The Boy and the Pirates

The Boy and the Pirates (1960)

** (out of 4)

Bert I. Gordon stepped away from the giant insects long enough to direct this children's film about a young Jimmy Warren (Charles Herbert) who is in trouble by his parents because all he does is think about the days of the pirates. After coming across a genie, the boy is transported back to when Blackbeard (Murvyn Vye) ruled the sea and the boy gets to see what it was really like. THE BOY AND THE PIRATES is innocent enough and there are a few good things about it but I think most adults are going to have trouble staying awake through it. I'll start off with the good stuff, which includes some decent special effects considering some of the director's earlier films and not to mention that the budget here isn't that big. I also thought we got some nice supporting performances including Vye as Blackbeard and Paul Guilfoyle who plays a pirate who befriends the children. The director's daughter Susan Gordon actually steals the show in a dual role as Jimmy's friend. Even Joe Turkel isn't too bad as the genie. I think Herbert wasn't all that interesting in the lead so his performance certainly brings the film down a notch or two. Another problem is that there's really just not enough energy to carry the film and its rather short running time. There are quite a few pirate battles but none of them are so exciting to the point where you're having a great time. Instead, they get the job done to just barely keep you awake. I think the darker moments of the film (the kids constantly being threatened) really don't mix too well with some of the lighter humor (the bubblegum getting in the pirate's food) but these scenes on their own are quite effective.

Keep in mind this film was released in 1960 and the target audience were families, especially young boys and girls who had an innate fear of Pirates and/or Indians. At my now senior citizen age I was bored very early with young Jimmy but when I saw the fearful pirate Morgan (Timothy Carey) my boyhood fear was brought to the forefront.

If you enjoyed The Boy and the Pirates I suggest you try and catch the subsequent 1961 Ray Harryhausen's Mysterious Island. Ray Harryhausen's classic visual effects lead the way for many a fine adventure films that followed which is why I have to give some credit to The Boy and the Pirates which led the way for many a great adventure films to follow.

I give it a decent 5 out of 10 IMDb rating but it is meant for children between the ages of 5 and 15.

This film begins with a young boy by the name of "Jimmy Warren" (Charles Herbert) playing on what's left of an old ship that crashed upon the coast near his small town in Massachusetts. Upon gazing out into the ocean he just happens to spot a bottle that drifts on the beach and while handling it wishes he could be aboard a pirate ship. Suddenly a genie named "Adu" (Joseph Turkel) pops out and immediately grants his wish. The next thing Jimmy knows is that he is surrounded by pirates and subsequently forced to work for "Captain Blackbeard" (Murvyn Vye) as his personal cabin boy. To make matters even worse, Abu then tells him that unless he can return the bottle within 3 days to the exact spot in which he found it he will be forced to take Abu's place and live in the same bottle for the next two thousand years. From that point on Jimmy tries his best to get the pirate ship to change course and head back to Massachusetts but the only problem is that Abu is doing everything possible to prevent it. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was an okay adventure film which was essentially produced for younger viewers. As such the action, scripts and special effects were toned down to accommodate that particular audience. Even so this wasn't a bad film by any means and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

Cute 12 year old Charles Herbert stars in this kiddie movie about a boy who dreams of being a pirate. To get him away from his hum-drum life of school, chores, and nagging parents. O to be free like the pirates, and do what a boy wants!

Walking on the Massachusetts shore, little Jimmy (Herbert) finds a genie in a bottle. The genie makes his dream come true. But the boy finds out to his dismay that the life of a pirate is not what he thought it would be. And he longs for home.

Lots of boyish adventure. Blackbeard, and sloops, and man-o-wars, treasure chests, rum and adventures.

The cute Herbert made many movies and also starred in "Houseboat" as the little son to Sophia Loren as his stepmother. See also "Don't Eat the Daisies" also made in 1960 when the lad was 12. Such a comely lad, he should have gone on to other movies but seems to have vanished into high school obscurity. Pity, he was such a cute boy.

This is actually quite an amiable little kids adventure film that sees the young "Jimmy" (Charles Herbert) find a bottle on the beach - next thing he and his friend "Katrina" (Susan Gordon) have been miraculously transported aboard the pirate ship of "Blackbeard" (Murvyn Vye) and adventures galore lie ahead... Paul Gilfoyle is quite good as the pirate's sidekick "Snipe" and it has quite a bit of light-heartedness to it - "Blackbeard" tries to light his cigar with some safety matches! - and plenty of jolly japes for the youngsters. It has been produced in the style of the Disney action films of the time, but to nowhere near the same standard. That said, though, the kids are clearly up for it, it has plenty of low-budget swash and buckle and though probably fifteen minutes too long, might still have been enjoyable for younger eyes.