Treasure Island (1950)
Walt Disney Productions/ RKO Pictures
Director: Byron Haskin
Starring: Bobby Driscoll, Robert Newton
This adaption of the Robert Louis Stevenson classic delivers a beautifully shot picture that provides the rich visuals that make movies gloriously enjoyable while presenting a solid representation of the story told from the point of a young boy. Captured on screen is all the romance and adventure of the book that many read in our childhood years, reminding us of what our imaginations were like in digesting this literary classic. The visuals are perhaps the closest thing to Disney animation personified in live action motion pictures, bringing what was previously only imagined in such rich detail to the motion picture screen.
This is not to say the picture is without it faults. Aside from flat, stereotypical character acting, of which this picture actually plays a role in creating, the film suffers in its actions sequences. When the adventure is supposed to be at its height the film finds itself at perhaps its weakest. Soft blows, poorly timed and performed gasping, overly simplified blocking, and carelessness in detail, all of this is wrapped together with the choppiest of editing, creating clunky sequences when the film should be at its fever pitch. But alas, it was a product of its time, and perhaps it was more exciting for a younger viewer who may have seen this brightly colored action adventure picture overwhelmingly fun and exciting during its day.
For Disney Treasure Island was a picture produced out of financial quandary. English regulation during World War II forced profits for companies within the United Kingdom to be spent within the country. This meant Disney had a decent amount of money tied up within the UK and their only hope with to utilize it would be producing a product within the country. The best solution was to produce a picture, most feasibly live action, since there was not Disney animated studio set up in England. Thus, Disney set out on what would become their first fully live action motion picture and the classic adventure novel by the famed Scottish born author read by just about every American child during their fomative years was the perfect source of material for such a project.
Filmed entirely in England most of the cast was filled by English born actors which helps adds to the authenticity of the picture. Child actor Booby Driscoll would be the only member of the primary cast to not be a born on the other side of the Atlantic. Previously appearing in Disney picture Song of the South (1946) and So Dear to My Heart (1948) Driscoll was a favored juvenile actor of Walt’s early entry’s into live action filmmaking carrying over into this project. However, once in England labor authorities discovered Driscoll failed in obtaining the proper work permits for the child actor issuing a fine and orders for Driscoll to leave the country. An appeal process by Disney gave the picture time to work around the problem as it would take six weeks for it to be reviewed and allowed Driscoll to stay in the country during the period. In the short time production quickly unutilized Driscoll, shooting all his primary and close up shots before he was ordered to return to the United States. No longer in need of the young actor, stand ins were used to film in the remainder of shots for Jim Hawkins, allowing Disney to skirt the legal process. Due to this trouble Bobby Driscoll was not allowed to work in England again, which nixed a future idea of Disney with Driscoll in a Robin Hood picture shot in England.
Driscoll’s performance is solid, but like his other Disney performances he is not much more than a bright face, a genuine smile, and all-around boyish looks that Disney enjoyed in all his features. Essentially, he was a live action version of his animated every-boy character. With that he is a bit flat, although the character does carry the drama in this coming of age story set to the background of a swashbuckling adventure, but that is provided more by the screenwriting than by Driscoll.
The main character the story may have been the boy, Jim Hawkins, but the real star of the picture was Robert Newton as the iconic Long John Silver. Unlike the simple characters played by fellow costars Basil Sydney or Walter Fitzgerald, Newton had the job of carrying the picture and he provides it with a performance that would come to be the iconic representation of all pirates. Inspired by regional Irish dialects Newton helped to create the language that we embrace today as “pirate-speak.” It is from him and this performance we get the iconic “Arrrr’s,” “aye’s,” and “matey’s,” we have come to hear in popular culture as with most pirate lingos It has come to be an overly characterized stereotype and possibly considered a joke with time, but with his performance he created a persona that was both gruff and likable, a perfect balance that plays alongside an innocent Jim Hawkins.
