Treasure Island

Treasure Island. 1934 MGM/Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Wallace Beery, Jackie Cooper, Lionel Barrymore, Otto Kruger, Lewis Stone, Nigel Bruce
Director: Victor Fleming
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or part of the five disc Motion Picture Masterpieces Collection.

Not as famous as Walt Disney's 1950 film adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's famous book, this version of Treasure Island is still a well-made feature, with excellent performances from Jackie Cooper as young Jim Hawkins, Lionel Barrymore as the rum fueled Billy Bones, and of course, Wallace Beery as Long John Silver.

The story is pretty well known: Jim Hawkins' life is changed forever when he meets the drunken Billy Bones at the Admiral Benbow Inn. Bones takes over a party, and then, dies suddenly of a stroke. Jim finds a map in Billy's sea chest leading to riches beyond imagination. A voyage is quickly organized to depart for the island, and shortly before the departure time, several crew members have gone missing. Long John Silver poses as an ex-navy man and cons his way onto the boat, followed by several of his men, who are planning to mutiny and claim the treasures for themselves. When everyone arrives at the island, they're in for a surprise after they discover that Ben Gunn (Charles 'Chic' Sale) has amassed all of the treasure himself in a cave. Jim and the crew sail for Jamaica ready to recruit a brand new crew, with Silver sure to pay for his crimes. Jim has a change of heart and allows the pirate to escape.

Recommended movie.