Long John Silver (film)
Encyclopedia
Long John Silver is a 1954 Australian film about the eponymous pirate from Treasure Island
, starring Robert Newton
as Silver and Rod Taylor as Israel Hands.
It was shot in colour at the Pagewood Studios, Sydney, and the same company went on to make a 26 episode TV series with the same actors, called The Adventures of Long John Silver
. The director, Byron Haskin
, had directed Treasure Island
in 1950, with Newton as Silver.
Long John Silver should not be confused with the 1954 American film, Return to Treasure Island
, starring Tab Hunter
and Dawn Addams
.
During the pickup of the ransom, Long John goes with Billy Bowlegs to Mendoza's ship with an explanation that Billy shot his two partners to hoard the ransom money for himself. Long John invited on the ship briefs a plan to Mendoza to leave Elizabeth on shore and mislead the Governor's warships in order to sack the king's warehouses. As Mendoza carries out the plan, Long John finds Jim possesses the very medallion of Treasure Island. As Mendoza begins to double cross Long John, he in turn summons his men to ambush and capture Mendoza along with the warehouse fortune, whilst Jim and Elizabeth make their escape.
Back at the governor's Jim is offered the chance to go back to England, but Long John has plans to take Jim with him on the second voyage for Treasure Island. Long John seizes an opportunity to charter Captain MacDougall's ship for the voyage. Long John sets off missing Purity Pinker's hand in marriage and barely escaping the alert local sentries.
Long John plots to start a mutiny on Captain MacDougall and take over his ship. MacDougall in response plans to have Long John and his men marooned on an island which is the secret hideout of Mendoza. Jim sets fire to Mendoza's warehouse so that Long John and his crew can capture Mendoza's ship. As Long John sails for Treasure Island, Mendoza awaits his next ship.
Once on Treasure Island, Long John and his men take shelter in the stockade from Israel Hands, who survived Jim's shot some time ago, but is blind. Israel keeps Long John and his men trapped, killing them a few at a time. Soon Mendoza's men arrive and Israel offers service to Long John, in return for a passage to Cornwall and vengeance against Jim. After fleeing, Mendoza burns down the stockade.
Long John follows the trail of the map to the caves where the treasure is buried. Israel tries to kill Jim, but Jim leads him to the coast where he plunges off to his death. As Jim heads back to the caves, he taken by Mendoza, who is going to use him as bait to get Long John, but Long John surrenders to Mendoza, giving his men the opportunity to make a gunpowder attack, cutting down Mendoza's forces and leaving the rest marooned. Long John returns as an honourable citizen, but he and Jim ride off.
during 1954. Most of the filming was done at Pagewood Studios, where large sets were built representing a pirate ship, seaport and waterfront street. The filmmakers also constructed a galleon on a barge at Botany Bay
, and filmed a sea battle between six foot model ships in Port Hacking
. Other locations used included the Jenolan Caves
(standing in for the caves on Treasure Island), Garie Beach
, south of National Park (as the coast of Puerto Bello) and the town of Waterfall (substituting for Treasure Island).
Part of the funding from the film came from notorious financier Louis Wolfson
. Byron Haskin
alleged producer Joseph Kaufman ran out of money during production, making shooting extremely difficult.
Byron Haskin
had experience working with Australians on His Majesty O'Keefe
(1953) and cast several actors from that film, including Grant Taylor
, Muriel Steinbeck
and Guy Doleman
. Doleman was selected to play Israel Hands but refused to grow a beard and wear contact lenses which were required for the part. He dropped out and Rod Taylor stepped in instead.
Treasure Island (1950 film)
Treasure Island is a 1950 Disney adventure film, adapted from the Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island. It starred Bobby Driscoll as Jim Hawkins, and Robert Newton as Long John Silver...
, starring Robert Newton
Robert Newton
Robert Newton was an English stage and film actor. Along with Errol Flynn, Newton was one of the most popular actors among the male juvenile audience of the 1940s and early 1950s, especially with British boys...
as Silver and Rod Taylor as Israel Hands.
It was shot in colour at the Pagewood Studios, Sydney, and the same company went on to make a 26 episode TV series with the same actors, called The Adventures of Long John Silver
The Adventures of Long John Silver (TV series)
The Adventures of Long John Silver is a TV series about Long John Silver from Treasure Island, starring Robert Newton. It was made in colour in Australia for the American and British markets before Australia had television. There were 26 half hour episodes, and it was shown in America from 1956 and...
. The director, Byron Haskin
Byron Haskin
Byron Conrad Haskin was an American film and television director. He was born in Portland, Oregon.He is remembered today for directing 1953's The War of the Worlds, one of many films where he teamed with producer George Pal. In his early career, he was a special effects artist, with a number of...
