Streaming Movie Classic Reviews Treasure Island

The family film that gave us our vision of what a pirate is even today.

Released in 1950, “Treasure Island” was a hit with U.S. and U.K. Audiences, and created the image of how a pirate is supposed to sound and look that continues almost 70 years later. Robert Newtons portrayal of Long John Silver is so iconic that Newton reprised the role for another movie (Long John Silver) in 1954 and a television series (The Adventures of Long John Silver) starting in 1956. Although the pirate “arrr” can be found as early as the 30s, it is Newton’s sound and image of a pirate that has influenced all following portrayals, even today.

 

Disney re-released “Treasure Island” in 1975 but the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) gave it a PG rating. Disney had a policy of only releasing G rated films so 8 minutes were cut to receive that G rating. It wasn’t until 1990 when Disney put those 8 minutes back in and took a PG rating for the film.

 

Premise

We meet young Jim Hawkins (Driscoll) in his mother’s inn along the coast of 1765 England located several miles away from town. One of their boarders is the sickly, Captain William (Billy) Bones who is hiding from his old pirate crew. When William is found by old ship mate Black Dog, Billy gives Jim a treasure map to Captain Flints long lost treasure and tells Jim that it now belongs to him and his mother and sends Jim into town.

 

Jim runs into town for Squire Trelawney (Fitzgerald) and for Dr. Livesey (O’Dea) but return to late to save William. Jim tells William story, and shows the map to Squire Trelawney who immediately gets excited at the prospect of searching down the loot of Captain Flint and begins to talk Dr. Livesey  into the adventure.

 

The following 60 minutes is an adventure set on the high sea and on a Caribbean island where Long John Silver, (Newton) leading a crew of former pirates, to mutiny and steal Flints lost treasure. Its a coming of age story as we watch young Jim Hawkins experience betrayal and adventure and learn about the world and his place in it.

“Treasure Island” is available on:

Amazon           For Rent or Purchase

Google Play    For Rent or Purchase

Vudu               For Rent or Purchase

YouTube          For Rent

Review of Treasure Island (1950)    PG      IMDB 7/10

Based on “Treasure Island”

Robert Louis Stevenson

 

IMDB

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043067/?ref_=tttr_tr_tt

Old Hollywood Films

http://www.oldhollywoodfilms.com/2015/11/treasure-island.html

Starring;

Bobby Driscoll as Jim Hawkins

Robert Newton as Long John Silver

Basil Sydney as Captain Smollett

Walter Fitzgerald as Squire Trelawney

Denis O’Dea as Dr. Livesey

Geoffrey Keen as Israel Hands

Geoffrey Wilkinson as Ben Gun

 

Director: Byron Haskin

Screenplay: Lawrence Edward Watkin