Treasure Island (1950)

Young Jim Hawkins is caught up with the pirate Long John Silver in search of the buried treasure of the buccaneer Captain Flint, in this adaptation of the classic novel by Robert Louis ... See full summary »

Director:

Byron Haskin

Writers:

Lawrence Edward Watkin (screenplay), Robert Louis Stevenson (story)

Stars:

Bobby Driscoll, Robert Newton, Basil Sydney

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bobby Driscoll	...	Jim Hawkins
Robert Newton	...	Long John Silver
Basil Sydney	...	Captain Smollett
Walter Fitzgerald	...	Squire Trelawney
Denis O'Dea	...	Dr. Livesy
Finlay Currie	...	Capt. Billy Bones
Ralph Truman	...	George Merry
Geoffrey Keen	...	Israel Hands
Geoffrey Wilkinson	...	Ben Gunn
John Laurie	...	Blind Pew
Francis De Wolff	...	Black Dog
David Davies	...	Mr. Arrow
John Gregson	...	Redruth
Andrew Blackett	...	Gray
William Devlin	...	Morgan

Storyline

Young Jim Hawkins is caught up with the pirate Long John Silver in search of the buried treasure of the buccaneer Captain Flint, in this adaptation of the classic novel by Robert Louis Stevenson.

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Plot Keywords:

captain | treasure | pirate | island | buried treasure | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Family

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 July 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island

Filming Locations:

Black Park, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Productions, Walt Disney British Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Howard Douglas replaced actor Caven Watson at short notice.

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Goofs

When the pirates approach the inn we hear very strong winds but their clothing is not disturbed at all.

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Quotes

Jim Hawkins: Everything he told us was a lie. I've been a fool, sir.

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Connections

Version of A Ilha do Tesouro (1963)

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Soundtracks

"Yo Ho Ho"
(uncredited)
Written by Marcus Dods

User Reviews

Aaargh, matey! Them that dies will be the lucky ones!

I'm not sure if this is the cinematic version which best captures the ethos of Robert Louis Stevenson's book, but it is the version which provides the best movie experience for the viewer, and probably the film that most people think of whenever some one mentions Treasure Island.

Wallace Beery is always worth watching, and his black and white version has many strong points, but he never quite convinces me that he is the black hearted devil who is second only to Captain Flint himself in his cruelty. The Charlton Heston version has the advantage of a wonderful Chieftains soundtrack, and some richer production values than were possible in 1954, but somehow Heston never comes across as the kind of man who could weld a band of misfits, convicts, perverts, murderers and general misanthropes into a functioning pirate crew.

Robert Newton, however, is the definitive Long John Silver. I saw this flick fifty years ago, when it was first run in the theaters, and it left an indelible impression in my memory. (apparently it also impressed Richard Dreyfuss, who does an homage to Newton's Long John in 'Jaws'). The last time I viewed it was probably about ten years ago when my youngest child was still a pre-teen, and Newton's performance as the quintessential rogue who can slit your throat without a qualm while you are laughing at one of his jokes was just as impressive to me when I was 50 as when I was 10.

The story is a little long in the tooth, but the key points, such as the delivery of the black spot by Blind Pew, and the recapture of the Hispaniola, are still tense and exciting, even to a generation weaned on Stargate and Spiderman. The apple barrel scene with young Jim trying to avoid being skewered by Silver's knife made my kids scream, and what more can you ask from a kid's movie than a good, safe scare?

This is a must have movie for any serious video collection.