Scalawag (film)

Joel Production

Company type	Film production company
Industry	Film production
Founder	Kirk Douglas
Key people	Kirk Douglas (producer, director, lead actor)
Parent	Bryna Productions

Scalawag is a 1973 western film directed by Kirk Douglas, marking his debut as a director, with his second and final directorial project being Posse. The movie serves as a western-themed reinterpretation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel Treasure Island.

Production

The project originated from an original narrative by Albert Maltz and was first announced in 1966 as a collaborative effort between Kirk Douglas' Joel Production and Malcolm Stuart's Coldwater Productions, with Douglas set to star. This film represented Maltz's return to screenwriting after a 19-year hiatus.

Production faced delays as Douglas worked to secure funding. He involved his family extensively, with his wife taking on the producer role while his sons managed photography and administrative tasks. Reflecting on this, Douglas commented, "If this film fails, the entire Douglas family shares the responsibility." He also highlighted the difficulties of finding work during that era.

By 1972, Douglas confirmed his roles as producer, director, and lead actor, with Sid Fleischman credited for the screenplay. Filming began in Yugoslavia in June 1972 and included actors such as Mark Lester, Lesley Anne Down, and Danny DeVito. Douglas revised the script to evoke a nostalgic sense of adventure.

Douglas described the film as a "western adaptation of Treasure Island set in the old frontier on horseback," combining elements of adventure, romance, and action infused with a traditional charm he cherished from his youth. He emphasized the uncomplicated production process amidst the basic conditions in Yugoslavia, contrasting it with what he perceived as overly sophisticated contemporary filmmaking.

External links

• IMDb
• AFI
• TCMDb
• Rotten Tomatoes