Figure 1.-- I think that this was a German version of Treasure Island It was a made for television production with Michael Ande. I think some of the modern remakes of "Treasure Island" have been basically unecessary, adding nothing new to the story. This is a little different as it is more understandable that German viwers woukd like the story done in German using their favorite child star. Michael seems, however, rather old for the part.

I think that this was a German version of Treasure Island It was a made for television production with Michael Ande. I think some of the modern remakes of Treasure Island have been basically unecessary, adding nothing new to the story. This is a little different as it is more understandable that German viwers woukd like the story done in German using their favorite child star. Jim Hawkins in this production was played by Michael Ande, the most important German child star of the late 1950s and early 60s. He made this film as a teenager as he was growing out of this childhood years.

Filmology

I think that this was a German version of Treasure Island, It was a made for television production.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis (Balfour) Stephenson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. His crative career was shortened by ill health. He had nted accomplishmentts as a novelist, poet, and travel writer. He contracted tuberculosis as a child. His family was noted for constructing famous lighthouses. A lighthouse was of grear importance before modern navigaional methods and radio communication. He at first worked as a lighthouse designer, but then turned to the law, although he never actually worked as a lawyer. He lived in Bourmouth, England where he wrote some of his famous stories. He finally moved to Samoa for his health and for a time lived on a plantation. Of course during all this he wrote his great works. plantation owner in Samoa, all this in addition to his literary career. His first great success was Treasure Island which he wrote in 1882. It is perhaps his best known book. In it the boy character battles pirates. His next book was kidnapped in which another boy character David Balfour's attempts to gain his rightful inheritance. David is Scottish so he perhaps should be on a list of Scottish chracters. Stephenson is of course also remembered for his wonderful poems in A Child's Garden of Versus. He married Fanny Osbourne, an American, who was a great support to him and his work.

The Book

Robert Louis Stevenson's Treaure Island is the most famous swashbuckling pirate tale ever written. It is the odyssey of English boy Jim Hawkins and his thrilling adventures on the high seas. Jim may have been the first English boy introduced to generations of American boys. The book was set in the 18th century. Jim is the hero of the book and his adventure with murderous pirates is a thrilling tale. It is Jim who finds the map and eventually saves everyone from the pirates. After many adventures on Treasure Island he returns to England with the treasure. Treasure Island was written in 1882 and was Stephenson's first major literary success. It was a marvelous yarn involving piracy, buried treasure, and adventure on the high seas. There have been many printings and several film versions. The original title was The Sea-Cook.

German Boy Characters

Notably the German producers have used a famous character from English. We know of almost no important boy characters from German literature. Most such characters comes from the Anglo-Americam literary tradition.

Cast

This seems to have been a vehicle for Michael Ande who was by 1966 in his teens. Jim Hawkins in this production was played by Michael Ande, the most important German child star of the 1950s. He made this film as an young adult, well grown out of this childhood years. This does not seem to us like very effective casting as Jim needs to be young enough to be taken in by Long John's tall tales. Michael Ande was a well-known German film child star during the 1950s. A German reader reports, "He played in those films with nice people, love and mountains, etc (sentimental film in an idealized setting). Some would consider these rather smaltz tear-jeakers. They were, however very popular films in Germany." He played a variety of roles in these films, including choir boys. There is an image of him, for example, on the HBC choir-film pages. Michael also played in "Die Trapp-Familie". The film was made some years before the U.S. musical version "The Sound of Music" was made.

Plot

I do not know how faithfully this version followed the book.

Costuming

The 18th cebtury costuming I have noted in the film seem reasonably accurate.

Assessment

I think some of the modern remakes of Treasure Island have been basically unecessary, adding nothing new to the story. This is a little different as it is more understandable that German viwers woukd like the story done in German using their favorite child star.

Created: August 14, 2004
Last updated: 1:05 AM 8/13/2011