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British TV series
Treasure Island
is a two-part British television drama adaptation of the novel
Treasure Island
(1883) by
Robert Louis Stevenson
. The screenplay was written by Stewart Harcourt, produced by Laurie Borg and directed by
Steve Barron
. It was made by
BSkyB
and first shown in the United Kingdom on
Sky1
on 1 & 2 January 2012.
[1]
It was re-released a year later on
Pick
on the 14 February 2013 and 21 February 2013.
[2]
[3]
[4]
Plot
[
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]
Young
Jim Hawkins
(
Toby Regbo
) discovers a map to a legendary island of treasure belonging to the infamous
Captain Flint
(
Donald Sutherland
) and embarks on a journey aboard the ship
Hispaniola
to find it; however, the enigmatic
Long John Silver
(
Eddie Izzard
) and crew have other plans.
Cast
[
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]
- Eddie Izzard
as
Long John Silver
, formerly Captain Flint's quartermaster and latterly landlord of the Spyglass Inn, cook on the
Hispaniola
, and leader of the mutineers. In this adaptation he loses his leg after Flint fires a cannon at his crew to get them off the ship.
- Philip Glenister
as
Captain Smollett
, captain of the
Hispaniola
- Rupert Penry-Jones
as
Squire John Trelawney
, the leader of the expedition, a greedy, stupid man who betrays his comrades. Rather different from his portrayal in the book, in which he is something of a buffoon but is described as "the most liberal of men".
- Toby Regbo
as
Jim Hawkins
, son of the proprietors of the Admiral Benbow inn and the
Hispaniola's
cabin boy
- Daniel Mays
as
Dr. David Livesey
, the ship's doctor, an old friend of Jim's parents. A former army surgeon who fought at Fontenoy, in the book he is always sensible and brave, but in this adaptation is initially something of a coward (though he later proves to be quite brave).
- Reda Kateb
as Dujon, the second mate of the
Hispaniola
. Dujon was invented for this adaptation.
- Donald Sutherland
as
Captain Flint
, a legendary pirate. Flint does not appear in the book, but is only spoken of. In this adaptation he appears in a prologue.
- Elijah Wood
as
Ben Gunn
, a former member of Flint's crew marooned on Treasure Island three years before after he persuaded his crewmates on another ship to search for the treasure. When they could not find it, they left him there. In this adaptation, he is portrayed as a Yankee, although this is not specified in the book.
- David Harewood
as
Billy Bones
, formerly Flint's first mate, who precipitates the whole adventure by dying in the Admiral Benbow inn. In this adaptation he is portrayed as Jamaican.
- Julian Barratt
as Redruth. In the book, Tom Redruth was Trelawney's elderly gamekeeper and accompanied the expedition to Treasure Island, where he was killed. In this adaptation, he is Trelawney's ruthless agent; he remains in England, where he repossesses the Admiral Benbow from Meg Hawkins.
- Shirley Henderson
as Meg Hawkins, Jim Hawkins' mother, recently widowed landlady of the Admiral Benbow inn. Her first name is not given in the book.
- Nina Sosanya
as Alibe Silver, Silver's wife, who flees to the Admiral Benbow to get away from Black Dog and befriends Meg Hawkins. The character has essentially been invented for this adaptation, although the book does state that Silver has an (unseen) wife, a "woman of colour" whom he leaves in charge of his inn.
- Geoff Bell
as
Israel Hands
, formerly Captain Flint's gunner, later a crewman on the
Hispaniola
and one of the leaders of the mutineers. In the book he serves as the
Hispaniola's
coxswain and is described as a good seaman, but in this adaptation this role has been taken over by Abraham Gray and Silver says that Hands is a poor seaman (although a good gunner).
- Shaun Parkes
as George Merry, a former member of Flint's crew and boatswain (and later mate) of the
Hispaniola
and a mutineer. In the book he is a simple crewman (although also a former member of Flint's crew) and leads the discontent against Silver's leadership.
- Keith Allen
as Blind Pew, a former member of Flint's crew, now a blind beggar
- Sean Gilder
as Black Dog, a former member of Flint's crew
- Barnaby Kay
as Tom Morgan, a former member of Flint's crew and later of
Hispaniola's
and a mutineer. He is described in the book, in which he was also a member of Flint's crew, as elderly and "mahogany-faced" (although it is not specified whether this means he is heavily tanned or black).
- Clinton Blake as Freddie Arrow, the
Hispaniola's
first mate. In the book he is the only mate, an appalling officer who disappears one night (presumably fallen overboard while drunk), but in this adaptation (in which he is portrayed as Jamaican) he dies after being keel-hauled by Trelawney after striking him (also while drunk). He is not given a first name in the book.
- Tom Fisher
as Abraham Gray, the
Hispaniola's
coxswain
and the only survivor among the seamen who refuse to join the mutineers. In the book, Gray (the carpenter's mate, not the coxswain, as Hands holds that position) initially joins the mutineers, but then defects after Captain Smollett appeals to his better nature.
- Madhur Mittal
as Dick Johnson, a young former member of Flint's crew and later a crewman on the
Hispaniola
and one of the mutineers. In the book, Johnson is the youngest hand on the
Hispaniola
and is persuaded to join the mutiny by Silver. He is not a former member of Flint's crew.
- David Wilmot
as William O'Brien, one of the mutineers. His first name is not given in the book.
- Chu Omambala
as Job Anderson, one of Flint's crew who later serves on the
Hispaniola
. In the book he is the ship's boatswain and effectively takes over as mate after Arrow disappears, but in this adaptation this role has been taken over by George Merry. The book does not say whether or not he was a member of Flint's crew.
- Lorenzo Grozco as Allardyce, one of Flint's crew who helps him bury his treasure and whose skeleton is later used as a pointer by Flint.
- Alfredo Salgado as Jeremiah Darby, one of Flint's crew who helps him bury his treasure. He is not named in the book.
- Ruaidhri Conroy
as John Hunter, one of Trelawney's servants, who accompanies the expedition and is killed on Treasure Island.
- Mal Whyte as Richard Joyce, Trelawney's valet, who accompanies the expedition and is killed on Treasure Island.
- Tom Wu
as Joe Thoby, a Chinese seaman on the
Hispaniola
who refuses to join the mutiny, whereupon Silver kills him. In the book this is a man named Tom, an old friend of Silver's.
- Damien Hannaway as Alan Tab, a crewman of the
Hispaniola
killed by the mutineers after he refuses to join them. His surname is not given in the book.
- Siobhan O'Kelly as Mrs Livesey, now deceased and only appearing in flashback
- Tommy O'Neill as Salt
Reception
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The series was moderately well received by critics, with praise towards its production values and cast, but some criticism leveled at the direction and changes to the original story.
Sam Wollaston of
The Guardian
wrote, "They've changed it, not just unnecessarily but unquestionably for the worse, and that's a travesty. Robert Louis Stevenson, Captain Flint, Davy Jones, will be turning in their graves/lockers."
[5]
Rachel Ward of
The Telegraph
, however, called it "an imaginitive take", said "Izzard excels as both villain and hero, and brings his trademark humour to the role ('Let’s parle'), though it would have been nice to hear a few more squawks from his pet parrot", and praised the action.
[6]
References
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External links
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