User Reviews

On the surface, this is a rather strange screenplay, and many will probably dismiss it as frivolous. Think of it as a sort of fairytale or fable, and it will probably make more sense to you. In the beginning, it looks like it will be a conventional musical romance and, if you have no appreciation of fantasy, you may conclude this is the only sane segment of the film. The two leads: John Payne and June Haver, were talented singers as well as actors. The film begins with Payne singing the hit song composed for the film: "Give Me the Simple Life", while driving a horse-drawn buggy down a road(this being 1943). June would reprise this song later in the film. Meanwhile, while Payne was flirting with June in the small restaurant she worked in, as June sang, they danced to "I Wish I Could Tell You" Both were composed by the team of Rube Bloom and Harry Ruby.

Payne(as Jeff) wants to marry this knockout blond waitress Jenny(June). But, he's been a farmer all his life, and she doesn't want to live on a farm. So, he decides to enlist in the Navy, this being the middle of WWII. June kisses him goodbye on the train, and we don't see him again until near the end. His place is taken by 2 men, one being Clem Bevans: an eccentric old coot of a carpenter, who has been building a sloop in his backyard for years, hoping one day to sail it to exotic places, despite the fact there is no sizable lake or sea within 300 miles. Later, John Ireland, an unlicensed dentist, happens along and pulls the boat out of a hayfield, where it landed after a severe storm swept it down the nearby river, in a flood. June and Nella(Payne's little sister)were sleeping in the boat when the storm hit, having been evicted from their boarding house. Thus, they were along for the ride. Ireland, attracted by June, decides to sell his jeep for provisions and a spot on the boat.

Before they left, Nella received an official letter, saying Payne was missing in action. She was told if he got into trouble, she would find him on a special island. She imagined this land wasn't far away and that Bevans could navigate the boat to that island. Eventually, they got stuck in the mud in a jungly swamp. Nella ran off into the alligator-infested swamp, looking for Payne. Instead, she found a strange middle-aged man, whom she concluded must be Robinson Crusoe. He gave her a bag of peanuts. Ireland went with her back to visit this wizard of the swamp, while in the background, we hear "We're Off to See the Wizard", from "The Wizard of Oz". They find that he's not interested in the trappings of modern civilization. His main occupation is growing food for himself. He has developed some strange hybrids, such as a cucumber crossed with a peanut, as well as new versions of vegetables, such as cabbages and cauliflowers that grow in or under water. He's created things thought impossible.

Eventually, Payne returns from the navy, and is taken by the Coast Guard to find the boat and it's crew. They find the boat, but Nella has run off into the jungle again. Payne finds her unconscious, having fallen over a log. When she awakens, she's ecstatic that Payne is there, crediting his presence to the boat finding the right island. In the finale, there's no hint whether June will seek to settle down with either Payne or Ireland.

I have a reservation about the casting of Payne and Connie(Nella)as brother and sister. Payne was 34, although I suspect he was playing someone 10 years younger. Connie was 13, although she seemed to be playing a girl more like 9-11. There is no hint what happened to their parents. Thus, with their adjusted ages, it is possible they are brother and sister. June was 20, thus, a 24 y.o. Payne was about right for her.

There is confusion among reviewers over whether Charlotte Greenwood, as Sara, was Bevans' wife or landlady. Since she has a different last name, I will assume she was his landlady. But, why then would she sell his boat just before the storm? In the book this film is based upon, she is his wife and has the same last name! This film is based upon Robert Nathan's fanciful novel "The Enchanted Voyage". The character June plays is in the book, but not Payne's nor Connie's characters.

Bevans and 'The Swamp Wizard' have something in common: they dreamed the seemingly impossible and accomplished it, which is a good message, especially for children. I think the title adequately communicates this. Thus, this film would seem more relevant for children.

I was initially attracted to see this film because it included June Haver as a major character. She was a very beautiful and talented actress, especially for musicals, who never achieved the fame she was due.

Rather routine fanfare of a young girl in pursuit of her missing navy brother during World War 11.

John Payne and June Haver top the cast of this rather benign film. Where exactly is this young girl and group pursuing Payne? This is never fully explained and is ridiculous at best.

Charlotte Greenwood, a wonderful dancer and performer in general, is given so little to do as the wife of the old timer who makes the boat.

Of all people, John Ireland appears in a supporting role as a dentist without a degree who joins in the search. Naturally, he has romantic designs on Haver, who loves Payne. The film mercifully ends without this being dealt with. How fortunate for all concerned.

There was a time when the short novels of Robert Nathan (not to be confused with the brilliant Broadway and film critic George Jean Nathan) were very popular with the public. It's not the case today. Most people recall his novels (if at all) for PORTRAIT OF JENNY, which was made (by David Selznick) into a memorable romantic film with Jennifer Jones, Ethel Barrymore, and Joseph Cotton. But most of them are forgotten and not read at all. THE ENCHANTED VOYAGE is one such novel. It is also the only one of his novels I ever read.

I was in junior high school at the time. The English textbook we were assigned to had four novels in it. We were supposed to read two of them (one was Jane Austen's PERSUASION). THE ENCHANTED VOYAGE was also included.

It was illustrated by photographs, which today I realize were stills from the movie version WAKE UP AND DREAM. I had, at that time, acquired a book about character actors entitled WHO IS THAT?, and it included (among the con-artist types) Clem Bevans. I recognized his face in the photos, and preceded to read the novel. It was not a boring novel, but I have read better ones.

Hector Peckett (Bevans) is a landlubber who has built a boat that is on wheels. He loves to dream of himself as a seaman - a ship captain. He is a henpecked husband, and uses the "boat" as an escape from his wife's "hectoring". During a heavy windy day the boat takes off when Hector puts down the sail. Like "Windwagon Smith" in the Walt Disney cartoon Hector's wheeled boat takes him down the east coast. He tries to mislead his wife as to his whereabouts with a postcard, which she carefully sees is not in the location he wrote on it's back as a message. Hector (who eventually picks up a fellow traveler - the John Payne character) is eventually found by his wife, who arrives to see his boat-wagon wrecked in his last attempt to retain his freedom. She takes him home in the end, showing a little more understanding to him and his needs, but the novel still seemed a trifle of a downer to me.

To be fair the movie was a trifle cheerier, oddly enough because it added some World War II propaganda strands. In retrospect these really did not make the story any better. In fact they date the story more today (a scene when Hector and his friends are given a banquet dinner, and fake telegrams from FDR and Churchill are read to them, one telegram signed "Uncle Joe Stalin" particularly grates. The film today can be considered well acted by Bevans and co-star Payne, but it is destinctly minor, except for introducing "Give Me The Simple Life."