of Colima. There were 60 people in the production crew. The crew took daily doses of Diodoquin and aralen to guard against dysentery and malaria, respectively. A security squad of local Manzanillans kept snakes, wild boar, and other dangerous animals at bay with guns and machetes. Interior shots were filmed on Sound Stage 3 at Tepeyac Studios in Mexico City. The negatives were flown to Hollywood, where they were developed and color-corrected. Three times a week, Buñuel, Phillips, the producers, O'Herlihy, and others watched the rushes in a local movie theater. Editing and scoring were also done in Mexico City. For the Spanish version, O'Herlihy's dialogue was dubbed by Buñuel 's regular collaborator Claudio Brook. According to O'Herlihy, Buñuel saw the central theme of the story as that of a man who ages and almost loses his mind, only to find that companionship is his salvation. O'Herlihy also said that the script was used only for the first week of shooting. Afterward, Buñuel and O'Herlihy would merely discuss the story and how O'Herlihy should act and react. Release The producers initially believed the film would be ready for distribution by December 1952, but numerous delays upset these plans. On October 14, 1953, the producers announced that United Artists had signed an agreement for worldwide distribution rights to the film. The film premiered in New York City on August 4, 1954, at the Normandie Theatre. Reception The film was Buñuel's most successful film in the United States until Belle de Jour was released in 1969. Awards and nominations Academy Award Ariel Award BAFTA Award Venice Film Festival See also Survival film, about the film genre, with a list of related films References External links 1950s adventure drama films 1950s survival films 1954 drama films 1954 films American adventure drama films American survival films English-language Mexican films Films based on Robinson Crusoe Films directed by Luis Buñuel Films about survivors of seafaring accidents or incidents Films set in the 1650s Films set in the 1670s Films set in the 1680s Mexican adventure drama films Mexican survival films 1950s Spanish-language films United Artists films Films shot in Mexico City Estudios Churubusco films 1950s American films 1950s Mexican films