Though at first glance Blackbeard's Ghost seems like a very typical slapstick comedy, it actually holds an important spot in Disney history. Walt Disney passed away in late 1966, however there were still multiple feature films that were already well on the way in production. Blackbeard's Ghost marked the first feature length Disney movie where most of the production took after the passing of Walt Disney. It very much represents what Disney films would be like for the next few years. That is to say it is a fun and charming movie but one that avoids taking any chances by closely following formulas of previous hit Disney movies.
In this film, Steve Walker (Dean Jones) becomes Godolphin college's new track director. He stays at the Blackbeard's Inn, where he runs into the ghost of Blackbeard the pirate. Blackbeard is cursed to be a ghost until he can complete one good deed. Steve and Blackbeard becoming stuck together sharing the same room and find very quickly that they don't get along. Steve learns that the track team he has is seemingly hopeless. Blackbeard decides to help to hopefully accomplish one good deed.
There is a lot to enjoy about this movie. It has a wonderfully playful Halloween-esque atmosphere to many scenes. The characters are all very fun and likable, something that is boosted by great performances from a truly top-notch cast (something present in even the weakest Disney movies of this time). For a movie from 1968, the special effects hold up quite well. The storyline is quite clever. Most of all though there are some very funny moments throughout.
The film has two main flaws though. One is that at an hour and forty-six minutes it is fairly long from a silly comedy and can drag at times. The other flaw is that with so much of this movie being very reminiscent of previous Disney comedies, it is easy to simply forget about this mostly delightful film.
The movie's director, Robert Stevenson was one of the Disney studio's most prolific and best live action directors. Disney films he made include Johnny Tremain (1957), Old Yeller (1957), Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959), Kidnapped (1960), The Absent-Minded Professor (1961), In Search of the Castaways (1962), Son of Flubber (1963), The Misadventures of Merlin Jones (1964), Mary Poppins (1964), The Monkey's Uncle (1965), That Darn Cat! (1965), The Gnome-Mobile (1967), The Love Bug (1968), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), Herbie Rides Again (1974), The Island at the Top of the World (1974), One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing (1975) and The Shaggy D.A. (1976). He was a perfect director to trust with the first Disney feature made mostly without Walt (even if no one would know that this was going to be made mostly without Walt when production started). The writing team of Don DaGradi and Bill Walsh had previously written the studio's live action masterpiece, Mary Poppins. The screenplay was based off a 1965 novel by Ben Stahl, who was better known as an artist and an illustrator. Stahl only wrote one other novel, The Secret of Red Skull, which was a sequel to Blackbeard's Ghost.
Cinematographer Edward Coleman also was a regular at the Disney studio, having worked on such movies as The Shaggy Dog (1959), The Absent-Minded Professor, Babes in Toyland (1961), Big Red (1962), Savage Sam (1963), Son of Flubber, Mary Poppins, The Misadventures of Merlin Jones, Those Calloways (1964), The Monkey's Uncle, That Darn Cat!, The Ugly Dachshund (1966), The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin (1967), The Gnome-Mobile, The Happiest Millionaire (1967) and The Love Bug.
Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette as the leading man and leading lady worked together previously in The Ugly Dachshund. This marked Academy Award winner Peter Ustinov first appearance in a Disney film. He voiced Prince John and King Richard in the animated Robin Hood (1973) as well as appearing onscreen in the live action Disney movies One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing and Treasure of Matecumbe (1976). Elsa Lanchester, though best known for playing the bride in the horror classic Bride of Frankenstein (1935), appeared in quite a few Disney movies. These movies include Mary Poppins, That Darn Cat and Rascal (1969).
Dean Jones remembered pointing out some of his concerns about this movie to Walt Disney before production started. In his memoir Jones would state, "[Disney] sat back in his chair," recalled Jones in his 1982 memoir Under Running Laughter. "'You know, if you have so many objections to this picture, maybe you shouldn't be doing it at all. Maybe I should get another actor.'
We looked at each other for a moment. The iron fist was tightening in Walt's velvet glove, and I knew I had better talk fast. 'Look, Walt, you know I want to do this picture. This is an important film. They all are...There hasn't been a group of films with the historical significance of your comedies since Charlie Chaplin,' I said. 'I'd break down the studio gates to do Blackbeard's Ghost.'
'You would, huh?'
'Yes, I would,' I replied with emphasis. Walt smiled. He knew I was putting him on. Maybe he even admired the way I was doing it. He was also enjoying watching me squirm...Finally Walt let me off the hook, and he began talking about Peter Ustinov's arrival the next day.
'Can you have lunch with us?' he asked.
'Only if I'm still in the picture,' I smiled."
During the early days of production, it became clear that Walt's health was deteriorating. In his memoir Jones also wrote, "I was shocked by his appearance. His face was haggard and colorless, and there were large circles under his eyes...His suit hung on him six sizes too big...I wondered what the doctors had done to Walt's neck to make him look so depleted." Jones asked Walt if everything was okay with him and Walt stated that he was not because his left lung was removed. Jones quickly realized how serious this was telling Walt, "Your lung...That would mean cancer!" Jones would write, "[Disney] nodded his head slowly, disgusted, staring defiantly but unseeing into the set...I looked toward the camera involuntarily, surprised that work was continuing after what Walt had just said. The set still buzzed with noise and the crew stood ready to make the shot. Everything was normal, except Walt Disney was dying." He died just two weeks later at the age of 65.
During the early days of production, it became clear that Walt's health was deteriorating. In his memoir Jones also wrote, "I was shocked by his appearance. His face was haggard and colorless, and there were large circles under his eyes...His suit hung on him six sizes too big...I wondered what the doctors had done to Walt's neck to make him look so depleted." Jones asked Walt if everything was okay with him and Walt stated that he was not because his left lung was removed. Jones quickly realized how serious this was telling Walt, "Your lung...That would mean cancer!" Jones would write, "[Disney] nodded his head slowly, disgusted, staring defiantly but unseeing into the set...I looked toward the camera involuntarily, surprised that work was continuing after what Walt had just said. The set still buzzed with noise and the crew stood ready to make the shot. Everything was normal, except Walt Disney was dying." He died just two weeks later at the age of 65.
This movie reached theaters on February 8th, 1968. It was both a critical and finical hit. It grossed $21 million. Even critics who weren't fans of previous Disney comedies had positive things to say about this film. Roger Ebert for instance wrote, "After the dreary 'Bullwhip Griffin' and the drearier 'The Happiest Millionaire,' I had about, liven up on Disney studios. 'Blackbeard’s Ghost' happily reverses the unhappy trend. It is Disney’s best since 'The Absent-Minded Professor' and a splendid vehicle for the many talents of Peter Ustinov." The New York Times said it was "a delightful seasonal goody for the young and young-hearted." Variety called it, "lively and entertaining...highlighted by several very amusing chase and special effects sequences." The movie would be reissued to theaters in 1976 and would make its TV premiere in 1982.
 |
| Hollywood Studio Magazine, 1968 |
Resources Used
The Disney Films by Leonard Maltin
http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/Blackbeard%27s%20Ghost
https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/68963/blackbeards-ghost/#articles-reviews?articleId=1349704
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/blackbeards-ghost-1968
No comments:
Post a Comment