Long John Silver (1954)

Director:

Byron Haskin

Writers:

Martin Rackin (written by) and
Robert Louis Stevenson (characters)

Release Date:

16 December 1954 (Australia)

Genre:

Action | Adventure

Tagline:

The most rollicking rogue ever to sail the Spanish Main !

Plot:

In this sequel to Treasure Island, Long John hopes to rescue his friend Jim from a rival pirate and return for more treasure.

Plot Keywords:

Pirate | Sequel | Swashbuckler | Character Name In Title

Cast

Robert Newton	...	Long John Silver
Connie Gilchrist	...	Purity Pinker
Lloyd Berrell	...	Capt. Mendoza, 'El Toro'
Grant Taylor	...	Patch
Rod Taylor	...	Israel Hands (as Rodney Taylor)
Harvey Adams	...	Sir Henry Strong
Muriel Steinbeck	...	Lady Strong
Henry Gilbert	...	Billy Bowlegs
John Brunskill	...	Old Stringley
Eric Reiman	...	Lanky pirate
Harry Hambleton	...	Big Eric
Syd Chambers	...	Ned Shill
George Simpson-Lyttle	...	Capt. Asa MacDougall (as George Simpson-Little)
Tony Arpino	...	Mendoza pirate
Al Thomas	...	Mendoza pirate

Also Known As:

Long John Silver's Return to Treasure Island

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Australia

Company:

Treasure Island Pictures Pty. Ltd.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Silver lays out the plan to 'El Toro' Mendoza to waylay Sir Henry's warehouse of jewels and rum, it called for two signal fires to send the governor's warships south as a diversion, while the pirates would head north toward the warehouse. However, only one signal fire was lit, which was the signal for Henry's men to go north as well.

Quotes:

Long John Silver: Sometimes them what quotes the Bible has less Bible in their hearts than them what don't.

Movie Connections:

Followed by "The Adventures of Long John Silver" (1955)

"Aaaaaaaaargh mate, shiver me timbers"

This Australian production made four years after Walt Disney's version of Treasure Island has Robert Newton reprising his role of Long John Silver. Returning characters from Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island are Jim Hawkins and Israel Hands.

The Disney version of Treasure Island was a once in a lifetime mating of an actor so perfect for the role he was cast in. Robert Newton was a man who needed a firm directorial hand normally, but Long John Silver is one of those larger than life parts where the sky isn't even the limit when it comes to chewing scenery. Newton throws himself into this role just as he did in Treasure Island and again in Blackbeard the Pirate, he was put on this planet to play pirates.

This film finds Long John rescuing the Governor of Jamaica's daughter and then returning to Treasure Island for more treasure. Jim Hawkins, who apparently never went back to the UK, is also along for the ride. On Treasure Island Newton has to deal with another pirate captain named Mendoza and Israel Hands from his old crew.

Now all of us who know the story of Treasure Island know that Jim Hawkins killed Israel Hands in the story. But it turns out not to be the case. Seems that he only blinded him and Hands has been living on Treasure Island ever since waiting for the return of Silver and Hawkins. In this film, Hands is played by young Rod Taylor in his second film and under his full name of Rodney Taylor. As resourceful as Taylor makes Hands, there ain't no way I believe a blind man survived on an uninhabited island for years.

Another character is introduced here, a woman who runs a waterfront dive named Purity played by Connie Gilchrist. She has hopes of marrying the incorrigible reprobate Silver, but no such luck. Gilchrist and Newton's scenes are very cute and are more than faintly reminiscent of Wallace Beery and Marie Dressler.

The success of this film led to a TV series Long John Silver with both Newton and Gilchrist and young Kip Taylor as Jim Hawkins. It might have gone on longer than a season, but for Robert Newton's death from acute alcoholism. Read David Niven's memoir Bring on the Empty Horses for a fine account of a man much loved by friends and colleagues, but with a deadly weakness for the 'craiture' as the Irish refer to it.

Long John Silver is a film with a lot of weaknesses in plot and structure, but carried by the indomitable Robert Newton and the strength of his career role.