Captain Moreland is a captain and Roberta's grandfather in Swiss Family Robinson. He and Roberta, disguised as a cabin boy named "Bertie", were captured by Kuala and his crew, until Fritz and Ernst Robinson were able to free Roberta.
Role in the film[]
Captain Moreland is first seen lying on the beach of an island tied up with Roberta, disguised as a cabin boy named "Bertie", after pirates led by their captain, Kuala, took their ship and captured them. Captain Moreland is shocked to see them open a chest that belonged and was given to him by his late first officer.
When Kuala and some of his crew approach them, Captain Moreland does everything he can to talk his way out of this so as to avoid the pirates trying to find out that "Bertie" is really a girl in disguise. Then he makes a ransom deal with Kuala; a large amount of money in exchange for their freedom as long as he is the one who writes the ransom note. Kuala agrees to let them go after they have ransomed them and have been paid as promised. When Kuala takes "Bertie" with them, Captain Moreland threatens not to write the ransom note unless they give her back to him. To make sure he gets what he wants, Kuala places her back with Captain Moreland and then returns to join the rest of his crew as Captain Moreland helps "Bertie" up.
Then Captain Moreland tells "Bertie" to keep quiet while the pirates decide which crew is going to take them. Then Fritz and Ernst come to their rescue. As happy as he is to know that help is on the way, Captain Moreland insists they free "Bertie" first. He knows that he is out of harm's way since he is too valuable for the pirates to ransom. As the pirates start fighting and killing each other, Kuala and some of them spot Fritz and Ernst helping Captain Moreland to escape, so he orders his crew to stop the fight and go after Fritz and Ernst. With "Bertie" free and Captain Moreland still tied up, the latter insists they leave without him no matter as the pirates get closer. So he stays behind as they hold him while the others go after Fritz, Ernst, and Roberta.
Later, at night, the pirates set sail for England so as to ransom Captain Moreland. Days later, he returns with a new ship and crew and rescues Roberta and the Robinsons from the pirates by firing cannons at them and their ship; killing them as well. After vanquishing them, Captain Moreland and some of his crew come ashore on a lifeboat to reunite with Roberta as he allows the Robinsons' youngest son, Francis, to see and keep his hat. After having a delicious meal served by Mother, he promises to take Ernst back to England to finish his studies at a university, where he has made donations for years, rather than a school as originally planned and promises his family to take them to New Guinea since it was their original destination from Bern, Switzerland before they were shipwrecked on the island by the pirates and a raging storm at the beginning but Mother feels that the island has done so many wonders for her and her family that she decides to stay as their new home with her family and the animals; much to everyone's joy and surprise especially Father's, and Captain Moreland notes that the former will likely be recommended as governor of the new colony and that his family might have new neighbors too.
Captain Moreland is last seen waving good-bye to the Robinsons and Roberta, who has also decided to stay with them as well to marry Fritz, as he takes Ernst on a lifeboat back to England for his education.
Trivia[]
- Captain Moreland's name is never mentioned in the movie and he is mostly referred to as "Grandfather" throughout it.
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