Treasure Island

Probably the first film I ever went to see and was totally engrossed in it as a growing eight year old. From the wonderful colourful character of Long John, the mutinous crew, the heroic Jim and the oddball Ben Gunn and a lively, not too scary yarn, what else could a growing boy want? I loved dressing up and adventures as a youngster and thought that I wouldn't mind losing a leg because I could then play Long John Silver! I have always held other versions in contempt, after all, Robert Newton IS Long John! How dare anyone else even dare to think otherwise? It's the kind of film that even though I possess it DVD and video I would always sit down and enjoy it all over again if it came again on television. In my own favourite top one hundred.

Fabulous and appealing adventures starred by two unforgettable characters , Jim Hawkins/Bobby Driscoll and Long John Silver/Robert Newton . Gorgeous and astounding adventure film with an outstanding and fantastic starring , Jim Hawkins, and a nasty as well as likable pirate called Long Silver in search of the buried treasure of the buccaneer Captain Flint . Entertaining and solid retelling from Walt Disney filmed in imaginative style with the literary heroes Jack Hawkins and the pirate Long John Silver . Again we live the roaring adventure , this time set in a far island . We share the struggles , the heartaches , the laughter of courageous souls who leave their houses they love to dare the wrath of the angry space pirates . Jim Hawkins encounters a map that leads to a distant Caribbean island where is a buried treasure . Enchanted by the idea of locating treasure buried by Captain Flint , Captain Smollett (Basil Sydney) , Squire Trelawney (Walter Fitzgerald) , Dr. Livesy (Denis O'Dea) and Jim Hawkins (Bobby Driscoll , he only had a 3 month work permit in England so all his scenes were filmed first, a long way out of continuity) charter a sailing voyage in a ship called La Española to a Caribbean island . Upright men and greedy pirates in conflict with their destiny enacting the Robert Stevenson's most thrilling story in search of the legendary loot of Captain Nathaniel Flint . Then , the young boy join forces with his friends and , of course , a boisterous , rogue Long John Silver (Robert Newton)) journey to island of hidden bounty . The young cabin boy Hawkins has a treasure map and a boatload of kill-crazed pirates eager for the riches hidden on Treasure Island . Unfortunately, a large number of Flint's old pirate crew are aboard the ship, including Long John Silver . Jim Hawkins matches with stick-legged , a notably snarly Long Silver and adventures go on . But even greater risks lie ahead when Hawkins finds out that his trusted colleague Long John is actually a nasty pirate with mutiny on his mind . As young Jim Hawkins is torn between his loyalty to his benefactors and his affection for lovable rogue Long John Silver in their struggle to recover a buried pirate treasure .

Fun story with plenty of adventure , intrigue , fights and action . The whole piece of adventure teems with emotion , thrills , humor , exotic atmosphere and being pretty amusing . Appropriately adventurous rendition of Robert Stevenson's often-filmed and spine-tingling tale . In the picture there is humor , rip-roaring adventures , swashbuckling and it's pretty funny . Top-notch acting by Robert Newton , his featured performance as Long John Silver is so iconic that it is thought by many to be the origin of today's stereotypical laced pirate patois . This was Disney's first live action movie ; Walt Disney started the project when postwar restrictions stopped him from transferring profits from his cartoons out of Great Britain , rather than set up a new animation studio, he used the profits and existing facilities to produce a conventional film . At the film appears usual personages from Stevenson's Treasure Island such as Billy Bones well played by Finlay Currie , George Merry splendidly acted by villain Ralph Truman , Nathaliel Flint , Capt. Billy Bones , Israel Hands , Ben Gunn , Blind Pew , Black Dog and Mr. Arrow . Colorful and glamorous cinematography by Freddie Young , filmed in England, not in the West Indies . Evocative as well as moving musical score by Clifton Parker . The motion picture was compellingly directed by Byron Haskin . Rating : Above average . Well worth watching , you'll be on the edge of your seat.

Other renditions -being multitudinous remakes , as there are many films made of it- based on this classic novel are the followings : Vintage version (1934) by Victor Fleming with Jackie Cooper , Wallace Beery and Lewis Stone ; this Disney take on (1950) by Byron Haskin , being a respectable full-blooded second-best the classic Fleming version ; it was followed by a sequel titled ¨Long John Silver¨ also directed by Byron Haskin with Robert Newton , Lloyd Berrell , Grant Taylor , Rod Taylor ; in addition , ¨Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on January 29, 1951 with Bobby Driscoll reprising his film role . Furthermore , European retelling (1974) by John Hough with Orson Welles , Angel Del Pozo , Lionel Stander and Kim Burfield ; ¨Treasure Island¨ (1999) by Marc Charlesbois with Jack Palance , Patrick Bergin and Kevin Zegers ; TV recounting by Fraser C Heston with Charlton Heston , Christian Bale and Richard Johnson . ¨Muppet's Treasure island¨ (1996) and recent rendition (2012) by Steve Barron , starred by Eddie Izzard , Rupert Penry-Jones , Daniel Mays , Donald Sutherland and Elijah Wood . Besides , "Treasure Island in Outer Space", TV miniseries (1987) set in space directed by Antonio Margheriti with Anthony Quinn as Long John Silver , David Warbeck as Doctor Livesy and Philippe Leroy as Squire . And Disney top-notch cartoon-Sci-Fi version Treasure planet (2002) splendidly directed by John Musker and Ron Clemens .

if you have ever read the book by Robert Louis Stevenson, you will truly enjoy this movie. Robert Newton is the perfect Long John Silver. I cannot imagine another actor living up to the role the way he did. Sure, the acting may not be the best, and the screen effects may be bad, but you have to remember when it was made. It is a very good movie for its time, and quite an enjoyable one in mine. If you enjoy seafaring movies- See this one. If you like pirate flicks- this one will have you arrgging all night long.

When I think of Long John silver, I think of one quote, "Fortune sits on the shoulder of him what schemes."

Sure, it had its shortcomings, and it wasn't as dark as it could have been, but this is certainly the best version of a book that has been retold time after time. As a child, this was one of my favorite books, and I always felt this was one of the best, if not the best adaptation of the book. Maybe someday someone will make a better version, but until then, my vote goes to this one.

Excellent film adaptation of the famous novel made in England at Denham Film Studios and using much of the Denham lake and the river Colne in the location sequences. Wonderful 50s technicolour and matte shots from Peter Ellenshaw to enhance the scenery. Robert Newton in great form as Long John Silver and Bobby Driscoll equally good as Jim Hawkins - not to mention the fine British cast of top rate character actors The latest Disney video is supposed to show the original full version BUT this is not the case - for one thing the death of Pugh under the coach wheels is left out as well as the other sequences cut for the '70s re-issue of the film. This is a great shame. I am not sure whether or not the DVD recent release is also produced minus these scenes