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The Boy and the Pirates

  • 1960
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 22m
IMDb RATING
5.2/10
478
YOUR RATING
The Boy and the Pirates (1960)
ActionAdventureCrimeDramaFamilyFantasyHistory

A young boy is magically transported back in time to a pirate ship on the high seas.A young boy is magically transported back in time to a pirate ship on the high seas.A young boy is magically transported back in time to a pirate ship on the high seas.

  • Director
    • Bert I. Gordon
  • Writers
    • Bert I. Gordon
    • Lillie Hayward
    • Jerry Sackheim
  • Stars
    • Charles Herbert
    • Susan Gordon
    • Murvyn Vye
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.2/10
    478
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Bert I. Gordon
    • Writers
      • Bert I. Gordon
      • Lillie Hayward
      • Jerry Sackheim
    • Stars
      • Charles Herbert
      • Susan Gordon
      • Murvyn Vye
    • 19User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos4

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    Top cast16

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    Charles Herbert
    Charles Herbert
    • Jimmy Warren
    Susan Gordon
    Susan Gordon
    • Katrina Van Keif…
    Murvyn Vye
    Murvyn Vye
    • Blackbeard
    Paul Guilfoyle
    Paul Guilfoyle
    • Snipe
    Joe Turkel
    Joe Turkel
    • Abu the Genie
    • (as Joseph Turkel)
    Archie Duncan
    Archie Duncan
    • Scoggins
    Than Wyenn
    • Hunter
    Albert Cavens
    Albert Cavens
    • Dutch Captain
    • (as Al Cavens)
    Mickey Finn
    Mickey Finn
    • Peake
    Morgan Jones
    Morgan Jones
    • Mr. Warren
    Timothy Carey
    Timothy Carey
    • Morgan
    George Bruggeman
    George Bruggeman
    • Pirate
    • (uncredited)
    Duke Fishman
    Duke Fishman
    • Pirate
    • (uncredited)
    Chuck Hamilton
    Chuck Hamilton
    • Pirate
    • (uncredited)
    Cap Somers
    • Pirate
    • (uncredited)
    Ray Spiker
    Ray Spiker
    • Pirate
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Bert I. Gordon
    • Writers
      • Bert I. Gordon
      • Lillie Hayward
      • Jerry Sackheim
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews19

    5.2478
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    Featured reviews

    5Uriah43

    An Adventure Movie with Younger Audiences in Mind

    This film begins with a young boy by the name of "Jimmy Warren" (Charles Herbert) playing on what's left of an old ship that crashed upon the coast near his small town in Massachusetts. Upon gazing out into the ocean he just happens to spot a bottle that drifts on the beach and while handling it wishes he could be aboard a pirate ship. Suddenly a genie named "Adu" (Joseph Turkel) pops out and immediately grants his wish. The next thing Jimmy knows is that he is surrounded by pirates and subsequently forced to work for "Captain Blackbeard" (Murvyn Vye) as his personal cabin boy. To make matters even worse, Abu then tells him that unless he can return the bottle within 3 days to the exact spot in which he found it he will be forced to take Abu's place and live in the same bottle for the next two thousand years. From that point on Jimmy tries his best to get the pirate ship to change course and head back to Massachusetts but the only problem is that Abu is doing everything possible to prevent it. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was an okay adventure film which was essentially produced for younger viewers. As such the action, scripts and special effects were toned down to accommodate that particular audience. Even so this wasn't a bad film by any means and I have rated it accordingly. Average.
    5Ed-Shullivan

    A decent prep for the following years much more superior 1961 Ray Harryhausen's Mysterious Island

    Keep in mind this film was released in 1960 and the target audience were families, especially young boys and girls who had an innate fear of Pirates and/or Indians. At my now senior citizen age I was bored very early with young Jimmy but when I saw the fearful pirate Morgan (Timothy Carey) my boyhood fear was brought to the forefront.

    If you enjoyed The Boy and the Pirates I suggest you try and catch the subsequent 1961 Ray Harryhausen's Mysterious Island. Ray Harryhausen's classic visual effects lead the way for many a fine adventure films that followed which is why I have to give some credit to The Boy and the Pirates which led the way for many a great adventure films to follow.