The Robert Newton version of Long John Silver would come to be his most popular character and leave the greatest lasting legacy in popular culture, even though many may not be aware of it. Newton had a very successful career as a serious character actor, but found himself returning to a pirate role in RKO’s 1952 picture Blackbeard the Pirate. Soon after Newton reprised his Silver character in an unrelated Australian-American produced sequel Long John Silver (1954) and a subsequent television series “The Adventures of Long John Silver” in the mid-1950s. Newton’s career was not defined by his pirate portrayal, but audiences gravitate towards his style of performance. Disney’s popular theme park attraction Pirates of the Caribbean portrayed similarities to Newton’s district deliveries, and ironically it would not be until the movie series inspired by the attraction that we begin to see the evolution away from the heightened Robert Newton-style of pirate acting.
Well-received internationally for Disney, Treasure Island handsomely rewarded the studio with box office number and critical praise. For Disney it opened the doors to future live action projects which came at lower costs than their hefty animated pictures they were best known well for. Walt not being overly keen on movies outside of his earlier animated pictures would not pay as close attention his new production division, however he would instill within it his unique style and brand that made his products easily distinct as “Disney.”
Like many of the Disney’s features Treasure Island would see its share of re-releases and when the 1975 release saw it receive a PG rating the studio ordered edits to the classic picture to meet the conservative company stance to only releasing G-rated material. Eliminated moment and even scenes of some violence, nearly nine minutes of footage was cut from the picture indefinitely. It was not until 1991 that the footage would be restored and the picture once again complete.
Treasure Island continues to be a classic. No matter how many times the story has been remade this Disney adaptation appears to stand the test of time better than just about any adaptation since. It is not perfect, but it has been the closest thing the Robert Louis Stevenson novel as seen on the silver screen, and remains well beloved today.
Starring: Bobby Driscoll, Robert Newton
Walt Disney productions leaves the parameters of the animated world to produce the studios very first solely live action motion picture in an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure story. For the first time in beautiful Technicolor audiences are whisked away on the timeless tale of adventure with buccaneers and great treasure on a remote far off island. As a picture assembled out of benefit of clever financial technicalities its product would become a baby boomer boyhood classic that opened up the floodgates for the Disney studio into live action features. A swashbuckling movie that set unconscious standards in pirate appearance, vernacular, and structure it inspired how most would imagine salty, old pirates that still remain in popular culture today.
Treasure Island is a pirate adventure about a young boy caught in a clash between a party in of treasure seekers and a group of greedy buccaneers looking to claim the prize for their own. When young tavern boy Jim Hawkins (Bobby Driscoll) comes in possession of a map to a fabled treasure there is quickly assembled is a party led by Squire Trelawney (Walter Fitzgerald) and the trusted Captain Smollett (Basil Sydney) and his ship to claim it with Hawkins as the ship’s cabin boy. In haste of the voyage’s departure is hired a one-legged cook Long John Silver (Robert Newton), clandestinely a pirate looking to take advantage of situation and claim the riches from himself with aid of a rogue crew he helps recruit. Much of the tale surrounds Jim’s relationship with the friendly, yet manipulative Silver, first as a mentor, but soon leering that his trust is being used against him for Silver’s advantage. Upon arriving to the island Silver and his men rise mutiny to gain control of the treasure hunt, but find themselves emptyhanded when the loot appears to be missing, culminating in a clash that brings an end to the pirate uprising. Trelawney and Smollett appear to have come out on top with treasure in hand, the pirates defeated, and Silver as prisoner, but Jim is used once again by Silver to break away alone with the riches. Out of pity and a hint of their friendship Jim allows the greedy Long John Silver escape to an unknown future alone on the empty sea.
This adaption of the Robert Louis Stevenson classic delivers a beautifully shot picture that provides the rich visuals that make movies gloriously enjoyable while presenting a solid representation of the story told from the point of a young boy. Captured on screen is all the romance and adventure of the book that many read in our childhood years, reminding us of what our imaginations were like in digesting this literary classic. The visuals are perhaps the closest thing to Disney animation personified in live action motion pictures, bringing what was previously only imagined in such rich detail to the motion picture screen.
