Long John Silver

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

I really did like "Treasure island" (1950) and very much wanted to enjoy this sequel featuring, as it does, the star of that film - Robert Newton - as the one legged cook/pirate and overall, all round, reprobate. This time, his young pal "Jim" (Kit Taylor) needs rescuing from the legendary pirate captain "El Toro" (Lloyd Burrell) before they can both pick up some treasure and head home to England. Of course it isn't going to be that simple, and once on the island of Hispaniola, "Silver" needs to use all his wits and guile to stay one step ahead of his rather untrustworthy crew, frequently stirred up by "Israel Hands" (Rod Taylor). There is plenty of adventure here with Newton on typically rambunctious form but the rest of the cast rather let it down, though, and the story is a pretty weak hybrid of the Robert Louis Stevenson novel with some new characters added - including a would-be spouse for our hero (Connie Gilchrist). I did enjoy it, but that might have been nostalgia: I was still a bit disappointed.

Robert Newton returns once again to his famous role from TREASURE ISLAND, that of Long John Silver. Once more he chews the scenery with gusto and is just grand fun to watch in this particular role any time you can catch him.

This time Long John sets out to save young Jim Hawkins (played by Kit Taylor who sadly doesn't possess the memorable screen presence that his predecessor Bobby Driscoll put into the role) from a cutthroat pirate named "El Toro" Mendoza (Lloyd Berrell) but also added into the mix are a slightly more memorable crew of pirates following after Long John's lead and Long John's frequently comedic interactions with his main squeeze Purity Pinker (Connie Gilchrist), who has her eyes firmly set on marriage and settling down the old sea Captain. Things become truly adventurous when the band of pirates set out for a return to Treasure Island and meet up with some most unexpected surprises and obstacles along the way.

In many ways, this unofficial sequel to the classic Walt Disney film, has a more gritty, real down to Earth feel about it although it really adds little new to the mix. Still any boy who ever dreamed of pirates and searching for lost treasure should find much to enjoy here. Great fun overall, Newton is just a pure delight to watch in this entertaining, surprisingly well-written and executed boys fantasy brought to life.

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.

This Australian production made four years after Walt Disney's version of Treasure Island has Robert Newton reprising his role of Long John Silver. Returning characters from Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island are Jim Hawkins and Israel Hands.

The Disney version of Treasure Island was a once in a lifetime mating of an actor so perfect for the role he was cast in. Robert Newton was a man who needed a firm directorial hand normally, but Long John Silver is one of those larger than life parts where the sky isn't even the limit when it comes to chewing scenery. Newton throws himself into this role just as he did in Treasure Island and again in Blackbeard the Pirate, he was put on this planet to play pirates.

This film finds Long John rescuing the Governor of Jamaica's daughter and then returning to Treasure Island for more treasure. Jim Hawkins, who apparently never went back to the UK, is also along for the ride. On Treasure Island Newton has to deal with another pirate captain named Mendoza and Israel Hands from his old crew.

Now all of us who know the story of Treasure Island know that Jim Hawkins killed Israel Hands in the story. But it turns out not to be the case. Seems that he only blinded him and Hands has been living on Treasure Island ever since waiting for the return of Silver and Hawkins. In this film, Hands is played by young Rod Taylor in his second film and under his full name of Rodney Taylor. As resourceful as Taylor makes Hands, there ain't no way I believe a blind man survived on an uninhabited island for years.

Another character is introduced here, a woman who runs a waterfront dive named Purity played by Connie Gilchrist. She has hopes of marrying the incorrigible reprobate Silver, but no such luck. Gilchrist and Newton's scenes are very cute and are more than faintly reminiscent of Wallace Beery and Marie Dressler.

The success of this film led to a TV series Long John Silver with both Newton and Gilchrist and young Kip Taylor as Jim Hawkins. It might have gone on longer than a season, but for Robert Newton's death from acute alcoholism. Read David Niven's memoir Bring on the Empty Horses for a fine account of a man much loved by friends and colleagues, but with a deadly weakness for the 'craiture' as the Irish refer to it.

Long John Silver is a film with a lot of weaknesses in plot and structure, but carried by the indomitable Robert Newton and the strength of his career role.