L'Île au trésor

Probably the first film I ever went to see and was totally engrossed in it as a growing eight year old. From the wonderful colourful character of Long John, the mutinous crew, the heroic Jim and the oddball Ben Gunn and a lively, not too scary yarn, what else could a growing boy want? I loved dressing up and adventures as a youngster and thought that I wouldn't mind losing a leg because I could then play Long John Silver! I have always held other versions in contempt, after all, Robert Newton IS Long John! How dare anyone else even dare to think otherwise? It's the kind of film that even though I possess it DVD and video I would always sit down and enjoy it all over again if it came again on television. In my own favourite top one hundred.

Because practically everyone knows the story of "Treasure Island", I don't bother summarizing it here...especially since this is a rather direct telling of the classic story with no weirdness like you'd find in "Treasure Planet".

So is this Disney-fied version any good? Yes. While I still prefer the MGM version of the 1930s, this one is quite nice with its full color and the fun (and far from subtle) performance by Robert Newton as Long John Silver. Nothing particularly out of the oridinary....just a solid incarnation of the old Robert Louis Stevenson novel and a decent movie you can watch with your family.

Excellent film adaptation of the famous novel made in England at Denham Film Studios and using much of the Denham lake and the river Colne in the location sequences. Wonderful 50s technicolour and matte shots from Peter Ellenshaw to enhance the scenery. Robert Newton in great form as Long John Silver and Bobby Driscoll equally good as Jim Hawkins - not to mention the fine British cast of top rate character actors The latest Disney video is supposed to show the original full version BUT this is not the case - for one thing the death of Pugh under the coach wheels is left out as well as the other sequences cut for the '70s re-issue of the film. This is a great shame. I am not sure whether or not the DVD recent release is also produced minus these scenes

'They don't make 'em like this any more'. I've heard that statement made many times and, in the case of this movie at least, it is very true. Disney's version of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island sticks surprisingly close to the book - not perfectly, of course, but close enough. It is quite violent for a Disney movie, but a lot of the potential gore is not seen and even if it was, it would be pretty tame compared to what kids see these days even on television.

Well acted and scripted, this boasts an iconic turn by Robert Newton as Long John Silver. The movie is almost worth watching for that alone. This is where all pirate stereotypes we all accept and hold dear originated! The other actors are all great too. Special effects and a lot of the backdrops leave a lot to be desired but this was made in 1950 and they are certainly fine for the time. Only a real curmudgeon would mark the movie down on this score anyway.

I have no doubt that someone making a version of this story in 2021 would add new 'twists' and personal 'reimaginings' to the plot - and ruin the story in the process. It's nice to see a movie that respects its source material.

This is a great movie for kids and nice nostalgia for adults. See it.

I saw this film as a child and enjoyed it, but when I watched it again tonight with my children, I absolutely loved it. My two oldest daughters are big fans of "Pirates of the Caribbean." They immediately recognized Robert Newton's brilliant performance as Long John Silver as the inspiration for Geoffrey Rush's equally delightful turn as Captain Barbossa fifty years later. Newton steals the show with his characterization of the famous pirate, yet does so without distracting one from the story.

A half century has not robbed this film of any of its charm; it remains one of the great pirate films of all time. Grab a bowl of popcorn and fire up your DVD player. Treasure Island is the real thing!