Treasure Island (1990 film)

Treasure Island (1990 film)
Company type	Television film
Industry	Film and television
Founded	1990; 36 years ago
Founder	Fraser Clarke Heston (director and scriptwriter)
Headquarters	United Kingdom, United States
Area served	International
Key people	Fraser Clarke Heston, Charlton Heston
Products	Television film adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island
Parent	Turner Pictures, Agamemnon Films, British Lion Film Corporation

Treasure Island is a 1990 television film co-produced by British and American companies, adapting Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 classic novel. The project was both scripted and directed by Fraser Clarke Heston, son of Charlton Heston. The cast includes prominent British actors such as Christian Bale, Oliver Reed, Christopher Lee, Julian Glover, and Pete Postlethwaite. Produced through the collaboration of Turner Pictures, Agamemnon Films, and British Lion Film Corporation, the movie first aired on TNT in the United States and was later released theatrically internationally. It is recognized for its close adherence to Stevenson’s original text, incorporating much of the original dialogue and vividly depicting several intense scenes.

Plot

The story begins with Captain Billy Bones, an aging pirate, arriving at the Admiral Benbow inn, which is managed by Jim Hawkins and his mother. Bones remains vigilant for a one-legged man and stirs up trouble. After a confrontation with pirate Black Dog that ends with Black Dog fleeing, Bones suffers a fatal heart attack. Before passing away, he entrusts Jim with the key to his chest. Jim and his mother search the chest to pay rent and discover a packet of papers. Soon after, pirates Pew and Black Dog return with reinforcements aiming to seize these documents. Dr. Livesey intervenes in the ensuing conflict, killing Pew.

Livesey and Jim deliver the papers to Squire Trelawney, revealing a map created by Captain Flint that marks buried treasure valued at £700,000. Trelawney funds the expedition by commissioning the ship Hispaniola, appointing Captain Smollett as its commander, and recruiting Long John Silver to assemble the crew. Livesey takes on the role of ship’s doctor while Jim serves as cabin boy. Suspecting a mutiny among the crew, Smollett prepares defenses accordingly.

As they approach the island, Jim overhears Silver conspiring with others to rebel. He alerts Livesey, Trelawney, and Smollett, who then strategize their defense. To reduce mutineers aboard, Smollett permits some crew members to go ashore while he and loyalists fortify themselves in the ship's cabin. On land, Jim observes Silver orchestrating murders of dissenters and encounters Ben Gunn, who was marooned there years before.

Livesey and Hunter locate Flint’s old stockade to use as a stronghold. During their landing ashore, Israel Hands sinks the jolly boat; Redruth dies pursuing him. Gunn guides Jim back with a message intended for Trelawney.

Silver’s attempt to negotiate for possession of the map fails; pirates assault the stockade but suffer casualties defending it. Jim steals Gunn’s coracle to reach Hispaniola, cuts its anchor line, and after a deadly fight with Hands resulting in Hands’ demise, returns to find mutineers occupying the stockade. Silver maintains control by revealing a secret agreement with Livesey concerning the map; meanwhile, pirates hold Jim captive.

The pirates embark on a treasure hunt only to discover it had been taken earlier. Merry leads another uprising against Silver but is repelled by Livesey’s group. Silver, Jim, and their allies retreat to Gunn’s cave where the treasure had been relocated months prior. They load it onto Hispaniola and set sail for home.

Silver escapes aboard a stolen gig to avoid prosecution; the remainder return with the treasure. Jim pledges never to revisit the island.

Production

Filming for Treasure Island took place in 1989 across various locations including North Devon in England, Jamaica, and at Pinewood Studios situated in Buckinghamshire, England.

The ship representing the fictional Hispaniola was portrayed by the sailing vessel Bounty, originally constructed for the film Mutiny on the Bounty. This ship later sank off the coast of the Carolinas during Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

Critical reception

Allmovie commended Charlton Heston's depiction of Long John Silver as a "cold, crafty, cunning rogue," highlighting the movie's faithful representation of the Stevenson novel. Conversely, Tom Shales from The Washington Post described the film as "dreary and confused," condemning Heston's acting as "embarrassingly poor" and labeling him "one of the most humorless hulks who ever stood before a camera."

Home media

The movie was made available on VHS, Laserdisc, and subsequently on DVD starting September 27, 2011.

Box office

At the UK box office, the film earned £306,083.

External links