THE TREASURE ISLAND
Treasure Island is a 1950 Disney adventure film, adapted from the Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island. It starred Bobby Driscoll as Jim Hawkins, and Robert Newton as Long John Silver. It was Disney's first completely live-action film and the first screen version of Treasure Island made in color.
A non-Disney produced sequel to the film, Long John Silver, was released in 1954, with Newton reprising his role of Long John Silver. Newton went on to play Silver again in a TV series, The Adventures of Long John Silver (made 1954–55), also shot at Pagewood Studios Sydney, and started (in Technicolor) before Australia had television.
Jim Hawkins, a young boy living with his mother in England in their inn, the 'Admiral Benbow', is looking after the inn, when a strange man comes and orders a glass of rum from him, at the same time asking Jim if he has seen a "CPT. WILLIAM BONES". Jim answers that he has never seen a Billy Bones, and gets Black Dog another glass of rum. However, Black Dog looks into the back of the inn and sees an old sea chest with the initials "W.B." inscribed on the side, and takes off. Once he is gone, Bones enters asking Jim if it was "a one legged man". Jim tells Bones of the man who came in and Bones recognizes him as Black Dog, and tells Jim to give him rum, though he is instructed not to for his health sake. Jim runs out of the inn, but runs straight into Blind Pew and is caught. Pew presents Bones with the infamous black spot, and leaves. Bones reveals he has until dark to live, but he is too ill to walk even a few steps, so knowing he is going to die, he gives Jim a roll of paper and tells him to go get help from the town.
The pirates come to the inn and begin to ransack it in search of whatever it is they are after. A carriage comes down the road and they flee, chased by some men on horseback, while the carriage stops at the inn with Squire Trelawney, Doctor Livesey, and Jim. They find Bones, and Livesey declares him dead, but from shock, not murder. Jim reveals that Bones gave him something that he said the pirates were after. It is the map of Captain John Flint's treasure (700,000 pounds estimated). Trelawney, overly excited, makes plans then and there for a voyage, with Livesey as ship's doctor and Jim as cabin boy.
Ten days pass. Jim arrives and Doctor Livesey rendezvous with Squire in Bristol Dock. After showing them their ship, the Hispaniola, Trewlaney states that he is troubled by the fact that their captain is having trouble selecting a crew. He then introduces them to a man whom he hired as ship's cook, named Long John Silver. The three sit down at Silver's tavern to have a meal, and they see Silver has only one leg. Jim is at first frightened by this, (Though he says nothing about Bones' warning) but Silver seems kind and civil, stating that he was once in the navy, and volunteers to bring some of his former shipmates aboard the voyage, since they "know the sea". Silver introduces Jim to his pet parrot, Captain Flint, who is an avid swearer and "Lives up to her name". Jim then hears a voice behind him ordering a glass of rum, and he turns around to see Black Dog. The buccaneer flees before he can be caught. Silver then gives Jim a small pistol, just his size.
Silver, Jim and Silver's former crew mates board the Hispaniola to prepare for the voyage. Captain Smollett then speaks privately with Livesey and Trelawney, stating how displeased he is with the fact that this whole voyage is a treasure hunt. Trelawney swears that he never breathed a word about the treasure, but Livesey asks the captain if he is worried about a mutiny, to which he doubts. He then toasts the voyage with the two, and when he leaves, Trelawney dubs his conduct, "Downright un-English!". Once the voyage is well underway, one of the crew, George Merry, is found to carrying a concealed weapon. Jim feels guilty about hiding the small pistol that Silver gave him, but Silver says that as long as he doesn't do any harm with it, that he is responsible enough to keep it on his person. Silver then goes over to George and reminds George that Mr. Arrow is a friend and that he will take care of him. That night, there is a storm, in which Silver invites Mr. Arrow in to eat plum duff, a cake made with rum. Once Silver leaves the room, Arrow, being an avid drinker, drinks down the entire bottle that Silver left behind, while Silver secretly watches. Soon afterward, Mr. Arrow emerges from the galley, clearly drunk, and the next morning, a funeral is held for Mr. Arrow, who had been washed overboard.
