Backbeard's Ghost
starring
Peter Ustinov ■ Dean Jones ■ Suzanne Pleshette
(1968)
EVERYBODY cracks up...when the Jolliest Roger of them All pops into the 20th Century!
| In this comedy, Sir Peter Ustinov is the famous pirate's ghost that returns to our time. Blackbeard has been cursed by his last wife who was a notorious witch, so that he will never die. The only way to "break" the curse is to do (for once in his life) a good act. Is the famous pirate able to do something good? Aaah, what to watch on Halloween even if you don't believe the holiday should even be celebrated? Face it, even if you don't do Halloween you've probably seen at least once, or watch it every year, It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. But, Linus and the Great Pumpkin only last about 25 minutes so what can you do with the other 2 hours or so of your evening? Why, pick up a good old classic Disney film, of course! And in the genre Blackbeard's Ghost is my go-to film. I recall the first time I watched this movie back when I was an early teen. Remember those days when if you wanted to watch a movie you didn't have you had to go down to the rental place and you'd walk the rows of movies arguing with whoever you were with about what you wanted to watch before finally choosing a VHS to take home? Yeah, me too. Anyway, the movie itself... Blackbeard's Ghost is pure comedy fun starring some of Disney's regular comedy talent, Dean Jones, Suzanne Pleshette, and Peter Ustinov. Dean Jones is a favorite of mine in Disney movies, I've been known to watch a Disney movie plotline unknown just because he was in it. As a side note, he was also in the 2009 adaptation of Christian girls author Lois Gladys Leppard's Mandie And The Secret Tunnel. Suzanne Pleshette isn't exactly a favorite by herself but she is the best paired with Dean Jones in movies like this one. The two have such great chemistry! And then there's Peter Ustinov, from Professor Snodgrass in my favorite non-Hayley Mills Disney movie, Treasure Of Matecumbe, to Hercule Poirot in the 1982 adaption of Agatha Christie's Evil Under The Sun. A man of major talent, he could and did take on pretty much any role. Blackbeard's Ghost is quite a bit of spooky fun as the dreaded pirate Blackbeard seeks redemption so he can get out of limbo...and all of it at poor Dean Jones's expense. Fortunetelling, a centuries-old curse, an auction and kissing booth, some old ladies trying to save their home, a pretty pathetic sports team, one policeman's motorcycle, and a little gambling at a crooked casino...what more could you ask for in the way of family fun? So, matey, grab your bottle of cream soda, instead of rum, and pass around the bowl of bite sized candy...  1 hour 46 minutes  | Principal Cast Peter Ustinov...Captain Blackbeard Dean Jones...Steve Walker Suzanne Pleshette...Jo Anne Baker Elsa Lanchester...Emily Stowecroft Joby Baker...Silky Seymour Elliott Reid...TV Commentator Richard Deacon...Dean Wheaton Norman Grabowski...Virgil Kelly Thordsen...Motorcycle Officer Michael Conrad...Pinetop Purvis Herbie Faye...Croupier George Murdock...Head Official Hank Jones...Gudger Larkin Ned Glass...Teller Gil Lamb...Waiter Alan Carney...Bartender Ted Markland...Charles Lou Nova...Leon Charlie Brill...Edward Herb Vigran...Danny Oly William Fawcett...Mr. Ainsworth Betty Bronson...Old Lady Elsie Baker...Old Lady Kathryn Minner...Old Lady Sara Taft...Old Lady Quotes [telling Steve Walker about Blackbeard's tenth wife] Emily Stowecroft: Aldetha was a witch, you know. She never forgave the Captain for denouncing her to the authorities. When they were burning Aldetha at the stake, she put a terrible curse on him. As the flames crept higher and higher, she screeched her dying words: [raises her voice and startles Steve] Emily Stowecroft: "*Edward Teach*, sometimes known as Captain Blackbeard, when you come to die, may your body and soul be racked between this world and the next, always to be alone! May this curse hold fast and true, may you be held forevermore in limbo, until such time as there be found in you, most wicked of all villains - " [laughs maniacally] Emily Stowecroft: " - some spark of human goodness!" Emily Stowecroft: [in her calm, normal voice again] Well, good night, Mr. Walker. Sleep well! The dining room will be open for breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Please be prompt. Steve Walker: I don't think you're real and I don't think that sword is real. I'm going to walk straight through it and go to bed! Captain Blackbeard: I did have a treasure. I had a big treasure. Lovely, I did. But I spent it all in one week. Among the flesh pots and gambling hells of Port Royal oh what a glorious week! Steve Walker: Oh you know what you are? You are a total loss you're not even a respectable ghost! You're a phoney! A phoney! Captain Blackbeard: By thunder! This raises my blood! There be a time for action! Hang on old ladies, Blackbeard's coming! Up the Jolly Roger! Steve Walker: [referring to Blackbeard] You know something, I think I'm really gonna miss the old scoundrel. Jo Anne Baker: You know something? I loved you even when I thought you were nuts. |
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Thanks to IMDB.com for most of the info for this movie.
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