Treasure This Movie
TITLE: Treasure Island
GENRE: Pirate adventure, age of enlightenment, Eng. and Carib.
CAST: Robert Newton, Bobby Driscoll
PLOT: Tavern keepers son is given a treasure map. He shares it with a wealthy squire who equips an expedition to recover Capt Flint's Dubloons. A band of thieving pirates signs on as ship's crew. Once the Island is found where the treasure is buried, it becomes every man for himself and a few good men care to the well being of the young tavern boy.
RETURN ON INVESTMENT: 9 of 10; Based on the classic adventure tale by Robert Louis Stevenson, this is the first live action movie produced by the Disney Studios. It was quite a gamble for them and I'd say they've done fairly well with films not animated since then.This is the first color presentation of the tale. The English tavern, village life and port side environs were well constucted to set the mood. The ship is very authentic even if only a stage.
DVD BONUS: None but they say the film has been restored through the digitizing process
ADDED NOTES: The film was so sucessful that Disney created a sequel, Long John Silver, also staring Newton. Then a TV series was attempted and filmed on location in Australia. Sadly the actor who portrayed young Jim Hawkins, died in an alley in NYC from complications due to drug addiction. Don't press the veracity of the following opinion, please. I believe that every child who learns that pirates go "arrgh matey", are quoting Robert Newton as he offered the character of Long John Silver.