, had directed Treasure Island
Treasure Island (1950 film)
Treasure Island is a 1950 Disney adventure film, adapted from the Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island. It starred Bobby Driscoll as Jim Hawkins, and Robert Newton as Long John Silver...
in 1950, with Newton as Silver.
Long John Silver should not be confused with the 1954 American film, Return to Treasure Island
Return to Treasure Island
Return to Treasure Island is a Disney mini-series, starring Brian Blessed as Long John Silver.Disney Channel contracted the UK ITV broadcaster HTV Wales to actually produce the series, and it was shot in Wales, Spain and Jamaica...
, starring Tab Hunter
Tab Hunter
Tab Hunter is an American actor, singer, former teen idol and author who has starred in over forty major films.-Background:...
and Dawn Addams
Dawn Addams
Dawn Addams was an English actress in motion pictures of the 1950s.-Life and career:She was born Victoria Dawn Addams in Felixstowe, Suffolk, England, the daughter of Ethel Mary and Captain James Ramage Addams. Her mother died when she was young, and she spent her early life in Calcutta, India...
.
Plot
Long John receives grave news from Dod Perch of a massacre from Mendoza who in the process kidnapped Governor Strong's daughter Elizabeth for ransom along with Jim Hawkins. There is also a second treasure cache on the Treasure Island directed only by a pirate medallion. Long John visits Governor Strong and his wife to propose to give in the ransom before they pursue Mendoza.During the pickup of the ransom, Long John goes with Billy Bowlegs to Mendoza's ship with an explanation that Billy shot his two partners to hoard the ransom money for himself. Long John invited on the ship briefs a plan to Mendoza to leave Elizabeth on shore and mislead the Governor's warships in order to sack the king's warehouses. As Mendoza carries out the plan, Long John finds Jim possesses the very medallion of Treasure Island. As Mendoza begins to double cross Long John, he in turn summons his men to ambush and capture Mendoza along with the warehouse fortune, whilst Jim and Elizabeth make their escape.
Back at the governor's Jim is offered the chance to go back to England, but Long John has plans to take Jim with him on the second voyage for Treasure Island. Long John seizes an opportunity to charter Captain MacDougall's ship for the voyage. Long John sets off missing Purity Pinker's hand in marriage and barely escaping the alert local sentries.
Long John plots to start a mutiny on Captain MacDougall and take over his ship. MacDougall in response plans to have Long John and his men marooned on an island which is the secret hideout of Mendoza. Jim sets fire to Mendoza's warehouse so that Long John and his crew can capture Mendoza's ship. As Long John sails for Treasure Island, Mendoza awaits his next ship.
Once on Treasure Island, Long John and his men take shelter in the stockade from Israel Hands, who survived Jim's shot some time ago, but is blind. Israel keeps Long John and his men trapped, killing them a few at a time. Soon Mendoza's men arrive and Israel offers service to Long John, in return for a passage to Cornwall and vengeance against Jim. After fleeing, Mendoza burns down the stockade.
Long John follows the trail of the map to the caves where the treasure is buried. Israel tries to kill Jim, but Jim leads him to the coast where he plunges off to his death. As Jim heads back to the caves, he taken by Mendoza, who is going to use him as bait to get Long John, but Long John surrenders to Mendoza, giving his men the opportunity to make a gunpowder attack, cutting down Mendoza's forces and leaving the rest marooned. Long John returns as an honourable citizen, but he and Jim ride off.
Production
The film was shot in and around SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
during 1954. Most of the filming was done at Pagewood Studios, where large sets were built representing a pirate ship, seaport and waterfront street. The filmmakers also constructed a galleon on a barge at Botany Bay
Botany Bay
Botany Bay is a bay in Sydney, New South Wales, a few kilometres south of the Sydney central business district. The Cooks River and the Georges River are the two major tributaries that flow into the bay...
, and filmed a sea battle between six foot model ships in Port Hacking
Port Hacking
Port Hacking is an Australian estuary, located in Southern Sydney, New South Wales and fed by the Hacking River and several smaller creeks, including Bundeena Creek and The Basin. It is a ria, a river basin which has become submerged by the sea...
. Other locations used included the Jenolan Caves
Jenolan Caves
The Jenolan Caves are caves in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia; 175 kilometres west of Sydney. They are the most celebrated of several similar groups in the limestone of the country being the oldest discovered open caves in the world...
(standing in for the caves on Treasure Island), Garie Beach
Garie Beach
Garie Beach is a beach located in the Royal National Park, on the outskirts of southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.-History:...
