“Treasure Island” (1972)

Treasure Island 

Brief Description:

Young Jim Hawkins has an unforgettable encounter with pirate Captain Long John Silver and his murderous mates.

Date: 1972

Genre: historical adventure film

Running time: 1 hour 34 minutes 

Cast: 

Orson Welles as Long John Silver

Kim Burfield as Jim Hawkins

Lionel Stander as Billy Bones

Walter Slezak as Squire Trelawney

Ángel del Pozo as Doctor Livesey

Rik Battaglia as Captain Smollett

Jean Lefebvre as Ben Gunn

Maria Rohm as Mrs. Hawkins

Paul Muller as Blind Pew

Michel Garland as George Merry

Aldo Sambrell as Israel Hands

Director: John Hough

Production company: National General Pictures

Based on: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Wikipedia page

Setting/Aesthetic/Feel: 4/5

Having loved the book, I was eager to try this film and see what I thought of it. The aesthetic and setting was on point—I really enjoyed the island and the ship! 

Characters: 4/5

Jim Hawkins was adorable (I hadn't realized what a little kid he was!). I loved Dr. Livesay in the book, and I loved him here. I liked the Squire most of the time, though he also drove me crazy; but I was surprised by how much I loved the captain! As for Silver, I struggled a lot. Though Tubi has captions, they weren't very good, and I only got about 1 in 10 words he said thanks to his mumbling, so I missed out on a lot since he's the main character. Ben Gumm was well done though, and so were the other sailors. 

Plot: 4/5

I honestly don't remember the book's plot very well, but what little I did meshed well with the film's plot. I really enjoyed the adventure/swashbuckling aspect and it certainly had my adrenaline and my heart going. I had to take a few breaks towards the end!! 

Content: 3/5 (medium)

Some language; drinking.

Violence: 3/5 (medium)

On-screen murder; habitual violence. 

Overall: 4/5

While probably okay for older kids, it's not quite as family friendly as I expected. But I enjoyed it; it made me want to reread the book; and I'm sure I will rewatch this!