    I give it a decent 5 out of 10 IMDb rating but it is meant for children between the ages of 5 and 15.
    6CinemaSerf

    The Boy and the Pirates

    This is actually quite an amiable little kids adventure film that sees the young "Jimmy" (Charles Herbert) find a bottle on the beach - next thing he and his friend "Katrina" (Susan Gordon) have been miraculously transported aboard the pirate ship of "Blackbeard" (Murvyn Vye) and adventures galore lie ahead... Paul Gilfoyle is quite good as the pirate's sidekick "Snipe" and it has quite a bit of light-heartedness to it - "Blackbeard" tries to light his cigar with some safety matches! - and plenty of jolly japes for the youngsters. It has been produced in the style of the Disney action films of the time, but to nowhere near the same standard. That said, though, the kids are clearly up for it, it has plenty of low-budget swash and buckle and though probably fifteen minutes too long, might still have been enjoyable for younger eyes.
    Michael_Elliott

    Fair Pirate Story

    The Boy and the Pirates (1960)

    ** (out of 4)

    Bert I. Gordon stepped away from the giant insects long enough to direct this children's film about a young Jimmy Warren (Charles Herbert) who is in trouble by his parents because all he does is think about the days of the pirates. After coming across a genie, the boy is transported back to when Blackbeard (Murvyn Vye) ruled the sea and the boy gets to see what it was really like. THE BOY AND THE PIRATES is innocent enough and there are a few good things about it but I think most adults are going to have trouble staying awake through it. I'll start off with the good stuff, which includes some decent special effects considering some of the director's earlier films and not to mention that the budget here isn't that big. I also thought we got some nice supporting performances including Vye as Blackbeard and Paul Guilfoyle who plays a pirate who befriends the children. The director's daughter Susan Gordon actually steals the show in a dual role as Jimmy's friend. Even Joe Turkel isn't too bad as the genie. I think Herbert wasn't all that interesting in the lead so his performance certainly brings the film down a notch or two. Another problem is that there's really just not enough energy to carry the film and its rather short running time. There are quite a few pirate battles but none of them are so exciting to the point where you're having a great time. Instead, they get the job done to just barely keep you awake. I think the darker moments of the film (the kids constantly being threatened) really don't mix too well with some of the lighter humor (the bubblegum getting in the pirate's food) but these scenes on their own are quite effective.
    6bkoganbing

    A Massahusetts Yankee kid on the pirate ship of Blackbeard

    I well remember this film, seeing it in the movie theater when I was 12 years old. But viewing it now I wonder how producer/director Bert Gordon could credit himself with an original script. It's so obviously borrowed from A Connecticut Yankee in the Court of King Arthur. I guess since Mark Twain was long dead they didn't have to credit him.

    Charles Herbert is having a lot of issues at home and school because of his obsession with pirates. Finding a lost bottle washed up from the sea, he makes a wish to be a pirate with Blackbeard and the genie Joseph Turkel makes it happen. Turkel also says unless that bottle is returned to the exact spot he found it, Herbert takes his place in the bottle.

    On board ship Herbert becomes cabin boy and meets Blackbeard himself played by the always menacing Murvyn Vye who curiously enough was Bing Crosby's adversary Merlin in A Connecticut Yankee In The Court Of King Arthur. Archie Duncan, Timothy Carey, and Paul Guilfoyle play other pirate types.

    Then there's Susan Gordon who was also the producer's daughter who Herbert rescues from a plundered Dutch ship and who looks strangely enough like the girl next door back in modern times.

    Herbert and Gordon are a nice pair of youthful leads and Gordon certainly was a pretty thing back in the day. The Boy And The Pirates holds up well as a nice piece of children's entertainment with or without deserved credit to Mark Twain.

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Timothy Carey was fired from this movie because he threw Charles Herbert across the deck of the pirate ship.
    • Connections
      Featured in Family Classics: Family Classics: The Boy and the Pirates (1962)

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • April 13, 1960 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Jimmy und die Piraten
    • Filming locations
      • Malibu, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Bert I. Gordon Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 22 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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