This is not to say the picture is without it faults. Aside from flat, stereotypical character acting, of which this picture actually plays a role in creating, the film suffers in its actions sequences. When the adventure is supposed to be at its height the film finds itself at perhaps its weakest. Soft blows, poorly timed and performed gasping, overly simplified blocking, and carelessness in detail, all of this is wrapped together with the choppiest of editing, creating clunky sequences when the film should be at its fever pitch. But alas, it was a product of its time, and perhaps it was more exciting for a younger viewer who may have seen this brightly colored action adventure picture overwhelmingly fun and exciting during its day.
For Disney Treasure Island was a picture produced out of financial quandary. English regulation during World War II forced profits for companies within the United Kingdom to be spent within the country. This meant Disney had a decent amount of money tied up within the UK and their only hope with to utilize it would be producing a product within the country. The best solution was to produce a picture, most feasibly live action, since there was not Disney animated studio set up in England. Thus, Disney set out on what would become their first fully live action motion picture and the classic adventure novel by the famed Scottish born author read by just about every American child during their fomative years was the perfect source of material for such a project.
Driscoll’s performance is solid, but like his other Disney performances he is not much more than a bright face, a genuine smile, and all-around boyish looks that Disney enjoyed in all his features. Essentially, he was a live action version of his animated every-boy character. With that he is a bit flat, although the character does carry the drama in this coming of age story set to the background of a swashbuckling adventure, but that is provided more by the screenwriting than by Driscoll.
The main character the story may have been the boy, Jim Hawkins, but the real star of the picture was Robert Newton as the iconic Long John Silver. Unlike the simple characters played by fellow costars Basil Sydney or Walter Fitzgerald, Newton had the job of carrying the picture and he provides it with a performance that would come to be the iconic representation of all pirates. Inspired by regional Irish dialects Newton helped to create the language that we embrace today as “pirate-speak.” It is from him and this performance we get the iconic “Arrrr’s,” “aye’s,” and “matey’s,” we have come to hear in popular culture as with most pirate lingos It has come to be an overly characterized stereotype and possibly considered a joke with time, but with his performance he created a persona that was both gruff and likable, a perfect balance that plays alongside an innocent Jim Hawkins.
The Robert Newton version of Long John Silver would come to be his most popular character and leave the greatest lasting legacy in popular culture, even though many may not be aware of it. Newton had a very successful career as a serious character actor, but found himself returning to a pirate role in RKO’s 1952 picture Blackbeard the Pirate. Soon after Newton reprised his Silver character in an unrelated Australian-American produced sequel Long John Silver (1954) and a subsequent television series “The Adventures of Long John Silver” in the mid-1950s. Newton’s career was not defined by his pirate portrayal, but audiences gravitate towards his style of performance. Disney’s popular theme park attraction Pirates of the Caribbean portrayed similarities to Newton’s district deliveries, and ironically it would not be until the movie series inspired by the attraction that we begin to see the evolution away from the heightened Robert Newton-style of pirate acting.
Well-received internationally for Disney, Treasure Island handsomely rewarded the studio with box office number and critical praise. For Disney it opened the doors to future live action projects which came at lower costs than their hefty animated pictures they were best known well for. Walt not being overly keen on movies outside of his earlier animated pictures would not pay as close attention his new production division, however he would instill within it his unique style and brand that made his products easily distinct as “Disney.”
Like many of the Disney’s features Treasure Island would see its share of re-releases and when the 1975 release saw it receive a PG rating the studio ordered edits to the classic picture to meet the conservative company stance to only releasing G-rated material. Eliminated moment and even scenes of some violence, nearly nine minutes of footage was cut from the picture indefinitely. It was not until 1991 that the footage would be restored and the picture once again complete.
Treasure Island continues to be a classic. No matter how many times the story has been remade this Disney adaptation appears to stand the test of time better than just about any adaptation since. It is not perfect, but it has been the closest thing the Robert Louis Stevenson novel as seen on the silver screen, and remains well beloved today.
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