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What's After the Movie?
Romantic drama

Island in the Sun (1957): Cast & Plot

Island in the Sun (1957) movie poster

Island in the Sun is a 1957 romantic drama directed by Robert Rossen, starring James Mason as Maxwell Fleury, Joan Collins and Patricia Owens. It runs 1 hour 59 minutes.

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Island in the Sun (1957) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 59m (119 min)
Director
Robert Rossen
Genres
Romance , Drama
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Island in the Sun About?

The premise of Island in the Sun without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A scandalous tale of politics, social inequality, interracial romance, and murder set on a fictitious British-owned Caribbean island.

Island in the Sun Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • caribbean island
  • father son relationship
  • love
  • white man black woman romance
  • white male black female relationship
  • plantation owner
  • class conflict
  • jealous husband
  • interracial romance
  • based on novel
  • street life
  • singer
+38 more
  • exotic location
  • social inequality
  • carnival
  • kettle drum
  • expatriate
  • reference to queen victoria
  • reference to oxford university
  • ancestry
  • murder by strangulation
  • reckless driving
  • sugar cane field
  • windmill
  • political rally
  • airplane
  • breaking a mirror
  • reference to crime and punishment the novel
  • reference to fyodor dostoevsky
  • n word
  • betrayal
  • calypso music
  • ends with a walk into the sunset
  • aerial camera shot
  • astronomical object in title
  • four word title
  • fictional island of santa marta
  • begins with voice over narration
  • military dress uniform
  • egyptian cigarette
  • tradition
  • lying on a beach
  • bon marche drug store
  • dinner invitation
  • bus bicycle accident
  • ballroom dancing
  • mixed race ancestry
  • harvesting bananas
  • harvesting sugar cane
  • sea turtle
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Cast & crew

Island in the Sun Cast & Characters

James Mason leads the cast as Maxwell Fleury, with Joan Collins as Jocelyn Fleury and Patricia Owens as Sylvia Fleury. Directed by Robert Rossen; 15 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Island in the Sun

· 11 more
From the director

More from Robert Rossen

More films directed by Robert Rossen, best-rated first: The Hustler, Lilith, They Came to Cordura and Alexander the Great.

Full filmography
Plot

Island in the Sun Plot Summary

What happens in Island in the Sun from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 6-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Maxwell Fleury, a white plantation owner’s son, occupies a precarious space on a small West Indian island where the spring air is thick with social tension. The society around him is a tangle of rigid class lines and racial hierarchies, and his own sense of worth is always measured against the men and women who serve behind the scenes of the island’s wealth. Maxwell [James Mason] is haunted by an inferiority complex that drives him to reckless acts in a bid to prove he is more than a privileged son. His marriage to Sylvia [Patricia Owens], a woman who coldly guards her own fortress of pride, becomes one of the pressure points in a complicated set of loyalties.

Full summary

The whole story of Island in the Sun, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

Island in the Sun Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Island in the Sun.

1957 Island in the Sun, clip
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Island in the Sun?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Which actor portrays Maxwell Fleury, the conflicted plantation owner's son?

Cars

Cars in Island in the Sun

15 cars on screen, including the 1954 Ford Zephyr Six Convertible MkI and the 1954 Jaguar XK 140.

All 15 cars
  • 1954 Ford Zephyr Six Convertible MkI in Island in the Sun 1954 Ford Zephyr Six Convertible MkI Important role
  • 1954 Jaguar XK 140 in Island in the Sun 1954 Jaguar XK 140 Important role
  • 1950 Austin K4/CXD MkII in Island in the Sun 1950 Austin K4/CXD MkII Minor role
  • 1952 Land-Rover 86'' Series I in Island in the Sun 1952 Land-Rover 86'' Series I Minor role
Details

Island in the Sun Also Known As

11 alternative titles, including “La isla del sol” and “A Ilha dos Trópicos”.

Also known as
  • La isla del sol
  • A Ilha dos Trópicos
  • Una isla al sol
  • Heiße Erde
  • L'isola nel sole
  • Νησί στον ήλιο
  • Isla en el sol
  • Ilha nos Trópicos
  • 아일랜드 인 더 선
  • Une île au soleil
  • Ön i solen

Seen Island in the Sun?

FAQ

Island in the Sun FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Island in the Sun, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Island in the Sun?

Island in the Sun runs 1 hour 59 minutes (119 minutes).

When was Island in the Sun released?

Island in the Sun was released on June 12, 1957.

Who directed Island in the Sun?

Island in the Sun was directed by Robert Rossen.

More films by Robert Rossen

Who is in the cast of Island in the Sun?

Island in the Sun stars James Mason as Maxwell Fleury, Joan Collins as Jocelyn Fleury and Patricia Owens as Sylvia Fleury, among 15 credited actors.

Does Island in the Sun have a post-credit scene?

No. Island in the Sun has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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