Lost Lagoon

Middle-aged Charlie Walker, who is supporting a wife with extravagant tastes, visits his brother-in-law, Millard Cauley, on his boat in Miami to try to borrow some money. They go out fishing, but when they receive a storm warning, they head for Nassau. However, the storm hits before they get there, and when they both put on life jackets, an envelope containing a wad of cash falls from Millard's pocket and is picked up by Charlie. Although Millard survives the storm, Charlie is swept overboard and his wife Bernadine is eventually advised by authorities that he has been lost at sea. However, Charlie has survived and stumbles onto an island beach. He places the soaked currency on the sand to dry and is later discovered by a young woman, Elizabeth Moore, who has heard reports about him being missing. As the island's only boat is under repair, Charlie can not leave for several days, so Elizabeth, who limps slightly, takes him to her house. Charlie passes out on the bed in Elizabeth's late grandfather's room and sleeps for twenty hours. Once awakened, he experiences back pain and Elizabeth gives him a massage. Elizabeth explains that after her parents died, she left England and came to the island with her grandfather, who had intended to develop the place as a fishing base, but died without realizing his dream. On a picnic, the day before Charlie is due to leave, Elizabeth tells him that she was engaged to a young man in England, but he stole money from her. Charlie kisses her on the cheek. Charlie leaves the next day and returns to his house, but finds no one there. After seeing a sympathy note to his wife on the bedroom dresser, Charlie hides when Bernadine and Millard return and discuss the fact that there will be no immediate insurance payment as Charlie's body has not been found. When they leave to prepare his memorial service, Charlie decides to remain "lost at sea" and returns to the island and Elizabeth. There, he offers Millard's money to develop Elizabeth's business, assuring her that he is not interested in her romantically. He assumes the name "Smith" and, in time, they develop the area for tourism. On the eve of the arrival of their first guests, Charlie and Elizabeth drink a toast to their venture and she asks him to dance. When she kisses him, he responds, but then tells her that he is bothered by the difference in their ages and wants to be her business partner only. However, after the resort becomes very popular and the business is an obvious success, both Elizabeth and Charlie realize that they are in love. Their idyll is shattered, however, when a guest, Mr. Beakins, an insurance company investigator, addresses Charlie as Mr. Walker. Beakins explains that he identified Charlie from a photograph and the fact that, when Charlie returned to the island, he bought a ticket under his real name. Although Beakins is sympathetic to Charlie's situation, he reveals that as his company requires identification by a next of kin, he has sent for Bernadine. Meanwhile, David Burnham, Elizabeth's former fiancé whose letters she has been tearing up without reading, arrives on the island to admit that he owes her money, but still wants to marry her. Elizabeth tells him that he can remain for a few days as a guest and swears to Charlie that she is not in love with David. Later, however, David gives Elizabeth a check for the amount he owes her and convinces her that they should be together. Charlie sees them embracing, but when Bernadine and Millard reach the island, Charlie tells Bernadine that he is in love with Elizabeth and will not return with them. Later, Charlie swims out to sea intending to drown himself, but is stopped by Hubert, an islander who has become a friend. They struggle and Charlie knocks Hubert out, but then has to take him back to shore, where Bernadine is waiting. Bernadine tells Charlie that they can live less expensively and asks him to come back to her as she needs him and does not want to be alone. Charlie agrees and explains the situation to Elizabeth. The next day, on board the boat, Charlie apologizes to Bernadine and returns the cash to Millard, then pushes him overboard for making remarks about Elizabeth. As the boat pulls away from the island, Elizabeth watches from a cliff and waves goodbye.