Time passes, and Jim is seen talking to Hunter at the helm about when they will sight land. Hunter mentions that when the last apple has been eaten, that they will sight land. Jim excitedly states that he plans to eat up all the apples, and runs below deck to do so. Once he arrives below deck, he climbs inside to grab one, and at that moment, he overhears the crew talking about their plans to mutiny, and learns that Silver is the ringleader. Silver convinces the men to wait until they have the treasure on board the ship to strike, and begins to reach into the barrel Jim is hiding in, but Jim is saved by the cry "Land Ho!" from above deck, and the mutineers run up to see for themselves. Jim then leaves the barrel and runs to the cabin to warn the captain, squire and doctor. They arrange for Jim to be their spy. The next day, Silver tells Jim about all the excitement he will have exploring the island, though he can tell that Jim is withdrawing from him slightly.Silver offers to guide the ship into anchorage, and Jim asks if he can go with Silver. Smollett allows him, knowing the boy might learn something of the pirate's plan. While the boat is in the water, George Merry, impatient and wanting to take charge himself, tells the other mutineers to attack, but they are cornered and sent below deck. Silver gives orders for the men in the two boats with him to run for it, and uses Jim as a hostage to keep Smollett and the others from firing, telling them to give up the map in exchange for Jim's life.
Upon reaching the shore, Jim jumps from the boat and runs off into the jungle. After evading pursuit from three of the mutineers, Jim encounters and befriends Ben Gunn, one of Flint's crew who was marooned on the island five years ago. Jim tells him about the mutiny, and then Ben takes Jim to a fort, where he finds the captain and his friends, who abandoned the ship and came ashore in order to rescue Jim. Silver and his men go back aboard ship to get the muskets from the cabin, and find the rest of their men drinking the rum stores. Silver plans to punish George, but Israel says that George would be better in helping them take the stockade, and Silver allows George's rash actions to slide. Silver appears outside the stockade with a flag of truce. Silver gives him terms, stating that he will let them all live in exchange for the map. Smollett does not accept, and Silver leaves, stating, "Them that die will be the lucky ones!" Most of the pirates fall and are badly injured in the fight, but Silver shots Smollet, wounding him badly before he too, makes a retreat. That night, Livesey gives Jim the map, telling him that if they are captured, to use the map to buy his life with. Smollett then reveals that the pirates may not attack again because of the possibility of them bringing the ship close into shore at flood tide the next morning, allowing them to put the fort within range and kill them all.
Jim sneaks out with a knife and uses Ben Gunn's boat to make his way out to the ship. Once there, he cuts the anchor rope and climbs aboard. He sees a fight between Israel Hands and another mutineer over rum, and sees Israel stab his companion in the back. Israel then attempts to fire the cannon, but he is heavily drunk and tired from the fight, so Jim easily knocks him away from the cannon, but Israel chases him into the rigging. Jim pulls out the pistol Silver gave him, and Israel throws a knife at Jim and it sticks in his arm, but Jim fires the pistol reflexively and shoots Israel in the face. Jim then lowers the Jolly Roger flag, and raises the English Union Jack. He then makes his way ashore and back to the stockade, his knife wound slowly and painfully becoming infected due to the swampy region he makes his way through.
