically a two-hander carried by O'Toole and Roundtree's performances. The duo's evolving relationship is obviously a metaphor for racism, slavery, colonialism, and capitalism. That part of the film works well, with Crusoe's more "civilized" Christian and English ways revealed as irrational and unnatural. The problem is that the filmmakers add all sorts of other nonsense, perhaps to broaden the film's appeal. Friday often breaks into his "native" songs, but he sings the lyrics in English and the music sounds too contemporary. There is a comical talking parrot. Worst of all is a sequence where Crusoe and Friday try to escape from the island by inventing all sorts of silly flying machines, with accompanying sound effects borrowed from an old "Roadrunner" cartoon. There are also some plotting problems. Crusoe is not properly introduced and Friday goes from being terrified of Crusoe to amiably calling him "master" way too quickly. Since director Jack Gold can't decide if this is a serious drama or a musical-comedy-adventure, it doesn't succeed as either.

4 out of 10.

I rather enjoyed the movie, much like a Monty Python type of humor: absurd, ridiculous, sometimes plain goofy, other times genius, theatrical (as is often O'Toole himself), and, of course, very much ideological, with themes like racism, imperialism, capitalism, homosexuality not a bit discreetly woven into the story.. as in a caricature, if you adjust to it's absurdity and ignore it's obviously inconceivable details like Friday's well-educated man appearance and sudden use of such fine English, or his tribe's use of English, macramé clothing and modern music, or some unnecessary scenes like Master and Friday paragliding together, it can be quite fun.

So if you don't take it too seriously or agonize over it's ideas, it is fun, intelligent, lush and tender (even on Master's side sometimes).

This one has an excessive runtime, approx two hours , and being some tiring version, freely based on the popular novel by Daniel Defoe . It deals with a Brit who washes at an unknown island , he is called Robinson Crusoe : Peter O'Toole, and he is stranded on the deserted location after a wreckship . Then there appears some natives : Richard Roundtree , among others . Later on , Robinson forces the native from a neighboring island to be his assistant . Through his intelligence and willness the enslaved native regains his freedom conceded by Robinson . This time Friday instead of being taught by Robinson contrives by patience and craft to reverse the situation so that Crusoe learns a basic way of life from him , each assimilating the best of one another's culture .

This humorous as well as musical rendition charts the often-cruel treatment the native receives as his captor attempts to civilize him . A charming and attractive version that relies heavily on the relationship between Robinson and Friday , adding some musical interludes . A sometimes confusing script and excessive violent scenes with shots in cold blood as well as guts detract from this message-laden effort . This special retelling plays a novel variation on Defoe's vintage, including sympathetic situations , particularly , a flying day , and another sporting day are often fun .Duo starring , Peter O'Toole , Richard Roundtree , give appealing interpretations . The motion picture was regular but professionally directed by Jack Gold . He was a good British craftsman who made several movies as cinema as TV , such as : Catholics, Roboman, The Naked Civil Servant, The Tenth Man , Praying Mantis , The Return of the Native , The Rose and the Jackal , Murrow , Goodnight Mr Tom , Into the Blue and his greatest hits were : The Medusa Touch , Escape from Sobibor and Little Lord Fauntleroy .

Other versions about this prestigious novel are the following ones : Silent rendition 1927 narrated by Don Carney . "Mr Robinson Crusoe" with Douglas Fairbanks . "Robinson Crusoe of mystery island" 1936 by Max Wright . "Robinson Crusoe" by Luis Buñuel with Dan O'Herlihy . Sci-fi recounting titled "Robinson Crusoe on Mars" 1964 by Byron Haskin with Adam West . "Robinson Crusoe and the Tiger" 1972 by Rene Cardona with Hugo Stiglitz . "Castaway" by Nicolas Roeg with Oliver Reed . Robinson Crusoe 1997 George Miller with Pierce Brosnan , William Takaku ."Robinson Crusoe TV series" with Philip Winchester , Sam Neill .