Lord of the Flies (1963)

Last updated:
October 30, 2025

Lord of the Flies (1963) is a British drama film directed by Peter Brook, based on William Golding’s groundbreaking 1954 novel of the same name. The movie explores human nature, civilization, and the darkness that lurks within society—especially when the rules vanish.

Table of Contents

Detailed Summary

The Crash and the Island

The film opens with a haunting montage of atomic-age imagery—schoolboys, warplanes, and destruction—before we see the aftermath of a plane crash. A group of British schoolboys, evacuated during wartime, find themselves stranded on a deserted tropical island. There are no adults, no supervision—just the boys, their uniforms, and a need to survive.

Establishing Order

Ralph (James Aubrey) and Piggy (Hugh Edwards) quickly emerge as the initial voices of reason. They discover a conch shell, which Ralph uses to call meetings. The boys decide to elect Ralph as their leader, symbolizing democracy and order. Ralph emphasizes the importance of maintaining a signal fire for rescue. Piggy becomes his intellectual adviser—though constantly bullied for his appearance and asthma.

The Hunters and the Descent into Savagery

Jack Merridew (Tom Chapin), the head of the choirboys, is humiliated by Ralph’s election. He and his group gradually evolve from disciplined choristers into primal hunters, painting their faces and reveling in violence. Their obsession with hunting pigs overtakes their sense of responsibility, and the fire—their only hope for rescue—goes out.

The rivalry between Ralph’s rational leadership and Jack’s authoritarian savagery grows sharper. The boys begin to fear an imagined “beast” lurking on the island, a symbol of their internal fear and moral decay.

Simon’s Vision

Simon (Tom Gaman), the quiet, kind-hearted boy, represents innate goodness and spirituality. He discovers that the “beast” the boys fear is actually the corpse of a dead parachutist tangled in the trees. Exhausted and horrified, Simon rushes to tell the others the truth.

However, during a storm, Jack’s tribe engages in a frenzied, ritualistic dance. When Simon emerges from the jungle, they mistake him for the beast and brutally murder him in the chaos. His body is carried out to sea—a deeply symbolic scene underscored by eerie, naturalistic cinematography.

The Collapse of Civilization

After Simon’s death, the boys split into two factions: Ralph’s small, rational group, and Jack’s growing tribe of savages. Piggy and the twins (Sam and Eric) are the only ones left with Ralph. Jack’s tribe steals Piggy’s glasses—their only means of making fire. Ralph and Piggy confront them, but the confrontation turns deadly. Roger, Jack’s sadistic lieutenant, rolls a boulder from a cliff, killing Piggy instantly and shattering the conch. This moment represents the complete destruction of law, order, and civilization on the island.

The Hunt

Now completely consumed by savagery, Jack orders his tribe to hunt Ralph down like an animal. They set the forest on fire to smoke him out, a sequence shot with documentary-like intensity. Ralph runs through the burning jungle, terrified, filthy, and desperate, symbolizing humanity’s descent into chaos.

Movie Ending

Ralph bursts onto the beach, where he collapses—only to find himself at the feet of a British naval officer who has just landed with his crew. The officer, seeing the boys covered in dirt, blood, and war paint, assumes they’ve simply been “playing games.”

Ralph begins to sob uncontrollably, realizing the enormity of what has happened—the deaths of Simon and Piggy, the loss of innocence, and the revelation of humanity’s inherent darkness. The other boys, once savage and murderous, begin to cry as well. The camera pans out slowly, showing the vastness of the ocean—civilization rescued them, but the psychological scars remain.

This ending mirrors the book’s message perfectly: civilization can collapse at any moment, and the “beast” is not external—it’s within us.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No. Lord of the Flies (1963) does not have any post-credits scenes. The film ends immediately after the boys are rescued, maintaining its haunting, reflective tone.

Type of Movie

This is a psychological drama and survival thriller with strong philosophical and allegorical undertones. It’s less about survival in nature and more about the collapse of human morality and the fragility of societal structures.

Cast

James Aubrey as Ralph
Tom Chapin as Jack Merridew
Hugh Edwards as Piggy
Tom Gaman as Simon
Roger Elwin as Roger
David Surtees as Sam
Simon Surtees as Eric
Donald Houston as the Naval Officer

Film Music and Composer

The eerie, minimalist score was composed by Raymond Leppard, using choral music and natural sounds to amplify the sense of innocence lost and primal fear. The film’s lack of heavy orchestration enhances its documentary-like realism and unsettling silence.

Filming Locations

The movie was shot on location in Puerto Rico, specifically in Vieques. The raw, natural beauty of the island contrasts with the moral decay of the boys. The remote setting’s lush jungles and beaches heighten the feeling of isolation, amplifying the boys’ descent into savagery.

Awards and Nominations

While not a massive box-office success upon release, the film gained critical acclaim and multiple festival recognitions:

Cannes Film Festival (1963): Official Selection
National Board of Review: Listed among the Top Foreign Films
Over time, it has become a classic in both academic and cinematic circles.

Behind the Scenes Insights

Director Peter Brook used non-professional child actors for authenticity.
Much of the dialogue was improvised to capture raw emotion.
The production was chaotic: no script supervision, minimal adult presence, and filming in extreme heat.
The young cast later described the shoot as “like being lost on a real island.”
Brook preferred handheld cameras and natural light, giving the film its realistic, almost documentary style.

Inspirations and References

The movie is a direct adaptation of William Golding’s 1954 novel, which was itself a response to optimistic adventure stories like The Coral Island. Golding sought to show how easily children could become violent without social constraints. The film faithfully carries over the novel’s themes of morality, civilization, and human nature.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

There are no known alternate endings, though some early cuts reportedly contained longer scenes of the boys’ daily survival routines. These were trimmed to maintain pacing and focus on the escalating conflict.

Book Adaptations and Differences

The 1963 version remains the most faithful to Golding’s novel. Minor differences include:

The movie omits some of Ralph’s inner thoughts and philosophical narration.
The parachutist’s discovery is more visually subtle than in the book.
The tone leans toward realism rather than psychological introspection.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

The boys’ first assembly with the conch shell.
Simon’s encounter with the impaled pig head (“The Lord of the Flies”).
The storm and Simon’s tragic death.
Piggy’s confrontation and death by the boulder.
Ralph’s desperate flight through the burning jungle.

Iconic Quotes

Ralph: “Maybe there is a beast… maybe it’s only us.”
Piggy: “Which is better—to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill?”
Simon: “You’ll get back to where you came from.”
Naval Officer: “I should have thought that a pack of British boys would have been able to put up a better show than that.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

The pig’s head scene subtly mirrors Christian imagery—the “Lord of the Flies” is a translation of “Beelzebub.”
The recurring use of flies buzzing in the soundtrack symbolizes decay and corruption.
The officer’s arrival reflects the hypocrisy of “civilization”—he represents the same war and violence the boys have enacted in miniature.

Trivia

Filming lasted six weeks with limited supervision.
The boys were not professional actors and often forgot lines, leading Brook to improvise scenes.
William Golding visited the set briefly but left due to the chaotic production environment.
The film was shot in black and white to emphasize realism and moral starkness.

Why Watch?

Because Lord of the Flies (1963) is more than just a survival story—it’s a mirror held up to human nature. It’s haunting, thought-provoking, and visually raw. If you want to see how civilization can collapse not with a bang but with a childish scream, this is essential viewing.

Director’s Other Movies

Marat/Sade (1967)
King Lear (1971)
Meetings with Remarkable Men (1979)
The Mahabharata (1989)

Lord of the Flies (1963)