Strayed across this YouTube video and then subsequently sought out this wikipedia article, but there’s not much else I have found on the interwebs about it.
Is it for real? Once upon a time, the island was home to the former Scottish colonel and his 84 wives? Where did the women come from? Whatever became of them?
Interesting question. This may contextualize the source a little bit, but it doesn’t help answer your question. I tried looking around online for reviews of the film in Italian, but other than criticizing the sensationalism I couldn’t find a solid answer.
I’m guessing someone’s le is being pulled. How does a deaf-mute arrange for 52 wives? And if they were 13-18yo, even allowing for primitve customs (i.e. get a head start while they’re 8yo?) And where would they come from? Are there really 50 available women in a bunch of desered islands, or was he raiding the mainland? In a society where women are presumably acquired by some form of payment to the father, what does this guy have and use for money, and how, if he can’t talk and they can’t read? How does he feed them all?
It all sounds fishy.
Any “documentary” from the Sixties with the word “Mondo” in the title is as likely to be as much fiction as fact. The footage is often real but the narration describing it is usually made from whole cloth.
Anything Harry Anderson stars in is likely to be satire.
I think you answered your own question.
Roger Hopkins doesn’t sound a very Scottish name.
Also I can find no reference to a Col. Roger Hopkins in the Army Lists of the British Army. Of course he may have been inventing his army career, and indeed his Scottish connections.
In any case, even if he became deaf how would he become mute, subsequent to a career as an army officer?
I have found this though http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055923/usercomments
There is no suggestion the whole film is a hoax, although given the involvement of Peter Ustinov (renowned wit) it is possible I supose. Even if the film is genuine though there is no reason to supposed our Colonel is…
Very odd…
BTW, do any of the children in that footage look like they have a European father?
Someone (maybe his real wife) just filmed a weird looking, old white guy visiting a group of native women and Paolo Cavara just made up narration to match it.
Is not a particualrly Scottish name, on the other hand as it’s very common in Wales and England and fairly common in Ireland,it really would not be a suprising name of a Scotsman.