The Earthling (1980)

Director:

Peter Collinson

Writer:

Lanny Cotler (written by)

Release Date:

24 July 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Plot:

Patrick Foley has been on the move all his live. Tired of drifting, he wants to spend his last days in an isolated Australian valley where he grew up...

Plot Keywords:

Australia | Young Boy | Independent Film

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

William Holden	...	Patrick Foley
Rick Schroder	...	Shawn Daley (as Ricky Schroder)
Jack Thompson	...	Ross Daley
Olivia Hamnett	...	Bettina Daley
Alwyn Kurts	...	Christian Neilson
Pat Evison	...	Meg Neilson
Redmond Phillips	...	Bobby Burns
Ray Barrett	...	Parnell
Tony Barry	...	Red
Allan Penney	...	Harlan
Willie Fennell	...	R.C
Walter Pym	...	Uncle
Cul Cullen	...	Dawson
Dawn Schroder	...	Dalton
Maggie Blinco	...	Jessica

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA | Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:12 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Arkoff International

Quotes:

[first lines]
Australian Customs Agent: Next please. Now what's the purpose of your visit?
Patrick Foley: Uh - passing through.

Soundtrack:

Halfway Home

Wise and moving (NOT cute); a film to treasure

"Cute" he may have been, but Rick(y) Schroder -- before puberty -- was one of filmdom's most sensitive and skillful child performers. And William Holden, far from being one to "add to" a list of modern man-and-boy bonding stories, in this 1980 film virtually founded the category.

I've seen this excellent film three times -- always on late-nite TV. Leonard Maltin gives it two-and-a-half stars: "OK family drama." Yet, over half of its IMDB viewers rated it a 10. Why on earth hasn't it received wider public acclaim??!

At 62 (this was his next-to-last film), Holden looks like he really is terminally ill. The cockles of his heart never are warmed to the kid (that we can see, anyway).

He's bone-weary, making his painful way to the ruins of his long-deserted family home to die, But this squalling, spoiled, self-centered kid is stranded. The man would like to ignore him, but the boy's obvious vulnerability won't let him. And as his strength fails, he could use some help himself.

So they make their way, conjointly, to his dying-place. And on the way, he tries to teach the boy how to survive in the wilderness -- for the child will soon be utterly alone -- and reach civilization.

How and what he teaches him is fascinating -- both practical and subtle. He plunges the city-bred boy from pampered narcissism to basic verities and respect for life and Life. In turn, the child's unevadable need forces this bitter, used-up man to dredge up his humanity and, with his last energy, give it out; to do the right thing.

Both of them change and grow. And it's quietly beautiful. In a sense, this is a coming-of-age film with no age boundaries. Maybe it's a "coming-into-humanity" film. See it. And grasp again (or for the first time) the dignity and beauty that humanness can be.