"Die Schatzinsel" (1966) TV mini-series

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Wolfgang Liebeneiner

Writers:

Robert Louis Stevenson (novel)
Walter Ulbrich (writer)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

25 December 1966 (West Germany)

Genre:

Adventure | Family

Plot Keywords:

Pirates | Tavern | Long John Silver | Blind Man | Amputee

Cast

Michael Ande	...	Jim Hawkins (1 episode, 1966)
Ivor Dean	...	John Silver (1 episode, 1966)
Georges Riquier	...	Dr. Livesey (1 episode, 1966)
Jacques Dacqmine	...	Trelawney (1 episode, 1966)
Jacques Monod	...	Kapitän Smollet (1 episode, 1966)
Dante Maggio	...	Bill Bones (1 episode, 1966)
Ilsemarie Schnering	...	Mrs. Hawkins (1 episode, 1966)
Jacques Godin	...	Israel Hands (1 episode, 1966)
Jean Mauvais	...	Pew (1 episode, 1966)
Jean Saudray	...	Ben Gunn (1 episode, 1966)
Sylvain Lévignac	...	'Schwarzer Hund' (1 episode, 1966)
François Darbon	...	Marc Hawkins (1 episode, 1966)
Leroy Haynes		(1 episode, 1966)
Lucien Hubert		(1 episode, 1966)
Dominique Maurin	...	Junge (1 episode, 1966)
Poldo Bendandi		(1 episode, 1966)
Roger Lumont		(1 episode, 1966)
Guy Saint-Jean		(1 episode, 1966)
Antoine Baud	...	Mr. Dance (1 episode, 1966)
Christian Chevreuse	...	Reilly (1 episode, 1966)
Niels Clausnitzer	...	Trelawney (1 episode, 1966)
Erich Ebert	...	Pew (1 episode, 1966)
Alois Maria Giani	...	Dr. Livesey (1 episode, 1966)
Klaus Kindler	...	'Schwarzer Hund' (1 episode, 1966)
Ernst Konstantin	...	Bill Bones (1 episode, 1966)
Anton Reimer	...	Ben Gunn (1 episode, 1966)

Also Known As:

"L'île au trésor" (France)
"Treasure Island" (Canada: English title)

Runtime:

France:26 min (13 episodes) | Germany:85 min (4 episodes) | USA:84 min (theatrical version) | 25 min (13 episodes)

Country:

France | West Germany

Language:

French | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Brittany, France

Company:

Deropa Films

Movie Connections:

Version of Ostrov sokrovishch (1971)

Fine adaptation, but beware the English version...

What we have here, surprisingly turns out to be one of the finest film adaptations of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island that I have seen. Beloved in Germany were it first appeared as a "four-parter" at Christmas 1966, this version, while not 100% adherent to the novel, nevertheless captures a spirit of adventure that is sadly missing in many other versions. One of the more problematic aspects is the casting of Michael Ande as Jim Hawkins. At 22 this former child star is simply too old for the role, yet he is likable and attractive and plays with such a boyish verve that one soon forgets his advanced age. English actor Ivor Dean cuts a fine figure as Long John Silver and unlike so many who have played the role gets his point across without chewing the scenery. The rest of the cast is equally fine. The whole thing is beautifully filmed and looks very expensive for a television production. At 344 minutes, one would think that it would suffer from over-length, but it does not. I watched the whole thing in one sitting, riveted. By the way, the DVD of Die Schatzinsel offers no English language subtitles, but even with my less than rudimentary high-school German skills (I can't speak a lick of German!) I enjoyed this greatly.

Just a word of caution: My first experience with this movie was a badly dubbed English version, cut down to movie length. I thought it was horrible, badly paced, dull, incoherent and just plain odd. Well,of course it was bad! Aside from the washed out print and the horrible voice work, over three hours of the film had been cut! Avoid this version like the plague.