1 / 8
MONEY
Did you know
Shot for just $3.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Island in the Sun
1957 1h 59m EN
👍
6.5
SOLID
★6.5TMDB · 23
DramaRomance
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
A scandalous tale of politics, social inequality, interracial romance, and murder set on a fictitious British-owned Caribbean island.
“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”
Cast
James Mason
Maxwell Fleury
Joan Fontaine
Mavis Norman
Dorothy Dandridge
Margot Seaton
Joan Collins
Jocelyn Fleury
Michael Rennie
Hilary Carson
Harry Belafonte
David Boyeur
Diana Wynyard
Mrs. Fleury
John Williams
Colonel Whittingham
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Robert Rossen
- Writers
- Alfred Hayes
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
69 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Robert Rossen, shot by Freddie Young. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Original score by Malcolm Arnold. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Reginald Beck shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
CAST
Did you know
James Mason and Joan Fontaine and Dorothy Dandridge carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0050549 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
Only 23 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Robert Rossen directs. Freddie Young behind the camera. Malcolm Arnold scores. Reginald Beck cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Shot for just $3.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
- 269 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
- 3Directed by Robert Rossen, shot by Freddie Young. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 4Original score by Malcolm Arnold. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 5Editor Reginald Beck shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 6James Mason and Joan Fontaine and Dorothy Dandridge carry the top of the cast.
- 7IMDB entry: tt0050549 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 8Only 23 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Freddie Young
- Original score
- Malcolm Arnold
- Editing
- Reginald Beck
- Costume design
- Phyllis Dalton
- Makeup / hair
- David Aylott
- Runtime
- 119 min · 1h 59m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $3,000,000
- Box office
- $5,000,000
- Return
- 167% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- NR
Also by
Robert Rossen
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
- DA
Darryl F. Zanuck Productions
20th Century Fox
US
Key crew
- NovelAlec Waugh
- ProducerDarryl F. Zanuck
- EditorReginald Beck
- Art DirectionJohn DeCuir
- Costume DesignPhyllis Dalton
- Costume DesignDavid Ffolkes
- Camera OperatorRobert Walker
- Script SupervisorMaggie Unsworth
- SoundMichael Hickey
- Makeup ArtistDavid Aylott
- Art DirectionWilliam C. Andrews
- Makeup ArtistEric Allwright
- Production ManagerErnest Holding
- Production ManagerJohn Palmer
- Assistant DirectorGerry O'Hara
- Second Assistant DirectorMichael Birkett
- Second Assistant DirectorDouglas Twiddy
- Set DesignerJohn Graysmark
- Sound MixerJ.B. Smith
- Sound MixerGerry Turner
- Additional EditingBert Bates
- ConductorMalcolm Arnold
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- based on novel or book
- interracial relationship
- caribbean sea
- race relations
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical1957-06-12NR
Also known as
International titles
- La isla del solES
- A Ilha dos TrópicosBR
