Carlton Taylor

A group of teenage boys are tricked into accompanying their teacher on a survival holiday to a deserted island. But when the teacher suffers a nervous breakdown and turns hostile, the boys are forced to fend for themselves.

Director John Boorman drew from his own childhood experiences for this coming-of-age tale about a boy growing up in and around London during World War II. For young Billy, the nightly bombings provide a frightening show, but they include opportunities to rummage through the rubble with friends in the mornings. As Billy plays, his family struggles to remain intact as they suffer through the anguish and losses of wartime.