# Tom Hanks character in Cast Away: Could he have done more to help his situation? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 22, 2006, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700 "2006-08-22T04:26:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/1 "2006-08-22T04:26:35Z")
I realize that \*Cast Away \* is several years old, but I just saw it rerun on TV and I thought of a new question. (I put this in IMHO, btw, not in CS or GQ, because I’m looking for suggestions on desert island survival techniques, not comments on the movie, nor hard and fast answers.) Over the years Jack, the TH character, mastered a number of key survival skills like spear throwing, fire making, rope weaving, tree felling and, ultimately, raft building. Given the raw materials and “tools” Jack had at his disposal (like the logs, videotapes and ice skates) was there something he could have done to substantially improve his lot that he never did or thought of? ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/2 "2006-08-22T05:08:38Z")
Well there was that one [box](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YQehtcK4uE) that he didn’t open. ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/3 "2006-08-22T05:53:23Z")
First thing i thought of was Ricks answer. ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/4 "2006-08-22T05:57:03Z")
Also,when he found the dead guy floating in the ocean,he only salvaged his shoes,been awhile since I seen the movie,but I remember thinking he should have at least taken the deceased belt,if not everything else he had on. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/5 "2006-08-22T06:07:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Well there was that one box that he didn’t open. Did anyone else think that the guy in the Swedish Castaway parody really bore an uncanny resemblance to Tom Hanks for about a minute before realizing it was the actual movie dubbed into Swedish? No? Okay, then I’m going to bed now. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/6 "2006-08-22T10:54:19Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] Well there was that one [box](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YQehtcK4uE) that he didn’t open. [/QUOTE] The director’s standard answer to the common question, “what was in that package”: _“A waterproof, solar-powered satellite telephone”._ ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/7 "2006-08-22T11:00:19Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] Did anyone else think that the guy in the Swedish Castaway parody really bore an uncanny resemblance to Tom Hanks for about a minute before realizing it was the actual movie dubbed into Swedish? [/QUOTE] Where’s this? ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/8 "2006-08-22T13:43:42Z")
I think he did about as well as anyone could have done, considering his background. In fact, while a more outdoorsy type may have been able to create a more comfortable and efficient living environment, or done so more quickly, I don’t think there was much more anyone could have done about getting off the island. It was just luck that the big plastic “sail” washed up on shore; it took a few years to realize the winds shifted at around the same time each year; he made about as seaworthy a raft as he could considering the tools and materials at his disposal, etc. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/9 "2006-08-22T15:11:08Z")
He could have used Wilson to stage a production of Hamlet rather than the silly low-brow conversations he’d been having with the thing. ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/10 "2006-08-22T15:17:16Z")
[QUOTE=cmkeller] He could have used Wilson to stage a production of Hamlet rather than the silly low-brow conversations he’d been having with the thing. [/QUOTE] That might present casting problems. I can see it now: Hamlet: Jack Yorik: Wilson Umm, er, uhh… ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/11 "2006-08-22T15:43:34Z")
Considering how strong his alliance was with Wilson, I thought he voted him off the island prematurely. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/12 "2006-08-22T17:07:10Z")
stuyguy: > [@](#): > > That might present casting problems. No problem. Where is cast? Cast…away! BTW, the guy’s name was Chuck, not Jack (I just checked IMDB) ---
**Author:** ![Euthanasiast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Euthanasiast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euthanasiast)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/13 "2006-08-22T17:24:05Z")
I think his first real problem isn’t addressed in the film at all; scurvy. Coconut contains only 3mg of vitamin C per 100g and seafood contains no vitamin C at all. After about three months, he is in for some real trouble on that island. ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/14 "2006-08-22T17:31:17Z")
[QUOTE=cmkeller] BTW, the guy’s name was Chuck, not Jack (I just checked IMDB) [/QUOTE] It appears you are correct! Thanks. I was remembering his name from the scene where Helen Hunt yells his name over and over as he drives away in the rain. She must’ve been shouting, “Chuck! Chuck!” but I misheard her saying “Jack! Jack!” ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/15 "2006-08-22T18:17:38Z")
[QUOTE=stuyguy] She must’ve been shouting, “Chuck! Chuck!” but I misheard her saying “Jack! Jack!” [/QUOTE] “Rose! Rose!” ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/16 "2006-08-22T18:23:56Z")
[QUOTE=Euthanasiast] I think his first real problem isn’t addressed in the film at all; scurvy. Coconut contains only 3mg of vitamin C per 100g and seafood contains no vitamin C at all. After about three months, he is in for some real trouble on that island. [/QUOTE] He could have eaten seaweed, some of which has Vitamin C; perhaps there were some other plants on the island with berries that contained Vitamin C. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/17 "2006-08-23T05:10:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Where’s this? If you click on the link in Rick’s post, you’ll go to a YouTube page. The main video is the one Rick is refering to in his post. But off to the side there’s a list of similar videos. The first one listed - Cast Away Parodie (sic) - is the one I was confused by. Or you can go directly to it by clicking [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zpX2Lf4jyQ&mode=related&search=). ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/18 "2006-08-23T09:53:46Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] If you click on the link in Rick’s post, you’ll go to a YouTube page. The main video is the one Rick is refering to in his post. But off to the side there’s a list of similar videos. The first one listed - Cast Away Parodie (sic) - is the one I was confused by. Or you can go directly to it by clicking [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zpX2Lf4jyQ&mode=related&search=). [/QUOTE] That’s German. But, yes, if that guy isn’t Tom Hanks they’ve found a bloody good lookalike. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-hanks-character-in-cast-away-could-he-have-done-more-to-help-his-situation/369700/19 "2006-08-23T15:36:04Z")
There isn’t a square inch of the earth that isn’t looked at by satellite on a fairly regular basis. A bigger SOS laid out in rocks, combined with a large fire at night, would probably have been noticed and followed up on. But it was a great movie anyway.