, south of National Park (as the coast of Puerto Bello) and the town of Waterfall (substituting for Treasure Island).
Part of the funding from the film came from notorious financier Louis Wolfson
Louis Wolfson
Louis Elwood Wolfson was a Wall Street financier and one of the first modern corporate raiders, labeled by Time Magazine as such in a 1956 article...
. Byron Haskin
Byron Haskin
Byron Conrad Haskin was an American film and television director. He was born in Portland, Oregon.He is remembered today for directing 1953's The War of the Worlds, one of many films where he teamed with producer George Pal. In his early career, he was a special effects artist, with a number of...
alleged producer Joseph Kaufman ran out of money during production, making shooting extremely difficult.
Byron Haskin
Byron Haskin
Byron Conrad Haskin was an American film and television director. He was born in Portland, Oregon.He is remembered today for directing 1953's The War of the Worlds, one of many films where he teamed with producer George Pal. In his early career, he was a special effects artist, with a number of...
had experience working with Australians on His Majesty O'Keefe
His Majesty O'Keefe
His Majesty O'Keefe is a 1954 adventure film starring Burt Lancaster. The film was directed by Byron Haskin and Otto Heller and included choreography by Daniel Nagrin...
(1953) and cast several actors from that film, including Grant Taylor
Grant taylor
Grant Taylor is a professional skateboarder who grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the son of former professional skateboarder Thomas Taylor. He began skating at an early age and turned pro in 2009...
, Muriel Steinbeck
Muriel Steinbeck
Muriel Steibeck was an Australian actor who worked extensively in film, theatre, radio and television. She is best known for her performance as the wife of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith in Smithy and for playing the lead in Autumn Affair , Australia's first television serial.-Selected Filmography:*...
and Guy Doleman
Guy Doleman
Guy Doleman was a New Zealand actor.He is perhaps best known for his role as "Count Lippe" in the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball, and as "Colonel Ross" in the three film adaptations of Len Deighton's "Harry Palmer" novels, starring Michael Caine, in the 1960s...
. Doleman was selected to play Israel Hands but refused to grow a beard and wear contact lenses which were required for the part. He dropped out and Rod Taylor stepped in instead.
Cast
- Robert NewtonRobert NewtonRobert Newton was an English stage and film actor. Along with Errol Flynn, Newton was one of the most popular actors among the male juvenile audience of the 1940s and early 1950s, especially with British boys...
as Long John SilverLong John SilverLong John Silver is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of the novel Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Silver is also known by the nicknames "Barbecue" and the "Sea-Cook".- Profile :... - Kit Taylor as Jim HawkinsJim Hawkins (character)James "Jim" Hawkins is a fictional character in Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island. He is both the protagonist and narrator of the story.-Appearances:...
- Connie GilchristConnie GilchristConnie Gilchrist was a stage, film and television character actress.Born Rose Constance Gilchrist in Brooklyn, New York...
as Purity Pinker - Lloyd BerrellLloyd BerrellLloyd Berrell was a New Zealand actor who played Roo in the original Sydney production of Summer of the Seventeenth Doll. He worked extensively in Australian radio and theatre, and appeared in a large portion of the few films being shot locally at the time...
as Capt. Mendoza, 'El Toro' - Grant TaylorGrant taylorGrant Taylor is a professional skateboarder who grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the son of former professional skateboarder Thomas Taylor. He began skating at an early age and turned pro in 2009...
as Patch - Rod Taylor as Israel Hands (as Rodney Taylor)
- Harvey Adams as Sir Henry Strong
- Muriel SteinbeckMuriel SteinbeckMuriel Steibeck was an Australian actor who worked extensively in film, theatre, radio and television. She is best known for her performance as the wife of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith in Smithy and for playing the lead in Autumn Affair , Australia's first television serial.-Selected Filmography:*...
as Lady Strong - Henry GilbertHenry GilbertHenry Gilbert was a popular children's author, and the paternal grandfather of Molly Holden. His books continue to be reprinted as late as 2009, nearly 100 years after their original publication...
as Billy Bowlegs - John BrunskillJohn BrunskillJohn Hanfield Brunskill DSO was an Irish cricketer. A left-handed batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler, he played one match for Ireland, against the MCC in May 1895...
as Old Stringley - Eric Reiman as Lanky pirate
- Harry Hambleton as Big Eric
- Syd Chambers as Ned Shill
- George Simpson-Lyttle as Capt. Asa MacDougall (as George Simpson-Little)
- Tony Arpino as Mendoza pirate
- Al Thomas as Mendoza pirate
External links
- The Adventures of Long John Silver at Classic Australian Television
- Long John Silver at the Rod Taylor Site