The article is about the novel and film. For the Central American area see Mosquito Coast.

The Mosquito Coast (ISBN 0-14-006089-8) is a 1982 novel by Paul Theroux and a 1986 film based on the book. Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, and River Phoenix star in the film directed by Peter Weir. It was shot in Georgia (Cartersville and Rome), Baltimore, and Belize.

Plot summary

Maverick inventor Allie Fox finds little support for his inventions in the United States. He is a highly open-minded man, disgusted by American culture, economic structure, and class division. In an act of extreme rebellion, he decides to move to the Mosquito Coast of Honduras with his wife and four children. There he purchases a township in the jungle, from a businessman in a local bar. After many difficulties, the Fox family finally arrives at the small town of Jeronimo, the little village Allie had previously purchased. Allie Fox then starts to create his own anti-establishment paradise in Honduras, and lives there with the indigenous Zambus and Maywit family.

Under Allie's authoritarian leadership, his family, the Zambus and the Maywits manage to build a comfortable settlement in the jungle. The small village includes an ice factory (dubbed the "Fat Boy", one of the most brilliant among Allie Fox' inventions), providing useful cooling for the settlement and the entire region. During several occasions Allie enters into conflict with Reverend Spellgood, a missionary who wishes to spread the word of Christianity to his township. One day three armed men demand to stay at the settlement. The threat and loss of freedom is countered by Allie making a bedroom for the men inside the ice factory, trapping them inside and attempting to kill them using the machine's rapid freezing process. However, the three guerrillas start shooting from inside, causing an explosion which not only kills them, but also destroys the whole settlement and pollutes the river.

Although the other family members want to return to the U.S., Allie insists in starting a new life again, at a new location. He lies to them, saying the U.S. has been destroyed in a nuclear war, which some of the children believe. On occasion, family members plan to sneak away to leave, or even consider killing Allie. As Mr. Haddy, a local man and friend of the family, had warned, during the rain season the water level gets high and their new settlement is also destroyed.

On the move again, the Fox family arrives at a mission church and small township. Suffering from mental anguish, Allie sets the church on fire, after which the missionary with whom he had come into conflict earlier shoots him. On the way home, travelling downstream by boat, he is paralyzed and dying. The family lies, telling him that they are going upstream, as he wants. They are in reality going downstream towards the ocean and back to America.

The book is written from the viewpoint of the eldest son, Charlie.

Taglines:

Allie Fox followed his dream to the Mosquito Coast. He planned a paradise. He created a Hell.

How far should a man go to find his dream? Allie Fox went to the Mosquito Coast. He went too far.

Cast

• Harrison Ford - Allie Fox
• Helen Mirren - Mother Fox
• River Phoenix - Charlie Fox
• Conrad Roberts - Mr. Haddy
• Andre Gregory - Reverend Spellgood
• Martha Plimpton - Emily Spellgood
• Dick O'Neill - Mr. Polski
• Jadrien Steele - Jerry Fox
• William Newman - Captain Smalls

External links

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