Finally, he arrives back at the stockade and attempts to wake Livesey to tend to his wound, but it turns out to Long John Silver that he has awoken. Jim faints due to both fright and exhaustion. Silver is clearly worried, and while searching for more wounds on the boy, discovers the map, and hides it on his person as his comrades awaken. Though the mutineers (George in particular) want to let Jim die, Silver states they can use Jim to bargain with Livesey and the others for the map. The crew is displeased with this decision, and step outside to vote on what should be done. Silver then hails Livesey by calling out from the top of the fort, and sees that the ship has been taken. Livesey responds and Silver's crew reveal that they are giving him the black spot. When Silver reads it, he notices that it has been cut from a Bible and berates them for doing something so foolish, then states that the rest of this business will be decided once he finishes the business with the map. Silver takes Jim out to Livesey, who tends to his wound. Silver tells him that he saved Jim's life and that he saw the ship and knows he's beat, though Livesey did not know the ship had been taken until Silver told him, and realizes what Jim has done for them. Silver reveals that he found the map on Jim's person, telling Jim that he cares about him enough to save his life even though he already had it. Silver makes a deal with Livesey for freedom if he guards Jim while he and his men search for the treasure. Silver walks back to his men and shows them the map, who are elated with the results of the negotiation, but Silver resigns as captain. The men insist he keeps his position, and he gives them back the black spot to put back into the Bible they took it from.
The pirates then go hunting for the treasure, and on the way, discover a skeleton of one of their former mates on Flint's ship. After using the bones, which were laid out by compass as a pointer, they make their way to the treasure, where they find it has already been dug up and taken. The pirates are angered that the treasure is gone, and Silver tells Jim to "Standby for trouble." George Merry accuses Silver of making a deal with Doctor Livesey, and attempts to shoot him, but Silver fires first and kills George. Silver shoots down the pirates one by one, until Livesey and Trelawney arrive with the others and ambush them, shooting them all down. Jim is reunited with his friends, and Ben Gunn gives back Silver's crutch, which he had thrown at one of the pirates. Ben reveals that he found Flint's gold a long time ago and hid it in his cave, where he takes Jim and Silver to see for themselves. Smollett, almost completely recovered from his wound, and despite Jim's defense of Silver, orders Silver to be taken aboard the ship and put in irons.
Once on the beach with some loaded treasure and new supplies, Jim, Trelawney and two men are ready to take Silver aboard the ship, where suddenly, Silver snatches the small pistol from Jim's belt and orders Trelawney and the two men to swim for it or he will shoot. He forces Jim to stay in the boat to man his rudder while he rows, but Jim beaches him on a small sandbar and gets out. Silver raises a pistol, but Jim says he won't take orders from Silver, who takes aim, but Silver drops the pistol. Silver attempts to push himself off the bank and Jim rushes over to help push out the boat. Silver thanks him and rows away to freedom just as Livesey and the others arrive to try to catch him. Silver turns back to shout back to Jim, bidding him goodbye and wishing him good luck. Livesey curses Silver, and at the same time, wishes him the best of luck, while Jim, who realizes that Silver was his friend all along, raises his hand and waves goodbye to him. The film then closes with Long John Silver sailing off into the horizon.
Reception
The film was the sixth most popular movie at the British box office in 1950.[1]
Cast
Bobby Driscoll as Jim Hawkins
Robert Newton as Long John Silver
Basil Sydney as Captain Smollett
Walter Fitzgerald as Squire Trelawney
Denis O'Dea as Dr. Livesy
Finlay Currie as Capt. Billy Bones
Ralph Truman as George Merry
Geoffrey Keen as Israel Hands
Geoffrey Wilkinson as Ben Gunn
John Laurie as Blind Pew
Francis de Wolff as Black Dog
David Davies as Mr. Arrow
John Gregson as Redruth
Andrew Blackett as Gray
William Devlin as Morgan
Harold Jamieson as Scully
Directed by Byron Haskin
Produced by Walt Disney
Perce Pearce
Written by Lawrence Edward Watkin
Starring Bobby Driscoll
Robert Newton
Basil Sydney
Finlay Currie
Music by Clifton Parker
Cinematography Freddie Young
Editing by Alan Jaggs
Studio Walt Disney Productions
Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures
Release date(s)
July 19, 1950
Running time 96 minutes
Country United States
Language English
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