Long John Silver (1954)

Memorable, crazy movie

Best movie ever!

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

If you have seen the '50 Disney "Treasure Island", there is little point in watching this sequel, which is more of the same, although it is available free at YouTube, in case you are tempted. After a while, I got weary of the thick lingos of Robert Newton, as Silver, and Lloyd Barrell, as Mendoza, often making it difficult to understand what they are saying. Newton, of course, was famous for his portrayal of Silver in the '50 film, and I assume also in the present film. Actually, I liked Newton's portrayal of Blackbeard("Blackbeard the Pirate") better than his Long John Silver. Like the original, this was shot in Technicolor, but in various Australian locations. The main point is the competition between Silver and Mendoza to find a second stash of Captain Flint's treasure missed on the first journey to Treasure Island, in the '50 film.......Have a number of questions pertaining to the screenplay: 1) If Israel Hands is blind, how can he be picking off Silver's men with a musket or stealthily with a knife, when they are all huddled in the stockade, then chase Jim Hawkins all over the island, before toppling off a cliff? 2)How did Mendoza's crew get off Mendoza's Island, when Silver's crew stole their ship, after being marooned by Captain MacDougall for planning a mutiny? Did they manage to use shore boats to navigate from this island to Treasure Island? 3) Why did Jim Hawkins reveal Silver's plan of mutiny to MacDougall, since he wanted to go with Silver back to Treasure Island? 4)Why was Purity so intent on marrying a lowlife such as Silver? Did she think he would agree if she insisted that he drink milk rather than rum? 5)How did the containers of gunpowder work as hand granades if they lacked fuses? 6) It's confusing to me how the treasure map and gold medallion worked together to reveal the location of the treasure.

Calling all fans of the one and only-well, the most famous-Long John Silver! Robert Newton is back in the sequel to Treasure Island to portray the pirate he created in 1950. His "Aaarrrrg!" returns to the big screen, as does his famous red coat, parrot, perpetually squinting face, peg-legged limp, and penchant for rum. While Treasure Island was mostly a swashbuckling adventure, this film-sometimes referred to as Long John Silver and sometimes called Return to Treasure Island-is more of a shout out to its fans. There's quite a bit of humor in this one, with one of the side plots devoted to a romance between Robert Newton and the local pub owner, Connie Gilchrist. She wants to get married, but he's determined to escape her clutches. The main story picks up where the original left off. Long John Silver is safe on a Caribbean island, but he's asked to rescue the governor's daughter from another pirate ship, and he soon finds out his old friend Jim Hawkins-played by Kit Taylor in this version-is also being held captive on the ship. He heads to sea and takes the audience with him!Personally, I like Treasure Island better, since the production values are higher, but this one is still pretty cute because of the humor sprinkled in among the script.

. . . and so is LONG JOHN SILVER--sort of. It's as if the cast of this flick were asked to play their parts as over-sized Muppets (if they had such a thing in the 1900s). The uneven tone of this picture implies that the cast only remembered such a stage direction half of the time. So if ridiculous plot twists mixed together with plenty of mugging for the camera is your cup of grog, then this 1954 offering may be your SILVER lining. While it's tempting to remember Robert Louis Stevenson's Jim Hawkins as a plucky teen, the white-washed character by that name in this movie version of his story is more of a sanctimonious Tom Sawyer than a rebel-with-a-cause Huck Finn. It's really difficult to understand what Long John Silver sees in this wishy-washy Pre-teen milquetoast. Jim Hawkins should be the sort of kid who'd be sneaking his girl out her window in a couple of years--NOT a Brown-Noser type who'll ring her front doorbell and discuss Donald Trump with her dad for ten minutes.

After Walt Disney's relatively well-produced version of "Treasure Island" (1950), timber-shivering Robert Newton (as "Long John Silver") returns. He is made to rescue kidnapped Kit Taylor (as Jim Hawkins) along with a damsel in distress, avoid the marriage-minded Connie Gilchrist (as Purity Pinker), and embark on a far less satisfying treasure hunt. This slight, long, and disappointing sequel rests its laurels almost entirely on Mr. Newton's top-heavy characterization. Late in the running time, young Hawkins and a vision-impaired Rodney "Rod" Taylor (as Israel Hands) give Newton a run for the money. Another "Return to Treasure Island" (also 1954), starring Tab Hunter, was even more peripheral to the original. Like Newton says, "Tis a long time since Treasure Island." **** Long John Silver (12/16/54) Byron Haskin ~ Robert Newton, Kit Taylor, Connie Gilchrist, Rod Taylor