The Cay is a 1974 American adventure television film directed by Patrick Garland and written by Russell Thacher, based on the 1969 novel by Theodore Taylor.
It stars James Earl Jones, Alfred Lutter, and Gretchen Corbett, and premiered on NBC on October 21, 1974.
When a hurricane hits the cay, Timothy ties their meager supplies to a tree and shields Phillip from the strong winds and rain that flay his whole body.
Terrible tempis'...." After Timothy's death, Phillip remains confident until a plane flies over the island without stopping for him.
But when he hears another plane, he manages to build up and ignite the signal fire that Timothy had built, throwing green branches on it to make more smoke.