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- Novel An Outcast of the Islands, 1896
- Film An Outcast of the Islands, 1951
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An Outcast of the Islands is the second novel by Joseph Conrad, published in 1896, inspired by Conrad's experience as mate of a steamer, the Vidar.
The novel details the undoing of Peter Willems, a disreputable, immoral man who, on the run from a scandal in Makassar, finds refuge in a hidden native village, only to betray his benefactors over lust for the tribal chief's daughter. The story features Conrad's recurring character Tom Lingard, who also appears in Almayer's Folly (1895) and The Rescue (1920), in addition to sharing other characters with those novels. It is considered to be underrated as a work of literature for many. Conrad romanticizes the jungle environment and its inhabitants in a similar style to his "Heart of Darkness".
This novel was adapted into the film Outcast of the Islands in 1951 by director Carol Reed, featuring Trevor Howard as Willems, Ralph Richardson as Lingard, Robert Morley, and Wendy Hiller.
The work was quoted in T. S. Eliot's The Hollow Men ('Life is very long.').
Outcast of the Islands is a 1951 film directed by Carol Reed based on Joseph Conrad's novel An Outcast of the Islands. The film features Robert Morley, Trevor Howard, Ralph Richardson, and Wendy Hiller.
Peter Willems (Trevor Howard), a selfish and ambitious man, is accused of stealing in his position as manager of a shipping port operation near Singapore. After he is terminated for his offense he reacquaints himself with the trading ship Capt. Lingard (Ralph Richardson) who befriended him as a 12 year old boy. Lingard agrees to help Willems regain his reputation by taking him to a trading village located up a difficult - to - navigate channel near the coast of Batam. Lingard's son - in - law, Elmer Almeyer (Robert Morley), operates a trading operation for Capt. Lingard in the village. Lingard asks Almeyer to take Willems under his wing and teach him the business. While Lingard is gone on one of his sea trips, Willems abuses his trust, seduces the village chieftain's daughter Aissa (Kerima), attempts to steal Almeyer's business operation, humiliates Almeyer before the villagers, and shares the navigation secrets of the channel with a trader who competes with Capt. Lingard. Lingard returns to discover the mess Willems has made and confronts Willems — who has now been condemned by the villagers because of the shame he brought to the frail and dying chieftain. He abandons Willems to live in isolation and exile.
Starring: Ralph Richardson as Capt. Tom Lingard, Trevor Howard as Peter Willems, Robert Morley as Elmer Almeyer, Wendy Hiller as Mrs. Almeyer, Kerima as Aissa, George Coulouris as Babalatchi, Wilfred Hyde-White as Vinck, Annabel Morley as Nina Almeyer, Frederick Valk as Hudig, Betty Ann Davies as Mrs Williams, Dharma Emmanuel as Ali, Peter Illing as Alagappa
Outcast of the Islands was filmed on location in Sri Lanka and at the Shepperton Studios in England.
Outcast of the Islands was nominated for best British film and best film from any source at the 1953 BAFTA awards.