Käpt'n Blackbeards Spuk-Kaschemme

While silly and over-the-top at times, this film is a lot of fun. My main problem though with "Blackbeard's Ghost" though is that it is tad too long by 10 minutes. But it is hugely enjoyable entertainment for the whole family, with some nice costumes and cinematography. Also a vast majority of the jokes are very funny, the intriguing plot is along the lines of "The Canterville Ghost" and the performances are spirited. Peter Ustinov, a great actor, makes a very lively lead who is condemned to wander in limbo until he performs a good deed, and Dean Jones also does a good job. Elsa Lanchester almost steals the film though, as one of the ladies he must save from gambling gangsters. Overall, while not perfect, it is enjoyable and worth watching. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Watching Blackbeard's Ghost yesterday put me in mind of the late Robert Newton and his portrayal of Blackbeard in a classic film from the Fifties. Had Mr. Newton not died of chronic alcoholism in 1957, I'm sure he would have been the Disney studio's choice to play Blackbeard.

With Robert Newton not being available, the studio got another actor famous for a bravura performance, that of Nero and Quo Vadis. Who'd have thought that Peter Ustinov would have gotten another role that called for flamboyant overacting. Ustinov's Blackbeard is a combination of Newton's Blackbeard and his own Nero. And he dominates the film completely.

Dean Jones who was Disney's major leading man at the time who played the roles Kurt Russell was too young for, borrows a great deal from that other actor, who's career Disney rejuvenated, Fred MacMurray. In fact the similarities between this and Absent Minded Professor and Son of Flubber are too obvious to be missed.

Still those were two pretty funny films and Blackbeard's Ghost is in a great tradition.

Dean Jones is the new track coach at Godolphin College and he stays at the inn that's run by the descendents of the crew of none other than Edward Teach better known as Blackbeard. But they are a harmless bunch of senior citizens led by Elsa Lanchester. Yet that inn is coveted by gangster Joby Baker who's bought the mortgage.

Jones finds a faded piece of paper in an old bedwarmer and it's a spell that makes the ghost of old Blackbeard visible to him only. After that Jones plays straight man to a hilarious Ustinov. Blackbeard and is doings cause some romantic problems for Jones with Suzanne Pleshette, but in Disney tradition in the end the old buccaneer sets everything to right and escapes the limbo he's consigned to.

For Peter Ustinov fans, this is a must. You can see it in his face and his performance how much of a good time Ustinov was having with this part. It will translate into your enjoyment as well.

I'm going through the Disney Plus catalog chronologically, and I've recently hit the years when Dean Jones is in basically everything. This was one of my personal favorites growing up. On rewatching these films, I think That Darn Cat is better, but this one is still pretty darn good. It's certainly superior to The Ugly Dachshund, where Jones and Suzanne Pleshette have seemingly no chemistry. In this, their relationship is less integral to the plot, but they work much better together.

Of course, the real draw for the movie and the reason I loved it so much as a child, is the unhinged performance by Peter Ustinov as Blackbeard. It's honestly a little hard to describe his affectations: a lot of shouting, weird noises, and a real commitment to the portrayal of Blackbeard as a drunkard on an emotional roller coaster. It's delightful.

Disney veteran Dean Jones plays Steve Walker, the new track coach at Godolphin College, who comes to stay at an inn owned by sweet old ladies who claim to be descended from Blackbeard the pirate. Well, later that night, Steve manages to conjure into being the title character (Peter Ustinov), who's been "living" under a curse. Blackbeard becomes determined to do one "good" thing after all of the cutthroat mayhem he instigated while alive, while driving Steve (the only person who can see and hear the pirate) right up the wall.

"Blackbeard's Ghost" is fairly amusing, if somewhat overlong, Disney fare that's pretty good family / comedy / fantasy entertainment. It's full of the expected slapstick, as Blackbeard interferes in a pivotal track meet and makes fools out of the minions of mobster Silky Seymour (Joby Baker). But the real driving force of the movie is the chemistry between Jones and Ustinov. The latter is a hoot, taking an off the wall approach to playing this legendary scoundrel: sometimes he can be annoying, even whiny. Jones also has very fine chemistry with his leading lady, Suzanne Pleshette (who plays Jo Anne Baker, a professor at the college). The special effects are generally decent, and an undeniable highlight is when Steve and Blackbeard have a reckless automobile ride through the local environs. And the supporting cast features a number of familiar faces who all get their chance to make an impact: Elsa Lanchester as the dotty Emily Stowecroft, the perfectly slimy Baker as the villain, Elliott Reid as an excitable announcer, Richard Deacon as the college dean, Kelly Thordsen as a cop, Michael Conrad as the football coach, George Murdock as an official, Hank Jones as the bright-eyed Gudger Larkin, and Ned Glass as a teller.

Overall, the movie is pleasant to watch, generating decent laughs as the harried Steve is unable to deal with this persistent new nuisance in his life, and is afraid of how crazy he looks in the eyes of others. He must learn how to make his peace with Blackbeard, and realizes that he does, in fact, need him. And the irrepressible Blackbeard does acclimatize himself enough to this strange new world.

Six out of 10.

Is this good or bad? I'm genuinely not even sure, but it's hard to doubt that it does suitably entertain.

It constantly hops between cringe/chucklesome and overacted/finely acted. The plot is mindless and impossible to take seriously, though the shenanigans that occur are mostly amusing. It would be a lot worse off without the likeable leads, that's for certain.

Peter Ustinov brings fun as Blackbeard, sometimes his acting is a little too over the top for my personal liking but he has more funny moments than lame ones. He and Dean Jones (Steve) join up well enough, as does Jones with Suzanne Pleshette (Jo Anne) - as already seen two years prior in 'The Ugly Dachshund'.

Not what I had expected, I come away probably wanting something different from 'Blackbeard's Ghost'. However, there is humour in there that's just about enjoyable.