jules verne write about 80 novel as well a play and short story in his career . he begin write in 1854 with a short story call master zacharias and or the clockmaker soul . it be the first time he talk of the negative side of progress the evil that result from some discovery or invention when they fall into the wrong hand . this become a running theme in his novel represent captain nemo in twenty thousand league under the sea and or robur ( from robur the conqueror and it sequel and the master of the world ) be two of his best example of this them . kongre and in the lighthouse at the edge of the world and be another . verne be so prolific that when he die in 1905 he leave a dozen unpublished novel and story that be not fully publish until 1910. they include some of his best writing and such a the barsac mission ( partly write by verne son michael ) and the survivor of the jonathan and the pursuit of the meteor and the danube pilot . all of these dealt with science and but also deal with political system and and economics and for verne be interested in all the problem face modern man . the lighthouse at the edge of the world be the last novel that be publish in verne lifetime . it do not deal with the political question or economic one that perplex him and but seem to go back to his potboiler period and when he be turn out story for money while consider good story for late publication . but nothing verne write be without interest . reread the lighthouse one see what the subtle point be in it . it be the study of how the ego of a villain can prevent him from escape retribution . kongre ( rename jonathan kongre ) be one of the last pirate in the world of 1900. he and his gang find a damage boat and repair it . they sail it across the pacific and and reach staten island and a small island in the strait of magellan control by chile . there they find a lighthouse with a crew of three men . they manage to kill two of them and but the third one ( name vasquez he from chile and remember ) and hide on the island . kongre and his men decide that they should prepare to leave the island shortly and before the chilean naval relief boat return in three month to pick up the lighthouse crew . but first they will wreck any boat that come to the passage and and increase their ill gotten gain . but the key to the novel ( and it be not in the movie ) be that kongre right hand men ( carcante and vargas ) keep urge him to pack up his supply and wealth and head to asia where the money can be divvied up and everyone separate in safety . and each time kongre would not do it . initially it be pure greed . he wreck a boat and and massacre the crew ( a scene that be do in the film ) . the sole survivor be an american and john davis ( the name become denton in the film and except that it be give to the character of vasquez ) . now with an ally ( and not a drunken one and a in the film ) and vasquez start sabotage kongre activity on the island . carcante keep suggest leave and but kongre ( unused to someone annoy him successfully ) keep delay in order to catch vasquez and davis . the end result be that when he think he have them corner and the chilean boat appear to sink his craft and kill most of his crew and and confront him . kongre commits suicide to avoid capture . much of the mayhem of the movie ( with denton pick off crew member one at a time ) be not in the book . nor be there any female character in the novel ( a rarity in most of verne story he could be quite a feminist when he wish ) . the egotism of jonathan kongre be well show by yul brynner performance and but the subtlety of that trait be lose . the writer presumably do not think the audience could appreciate it . kirk douglas do well enough a denton and but his singlehanded success ( vasquez and davis work together well to the end of the story and unlike denton ally who be kill by the pirate ) seem unlikely . the bestiality of the pirate be well show in the movie and particularly a singularly tall actor who in one scene wear woman clothe to particularly unsettling effect . the film be not a bad minor adventure film and but it could have be good if they have stick to verne theme .