Common Sense Note
The formula is a well-worn one recycled from some of Disney's better pictures, notably The Absent Minded Professor. But if you don't mind the retread -- and kids will love it -- the characters are charming and there are funny bits. As a ghost, Blackbeard is about as frightening as Casper with a sword. Don't let the word "ghost" deter grade-school kids. Old Blackbeard isn't very scary or threatening, but he does on occasion set an improper example by drinking, carousing, and cheating. The allure of pirates and the wholesomeness of Disney are a good pairing for preteens and older kids. As far as adult entertainment goes, it's passable, but works best in the company of young ones.
Think of this as entertainment with a strong behavioral lesson -- you just have to supply the lesson yourself. Ask your kids what they think of Blackbeard. He is a pirate, but does that excuse him from stealing, cheating, and destroying police property? And what of Coach Walker, who's opposed to Blackbeard's supernatural dallying at the track meet, yet allows it, even encourages it, albeit for the greater good?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Scott G. Mignola
While lodging at the shabby landmark Blackbeard's Inn, Godolphin College's new track coach, Steve Walker (Dean Jones), discovers a spell that releases the pirate's ghost (Peter Ustinov) from 200 years in limbo. As luck would have it, only Walker can see him, which leads to some hard-to-explain mix-ups with the police, the college faculty, and Professor Jo Anne Baker (Suzanne Pleshette), who thinks the coach is nuts but is attracted to him anyway.
In order for his rum-guzzling spirit to be put to rest, Blackbeard must perform a single act of charity. Here's an idea: Why not save the beloved old inn from falling into the clutches of Silky Seymour and his thugs, who want it torn down to build a casino on the property?
A losing track team. A real-estate-hungry villain. A man of strong moral fiber who, purely by chance, comes up with a miraculous way to make everything right. If the formula sounds all too familiar, it's because Disney veteran Robert Stevenson has basically remade his own 1961 great The Absent Minded Professor by taking out the Flubber and putting in a dead pirate.
As played by Peter Ustinov, the ghost of Blackbeard is anything but frightening; even young children who cower at the mention of ghosts won't be intimidated. He's just "a big ugly booze-soaked rummy," and something of a crybaby, too. Far more menacing is casino-owner Silky Seymour (Joby Baker), who's oilier and more enjoyably sinister than most live-action Disney villains of the era. For a pirate worthy of his cutlass, see the 1950 version of Treasure Island.
Dean Jones, who you may recognize from The Love Bug (another Stevenson movie), is very agreeable, if a bit short-tempered, as the poor sap who gets caught in the middle of everything. Love interest Suzanne Pleshette is also quite charming. See the two of them team up again in The Shaggy D.A. (yet another one by Stevenson!).
Related videos: The Love Bug, The Shaggy D.A., Treasure Island, The Absent Minded Professor, The Shaggy Dog, and Herbie Rides Again.
Rate It!
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ViolenceSome rowdiness and comical fighting with an invisible adversary. |
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Social BehaviorSome careless gun handling and reckless driving on Blackbeard's part, as well as some rum-drinking, cheating, and gambling. A coach sacrifices his principles so his team can win by underhanded means. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoBlackbeard drinks rum. |
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