It's a familiar story: "Let's spend a year on a deserted island." But those who think this just a standard male fantasy film are in for a surprise.

Oliver Reed plays Gerald Kingland a paunchy, fifty-something man who advertises specifically for a pretty woman in her 20s to share the adventure for one year. Lovely and unconventional Lucy Irvine (Amanda Donohoe) answers the ad. He intends to write a book about his adventures, and so does she, so they get off to a good start.

How the two of them could ever think this enterprise could ever succeed seems so naive and idyllic, and indeed it begins that way. The beautiful young Lucy is very comfortable being nude and natural through much of the film. This, of course, is Gerald's dream, but things begin to fall apart as this decidedly unheroic man facing his personal realities as he fails again and again to provide food, shelter, and be a source of sexual attraction to his increasingly frustrated, bored and literally starving mate. Lucy, in turn becomes increasingly demanding and tempermental as the grim reality of their situation begins to sink in.

After several months both are saved from starvation by a troupe of nuns who just happen onto the island. Gerald fixes their motor and in so doing finds he is indeed good at something, so he starts a small business repairing engines for locals on a neighboring island. This drives Lucy to distraction as she is now spending much of her time alone. Just in time, a sailboat of attractive young men visit the island to temp Lucy and jealously enrage Gerald. Both now realize this trip was a terrible mistake. At the end of the year together they go their separate ways happy never to see each other again.

This is a wonderful movie for multiple reasons. Not only is the scenery beautiful and the struggle for survival compelling, but on a personal level the relationship between Lucy and Gerald is fascinating to watch as it builts up and then is uttery destroyed.

You definitely will be thinking (if not talking) about this movie a long time after it ends.