Treasure Island

An engaging effort from Jackie Cooper as the fledgling "Jim Hawkins" works well here with a charismatic one from Wallace Beery as the duplicitous "Long John Silver" as Victor Fleming takes us on an exciting adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's seafaring adventure. It's "Jim" who finds himself embroiled in some piratical vengeance at his mother's tavern when "Billy Bones" (Lionel Barrymore) leaves him a map to an enormous fortune hidden on a desert island. Lucky to escape with his life, he enlists the help of the doctor (Otto Kruger) and the blabbermouth squire (Nigel Bruce) to employ "Capt. Smollett" (Lewis Stone) and off they sail. Of course, the crew of the ship have not been selected by the captain, but by the one-legged "Silver" who served with the original owner of the loot and who, with his ruthless pals, intends on reclaiming it once they get to the island. Can young "Jim" and his friends stay alive long enough to fetch the treasure and thwart the dastardly "Silver"? This is one of my favourite childhood stories, and Beery puts his heart and soul into it. The supporting cast - including the bumbling Bruce, the menacing Charles McNaughton's "Black Dog", but most especially Chic Sale as the mad as cheese "Ben Gunn" all pull together well building to a denouement of just a little enjoyable mischief. Swash, buckle and some seriously dangerous plum-duff on the high seas! What's not to like?