| abstract | - The trio is stranded on a beautiful tropical island in the South Pacific. Sarah tries to raise the kids to be civilized, but she soon gives up as the orphaned boy, Richard was born and raised by young lovers on this same island and he influences the widow's daughter Lilli. Richard & Lilli grow up & Sarah educates them from the Bible along with her own knowledge, including the facts of life. She also cautiously demands them never to go to the forbidden side of the island. When Richard and Lilli are about 8 years old, Sarah dies from pneumonia, leaving the kids to fend for themselves. Sarah is buried on a scenic promontory overlooking the tidal reef area. Together, the children survive solely on their resourcefulness and the bounty of their remote paradise. Years later, both Richard and Lilli grow up into strong and beautiful teenagers. They live in a house on the beach & spend their days together fishing, swimming, and exploring the island. Both their bodies begin to physically developed and they become physically attracted to each other. Richard lets Lilli win the child's game Easter egg hunt and dives to find Lilli an adult's pearl as her reward. His penchant for racing a lagoon shark sparks a domestic quarrel; Lilli thinks he is foolhardy, but the liveliness makes Richard feel virile. The next morning, Lilli wakes up and discovers that she has started her first menstrual period while Richard awakens with an erection along with a nasty mood swing which he can’t explain. Then, the two of them get into an argument about privacy and their late mother's rules. One night, Richard goes off to the forbidden side of the island and discovers a group of natives from another island are using the shrine of an impressive, Kon-Tiki-like idol to sacrifice conquered enemies every full moon. He camouflages himself with mud and hides in the muck while Lilli worries about his disappearance. Richard escapes unscathed, though he is seen by a lone native. After making up for their fight, Richard and Lilli discover their natural love and passion which deepens their emotional bond. They fall in love and exchange formal wedding vows & rings in the middle of the jungle. They consummate their new-found feelings for each other for the next several months. Soon after, a ship arrives at the island, carrying unruly sailors, a proud captain and his beautiful (but spoiled) daughter, Sylvia Hilliard. They are welcomed by the couple and they ask to be taken back to civilization, after many years in isolation. Sylvia tries to steal Richard from Lilli and seduce him, but as tempted as he is by her strange ways, he realizes that Lilli is his heart and soul which upsets Sylvia. Richard angrily leaves Sylvia behind in the middle of the fish pond in plain view of the landing party. Meanwhile, a sailor is shown looking at Lilli in her bath and drags her back to the house where he attempts to rape her & steal her pearl, but Richard comes to rescue her. When the sailor opens fire on Richard, Richard lures the sailor to his death into the jaws of the shark in the tidal reef area. After returning, Richard apologizes to Lilli for hurting her and she reveals that she is pregnant. She tells him that if he wants to leave, then she won't stop him, but she wants to raise their child away from civilization and also away from guns. In the end, Richard & Lilli decides to stay and raise their child on the island because they feel that their life would not compare to civilization. The ship leaves while the couple stays on the island and Lilli later gives birth to a baby girl.
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