The Boy and the Pirates

THE BOY AND THE PIRATES is atypical fare from Mr B. I. G., aka Burt I. Gordon, best known for his back-projected creature features featuring blown-up critters running rampage in the streets of America. This kiddie film is much more genteel and involves the adventures of a precocious boy who discovers a genie on the shore (said genie is played by Joe Turkel, recognisable as the sinister bartender in THE SHINING). Pretty soon his wish to become a pirate comes true, and the rest of the film charts his adventures on a pirate ship alongside Blackbeard. This is simple stuff for sure, colourful and vibrant and resolutely shallow from beginning to end. It's nowhere near on par with THE MAGIC SWORD, but it passes the time.

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.

A young boy (Charles Herbert) is magically transported back in time to a pirate ship on the high seas.

I have something of a fondness for Bert Gordon. While his films are hit and miss, probably more miss, and often cheesy, he does hail from Kenosha, Wisconsin and attended UW-Madison. So I like to consider him a kindred spirit, even if we have never met.

This is actually among his better films, though not one of the more well-known. Of course, he may be best known for the films that appeared on "Mystery Science Theater", so that would tend to skew how people see him. Here the plot, effects and even the scenery and costumes are good. The story seems to be a kid's adventure but is dark enough that people of all ages may appreciate it.

Shockingly, no monsters! And no large animals (though we do have a genie who appears very small, so at least we have that).

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 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.