The Savage Is Loose Reviews

A turn-of-the-century ship is wrecked off a small tropical desert island, with scientist Scott, wife Van Devere, and their son the only survivors. The faith that a rescue ship will arrive gradually wanes, and Scott decides that it is useless to instruct their son in the manner of refined society. Instead he pushes for a training that will allow the boy to fend for himself in the wilds, a hunter at home with the beasts of the jungle. The boy becomes a young man, and, the only woman on the island being his mother, incestual feelings arise, triggering tensions between the father and son. A slow-moving story that realistically depicts the changes in hope that evolve as the family is forced to resign itself to being part of the island. But it seems a bit contrived, especially in the incest theme, which is not treated in any depth.